Stay on Target!

When our oldest son was in kindergarten, one of the educational catch phrases was, “Staying on task.” I had never heard this before, so questioned his teacher. Basically, it boiled down to this: remaining in his seat and completing a project. In his defense, he already knew his colors, shapes, alphabet, and the sounds the letters make. He was already reading. He’s not an “artsy/craftsy” kid. Kindergarten was boring for him. He wanted to spend the time in the classroom playing and socializing! To his teacher, it was just one more thing for her to manage, in a roomful of energetic 5 and 6 year olds.

I sometimes feel this way in my spiritual journey. I have a hard time staying on task. I grew up in a strong, evangelical church. We were taught to pray, read our Bible, and go to church. I know the basics. Teach me something deep and spiritual, and I’m there. Go back to the “easy” stuff, and I tend to wander from my chair (mentally, anyway!).

The issue is that we never really know it all, do we? Prayer is a subject we could study for our entire lives, and never truly plumb the depths of what it means to commune with God.

The Bible, which has been recognized for centuries, is full of truths, instruction, and meanings which scholars have studied throughout the history of the Church. No one has it “down pat” to this day.

Going to church? That never goes out of style. Coming to meet with God’s people and partake of the holy Sacrifice of the Mass will never get old.

Now we are in the midst of the season of Lent, we are encouraged to make an even more concerted effort to grow in these areas. But how to stay on task, that’s a continuous problem.

The first place to start is a bit of discipline. We don’t like that word, but it’s necessary. (Hebrews 12:11) Even if we start with just five minutes each day, reading a short amount of Scripture and praying, we have begun a lifestyle that will benefit us for eternity. And seriously, if we can’t devote even one hour each week to Mass, we need to get our priorities straight.

You may ask, “So I’ve done those things, but I still have a wandering mind and get bored.” This is where step number one comes in.

I do not enjoy exercising. In the milder months of the year, I try my best to take a walk every day (and use that time to pray, as well). Once the cold and snow set in though, I find it much easier to stay inside and hibernate.

And so it is with anything we don’t particularly “enjoy” doing. But as we grow in reading Scripture and praying, it can become a more “enjoyable” undertaking. Finding a short devotional-type book can be helpful, too. Another great resource is the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops website. With the simple click of the mouse on the calendar to the right, we can find the day’s Mass readings. There is also a link to hear a short reflection. Such things can help us focus our meditation on Scripture and our time of prayer.

What about Mass? “It’s the same thing every week, and I don’t get much from the homilies. My mind wanders.” Again, one of the best ways to overcome this is a little discipline. Take time to read the Sunday readings on Saturday evening or Sunday morning. Prepare yourself to hear God speak to you. Once at Mass, take time to really consider what the waters in the font mean for your life—your baptism and call to be God’s child. Kneel for a few moments in prepare, asking God to make your heart ready for receiving His Word and the Eucharist. Open your hymnal and sing along.

These simple steps may seem a bit fundamental. But if we “stay on task,” we will find that our life of faith can flourish over time.

In the words of the commander in Star Wars, “Stay on target!”