Little by Little

Our fast moving culture is conditioning us to expect, demand, feel entitled, to get results, or what we want immediately. Notice our frustration when our computers are "slow". We carry mobile devices that put us in instant contact with others. If we forget, or worse, God forbid, lose them, we are "lost."   How did we ever survive before we had these things?  We can't escape them, it seems, but we can prevent the mentality that comes with them from throwing a monkey wrench into our spiritual life.   Mary, our Good Mother, St. Marcellin and the thousands who follow in their footsteps know that spiritual growth takes time and patience, and the essential attitude that it happens little by little.  I have a friend of "the old school" who is a gifted engineer, carpenter, electrician...you name it...but he takes his time, claiming that he works according to his energy level.  It's amazing what he accomplishes but it's not done in a day, but over a series of weeks.  He is persistent, and open as time goes by to change and adapt as he works on his projects.  In this way, inspiration has time to find a place in his work, and in the end is much better than his original concept or plan.  So too with our prayer life, our spiritual life.  We are not satisfied, we want more, and think we are not "making progress" when it doesn't seem to be going according to our "hurry-up" blueprint.  We need not be down on ourselves because the plans we make are not fulfilled.  Rather, it is a time for us to abandon ourselves to God's plan, and learn (sometimes the hard way) that even in our disappointments and frustrations, we have the opportunity for spiritual growth.  The formula, "little by little" is an apt application to follow.  "By waiting and by calm you shall be saved,/ in quiet and in trust your strength lies" (Is 30: 15b).
Bro. Rene