Coming Down the Mountain

      Before I begin, I would like to make one thing clear. I am seventeen years old. I don't have all the answers. I have not throughly studied Catholic doctrine or theology. This blog contains my opinion, thoughts, and experiences, and does not constitute as Church teaching. I say this because I cannot guarantee that what I will say in this blog will be in line with the truth of church teaching, no matter how much I wish it did.   

  

      Alright let's begin.

      

      "After the retreat, I was on a spiritual high, but then after being back at home for a while, I fell off the high, and into my usual routine."

      If I had a nickel for every time I've heard this, I could probably buy a new pair of offbrand Crocs. The truth is, I've been guilty of getting on the same spiritual rollercoaster. When Adoration or Mass is no longer a part of an assigned schedule, and the responsibility to engage in the Sacraments and in prayer rest solely in our hands, it's easy to revert back to our normal routine, where daily Mass, frequent trips to confession, and praying the rosary are activities that are considered more of prizes to be redeemed when we have free time, rather than moments which hold priority in our daily lives. 

      

      When Peter encountered the glory of God during the Transfiguration, he immediately wanted to pitch tents and stay up on the mountain. Peter is a lot like us in that, after having an amazing experience with Christ, he wanted to stay there forever. But realistically speaking, you have to come down the mountain at some point. So how are you going to let your experience at the peak affect how you live your life in the valley? 

      Typically, profound spiritual emotional experiences with God do not occur on a daily basis. Ouch. That means that living for God outside of retreats may involve us praying and engaging in the Sacraments without sure promise that your going to physically feel God's presence in your life. Can we persevere through desolation and have faith that God is still working as much in our lives now as he did on the retreat? 

      I hear all the time about people "falling off the spiritual high." Several years ago, while I was at a Catholic summer camp, I decided to break my own spiritual cycle. I decided not to let go of God again. Little did I know, that meant letting go of the spiritual high. Since then, I have grown exponentially in my spirituality and  I have centered my life more around Christ. I still fell down, and sinned, but when I did, I did not stop praying, or going to mass and confession. In my darkest moments, I walked confidently through the night,  trusting that God held the reins, simply because I let Him do so. 

      

      All that to say this: If you feel yourself falling into your normal routines, remember that God is always persistent in His love for you. Your spiritual life might feel like a roller coaster but if you continue to pray and receive grace in the Sacraments, God will not fail to work in your life. 

      Here's a practical suggestion that has worked for me. If your trying to cope with returning home from a retreat, try to find a time when you can sit before Jesus in adoration or the tabernacle and pray for the Holy Spirit to come into your heart. The Holy Spirit is the foundation for a relationship with our Lord, Jesus. 

      I hope and pray something I wrote may have helped you in some way. I would love to hear how the Lord may be working though this blog. 

Here's my contact information:

Cell: 972-825-3477

Email: walexfry@sbcglobal.net

If you have any questions of concerns, I would love to hear those as well. 

Thank you.