Spiritual Formation

Top 10 Signs You Don’t Understand What Spiritual Formation Is All About

10. You think “spiritual formation” means learning how to form spirits — and you’ve been shopping for a wand on Amazon.

Directory §110: “Spiritual formation is the center and heart of diaconal formation.” (Not Hogwarts.)  It is not one among many, but a core and central tenet of our being.

9. Your entire prayer life consists of checking the “Amen” box on Facebook posts.

CCC 2559: “Prayer is the raising of one’s mind and heart to God…,”

quoting St. John Damascene. (No ‘Like’ button mentioned.)

St. Therese of Lisieux said “For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy.”

And this union and embrace of God changes us!

St. Francis de Sales reminds us that “Prayer opens the understanding to the brightness of divine light, and the will to the warmth of heavenly love; nothing can so effectually purify the mind from its many ignorances, or the will from its perverse affections.”

8. You believe the goal is to get better at ministry — not to grow in union with Christ.

John 15:5: “Apart from Me you can do nothing.” Our ministry was never ours. We participate in the ministry of Christ. We must be in a relationship with Him to participate in His ministry.

MINISTRY IS SECONDARY!!!!

7. You think the Liturgy of the Hours is optional… like guacamole at Chipotle.

Directory §115: “The Liturgy of the Hours is the prayer of the whole Church.”

It is binding on us for much the same reason as the precept to attend Mass. Participating in this prayer creates a window in our lives for spiritual growth and change. We don’t pray to get something out of it, we pray to become something with it.

6. You’re still trying to fit God into your schedule instead of letting Him set your schedule.

Matthew 6:33: “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness…”

Father Larry Richards famously says, “No Bible, no breakfast; no Bible, no bed.”

It’s like that with prayer. It should become an integral part of your being; a way of life. It should be as natural to us as breathing.

5. Your idea of kenosis (self-emptying) is giving away the last donut at the formation retreat.

Philippians 2:7: “…He emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave.”

In fact, from one lens, the entirety of Matthew’s Gospel can be seen as Jesus emptying himself. And you can’t give what you don’t have!

4. You believe “servant leadership” means telling other people what they should do for you.

Mark 10:45: “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve…”

Pope Francis reminds us, “A good shepherd must be prepared to walk in front of the flock, to show the way, to walk in the midst of the flock to strengthen them, and sometimes to walk behind the flock, to help those who lag behind and to let the flock itself intuit the way.”

And don’t, for a moment, think you’re not in formation to be a shepherd. We are all called to be shepherds, and we’re all called to be sheep.

3. You only open your Bible to make sure your name is still written in the front cover from ordination day.

2 Timothy 3:16: “All Scripture is inspired by God and useful…”

St. Jerome goes on to say “ignorance of scripture is ignorance of Christ.”

Our understanding of scripture must exceed the limited set of readings we’re looking at for a given Sunday. Knowledge of Scripture can save your butt.

2. You measure your holiness by how many parish committees you’re on, or how many decades of the rosary you pray.

CCC 2013: “All Christians…are called to the fullness of Christian life and to the perfection of charity.”

St. James reminds us “For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead.”

If our spirituality is about “me and God,” it whithers on the vine. Living out your faith is the maturation of your spiritual formation.

And the Number 1 Sign You Don’t Understand Spiritual Formation Is… You’re preparing to “do ministry” for Jesus instead of learning how to “live ministry in” Jesus.

Galatians 2:20: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.”

What is Spiritual Formation?

It’s fundamental to your becoming a deacon.

1. Spiritual formation is the process of being conformed ever more closely to Christ the Servant through prayer, the sacraments, and daily conversion, so that the deacon becomes a transparent witness of the Gospel in every aspect of his life — because you can’t serve like Christ unless you live like Christ.

“It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” — Galatians 2:20

2. Spiritual formation is the heart of diaconal preparation, integrating Scripture, Tradition, and the Church’s life of prayer into the candidate’s mind and heart so that ministry flows from intimacy with God — because ministry is overflow, not overwork.

“If you are what you should be, you will set the whole world on fire.” — St. Catherine of Siena

3. Spiritual formation is a lifelong journey of holiness in which the deacon learns to “put on the mind of Christ” (Phil 2:5), cultivating virtues that reflect Christ’s humility, charity, and obedience — because the collar doesn’t make the man, Christ does.

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.” — Romans 12:2

4. Spiritual formation is the foundation upon which human, intellectual, and pastoral formation stand, ensuring that ministry is not mere activity, but a Spirit-led service rooted in prayer, discernment, and love for the Church — because without roots, even the strongest tree falls.

“I am the vine, you are the branches… apart from me you can do nothing.” — John 15:5

Top 10 Signs You Do Understand What Spiritual Formation Is All About

10. You know “formation” isn’t something you graduate from — it’s a lifelong apprenticeship to Christ.

Directory §113: Spiritual formation is “lifelong and constantly deepening.”

St. John Paul II (Pastores Dabo Vobis, §69): “Ongoing formation is necessary in order to remain faithful to the gift received and to respond to new challenges.”

9. You don’t just say prayers — you let prayer shape your heart, mind, and choices.

CCC 2725: “Prayer is both a gift of grace and a determined response on our part.” St. Thérèse of Lisieux (Story of a Soul): “For me, prayer is a surge of the heart, a simple look turned toward heaven…”

8. You see the Eucharist not as one devotion among many, but as the source and summit of your life.

CCC 1324: “The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life.”

Lumen Gentium §11: “Taking part in the Eucharistic sacrifice… they offer the Divine Victim to God, and themselves along with it.”

It’s helpful to know that the paraphrase in the CCC does a slight injustice. In fact, LG really says the celebration of the Eucharistic sacrifice is the source and summit. Here it is:

Vatican II Documents Chapter II. On the People of God

Taking part in the Eucharistic sacrifice, which is the fount and apex of the whole Christian life, they offer the Divine Victim to God, and offer themselves along with It. Thus both by reason of the offering and through Holy Communion all take part in this liturgical service, not indeed, all in the same way but each in that way which is proper to himself. Strengthened in Holy Communion by the Body of Christ, they then manifest in a concrete way that unity of the people of God which is suitably signified and wondrously brought about by this most august sacrament.

7. You pray the Liturgy of the Hours even when nobody’s watching — including the angels.

Directory §115: The Hours “sanctify the day and all human activity.”

Pope Paul VI (Laudis Canticum, §8): “The Liturgy of the Hours is the voice of the Bride herself as she addresses her Bridegroom.”

Again, we participate in the prayer of the Church, we don’t just pray it.

6. You recognize that spiritual direction is not “optional therapy” but a space for the Holy Spirit to speak.

Directory §113: Spiritual formation “requires regular dialogue with a spiritual director.”

St. John of the Cross (Sayings of Light and Love, 5): “He who has a director by whom he allows himself to be guided will not fall.”

We are not meant to be in this alone!

5. You notice the more you grow spiritually, the more you love the Church — even when she’s messy.

Ephesians 5:25: “Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for her.”

Pope Francis (Evangelii Gaudium, §24): “The Church which ‘goes forth’ is a community of missionary disciples who take the first step, who are involved and supportive…”

4. You see ministry as an overflow of your relationship with Christ, not a substitute for it.

John 7:38: “Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.”

Pope Benedict XVI (Deus Caritas Est, §18): “The love of Christ must be our very life, so that our love may never be lacking to our neighbor.”

3. You’re as eager to listen to God in silence as you are to speak to Him.

Psalm 46:10: “Be still, and know that I am God.”

St. Teresa of Calcutta: “God speaks in the silence of the heart. Listening is the beginning of prayer.”

2. You’re more concerned about being the presence of Christ than looking the part.

Romans 13:14: “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ…”

St. John Chrysostom (Homily on Matthew, 50.3): “The garment of Christ is love, and whoever wears it will be recognized as His disciple.”

And the Number 1 Sign You Do Understand Spiritual Formation Is… You measure success by faithfulness to Christ, not by how much you get done.

Matthew 25:21: “Well done, good and faithful servant…”

Pope Francis (Gaudete et Exsultate, §57): “What is important is not to accomplish a multitude of works, but to allow ourselves to be transformed by grace.”