Spiritual Wellness by Gratia Plena Spiritual Director Mary Malicki
In this series on wellness we have thus far covered: physical health and emotional health. Today’s article focuses on Spiritual Health. We are human beings with body, mind, and soul created in the image and likeness of God. (Gen1:27)
God created man in his image;
in the divine image he created him;
male and female he created them.
And just as our bodies need a physical wellness and our minds a mental wellness, our souls yearn to dwell in spiritual wellness. And there is a basic recipe for this concept of spiritual wellness. Like all good cooks, modifications may be made but there are core ingredients necessary for our recipe of spiritual wellness. They are:
- Image of God
- Image of Self
- Image of Presence
Let’s begin by looking at the idea of the “Image of God”
I can start out by saying, “God cannot be defined”. God is bigger than any religion, bigger than any dogma. Simply, God is undefinable. But where prose fails, poetry succeeds. Here is a poem by Howard Simon that touches upon the essence of God better than any theologian I’ve encountered.
Who is God?
He is:
A poor man’s riches
A hungry man’s bread
A sad man’s joy
A sick man’s health
A crippled man’s legs
A deaf man’s ears
A blind man’s eyes
An ugly man’s beauty
A troubled man’s peace
A foolish man’s wisdom
A defeated man’s victory
An insane man’s sanity
A dead man’s life
A lost man’s salvation
So, who is God for you? That is the crucial question of spiritual wellness and it is a question that must be pondered and then answered. And no one can answer it for you. Slowly read Psalm 139 and encounter the All-knowing and Ever-present God. Explore Exodus 3, The Call of Moses, and find your Burning Bush Moment. Then, compose your own personal poem, your prose, your story of “Who God is for me”. For we become like the God we adore. Remember, God brings life; God is a freedom-giver; God is love.
A healthy image of God cannot be overstated. Time and life’s wounds have a way of eroding our image of God’s goodness and mercy. Somehow God may become a judgmental harsh overseer dishing out punishment. Working with a Spiritual Director one can begin to strengthen and heal this concept. An excellent resource for delving into and healing our image of God is the book, Good Goats, Healing our Image of God by Dennis Linn, Sheila Fabricant Linn, and Matthew Linn. This book is easy to read with engaging illustration but the effects of living its lessons are profound.
The next ingredient in Spiritual Wellness is our Self-Image. “Me, Myself and I”, that is a phrase I loved saying when I was a little girl. Now a better question is, “Who am I in the presence of God?” The answer should include the word worthy. Of course we are worthy. We are made in the image and likeness of God. In the Eucharistic Prayer II from the Holy Mass, the priest prays “…giving thanks that you held us worthy…”
Thomas Merton has the most probing quote about self.
“If you want to identify me, ask me not where I live,
or what I like to eat, or how I comb my hair,
but ask me what I am living for, in detail,
ask me what I think is keeping me from living fully
for the thing I want to live for.”
What are you living for? Be honest in answering that question. And then what is the one thing that keeps you from living fully? Again, a Spiritual Director can help in unearthing answers from within yourself.
Scripture Affirmations are a beautiful way to grow your self-esteem. Of course there is a raft of books on self-esteem, but try praying with a Scripture Affirmation before you run out and make a purchase. Here are some considerations:
- Ephesians 2:10 …For we are God’s work of art.
- 1 Corinthians 6:19 Do you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?
- Isaiah 49:15-16 …I will not forget you. See, upon the palms of my hands I have written your name.
- 2 Corinthians 3:3 (updated translation) You are a love letter to the world.
- 2 Corinthians 4:7 We hold a treasure not made of gold, earthen vessels…
- 2 Corinthians 2:15 You are the fragrance of Christ.
- Jeremiah 1: 5 Before I formed you in the womb I know you. Before you were born I dedicated you.
Choose one of these Scripture Affirmations and make it your prayer of growing self-esteem, healing self-image. Ask the Lord your God to let His love seep into your soul’s marrow, the essence of you who are. And remember, you are a spark of the divine. You are a marvel, unique. In all the universe for all time, there will never be another you.
The last ingredient of Spiritual Wellness recipe is an Image of Presence. A healthy Image of Presence means living in the Now, not clinging to the past, not in fear of the future, but being present to the moment. Grace allows us to live in the present.
Grace is a free gift; all we have to do is ask. And what is grace? It is something one receives which is not deserved, and it is a mystery.
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you;
It is a gift of God; it is not from works, so no one may boast.
Ephesians 2: 8-9
We receive grace through the sacraments, especially participating in Eucharist. The Holy Mass is a font of grace. Grace for free, all we have to do is ask! What is keeping you from asking?
Prayer is an important part of a part of the Image of Presence. Prayer is being open to God, both speaking and listening. We are good at speaking prayers, but it is the listening that is the most important. Fr. Philip Chircop, SJ says, “When you pray for one hour, speak for one minute and listen for the other fifty-nine.”
There are a plethora of books on prayer. Here are a few suggestions, offered to me by the way by Fr. Philip Chircop:
- Prayer: Finding the Hearts True Home by Richard J. Foster
- Help, Thanks, Wow: The Three Essential Prayers by Anne Lamott
- A Praying Life: Connecting With God In A Distracting World by Paul E Miller
The prayer of listening is called meditation and one simply prays with one’s breathe and a mantra such as Maranatha. An excellent resource is the World Community for Christian Meditation. It gives a simple step by step description of how to meditate. Try it out.
The use of Scripture is an important part of our prayer life. Lectio Divina is an important tool in reading Scriptures.
Grace, prayer, and Scripture connect us to God and God to us. We need to be faithful by just showing up. Let God do the work. Thirst for prayer. Try praying with Psalm 42: 1-2
As the deer longs for streams of water, so my soul longs for you,
O God. My being thirsts for God, the living God.
Or meditate on the Woman at the Well in John 4. Be thirsty for our living God.
Spiritual Wellness requires time and effort on our part, but it is God who does the majority of the work. Examine your image of God and if it needs healing, begin the process. Look at your concept of your self-image, and if it needs bolstering begin with the Scriptural affirmations. Tell yourself you are the Beloved of God often, daily, hourly as needed. Explore your image of presence. Try out Christian Meditation, Lectio Divina. Read a book on prayer, and practice its precepts. But be Present. Show up!
In the next article in this series, we will cover Social health and wellness.