How do Catholics Understand Spiritual Growth?

The life of a Christian is a life of discipleship—we are apprenticed to the Master, so to speak, and our entire life is a process of becoming more and more like our Master, Jesus Christ. Unlike some Christian denominations that focus more on the initial conversion experience—of being “born again” and giving one’s life to Jesus Christ—we Catholics emphasize the life-long nature of conversion. Yes, the grace of Baptism utterly changes our identity, and we are born again to a new life in Christ. Yes, we have intense moments where we make definitive life choices. However—we Catholics focus on our cooperation with God’s grace over the long haul. Every day offers new opportunities to deepen and strengthen our conversion to Christ and living the new life we possess. Progress in the spiritual life takes time and effort and attention. We follow St. Paul’s admonition to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:12-13).

One way to proceed with our reflection is by way of an extended illustration. I am a birdwatcher. For the past 25 years, the hobby of birdwatching has filled my life with many wonderful moments and adventures. I picked up the hobby as a mom of two very busy boys who loved being outside—yet never went in one direction very long. What was something I could do while stopping to allow them to inspect every bug or cool rock without going ballistic in my impatience? Well, birdwatching fits the forward progress (or lack thereof) of children extremely well. While they poke a stick in a tree’s rotten cavern, I can scan the bushes for birds or watch that feeding flock going past. We all stayed happier with my newfound hobby, and, in fact, my kids became expert birders who often pointed out and identified those unusual species to me!

So what might the hobby of birdwatching teach us about progressing in one’s spiritual life? I propose six lessons. Lesson number one: pay attention and equip yourself to see what is around you. Lesson number two: learn what you need to pay attention to and focus on what’s most helpful, not what’s most noticeable. Lesson number three: enjoy the adventure set before you and resist the temptation to shift your goals. Lesson number four: accept the reality of what’s possible yet remain open to surprises. Lesson number five: pass on what you know to others, being patient with novices. And lesson number six: receive help from others in your community, avoiding prideful and indignant isolation.

Lesson number one: equip yourself to see what is around you and learn how to look. Birdwatching is a great hobby for those without a lot of money to spend—all it takes is some decent binoculars and a bird identification resource (book or app). You need a way to travel to locations with birds and you need clothes that help you be outside in all kinds of weather. Learning how to look through binoculars takes some practice. I used to attach two toilet paper tubes together with some duct tape and put a string around them to make binoculars for my preschool kids. They would get the practice of bringing the binoculars up to their eyes while looking at the bird—without me worrying about them dropping expensive bino’s or swinging them around each other like weapons.

When a person begins birdwatching, it’s easy to get frustrated about not finding any birds! They can be fairly elusive, and until you get some practice, the idea of locating and identifying a 4” long bird at the top of a 40’ oak tree in the woods seems pretty impossible! How do birdwatchers find birds? They go to where birds are likely to be, then they use a couple of very simple techniques. It’s easier to find birds when you are still. Birdwatching requires the willingness to stop and look around. When you look around, it’s best to not focus your eyes but leave your eyes in “scanning mode” and look for movement. The wonderful thing about birds is that they love to communicate through calls and songs and taps. So in addition to looking, we’re listening.

Once I locate one bird, it almost always happens that I notice more—the process of carefully observing one bird helps my eyes notice the other birds that were all around but unnoticed. I have developed the practice of looking through my bino’s at just about any bird I spot—even if it’s one I’ve seen hundreds of times before. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been observing one bird when another bird’s movements grab my attention in my binoculars—often a much more unusual and hard-to-spot bird! Birdwatching depends upon a person making the conscious effort to stop, wait and look—how much of our lives are spent with eyes open, but without really seeing anything around us?

Spiritual growth requires the same kind of effort. Sometimes we fail to make use of some simple tools that can help us find the Lord in our everyday life. Do we pick up our Bibles and read God’s word every day? Do we worship the Lord every Sunday at Mass and receive His Sacramental grace? Do we stop and look and listen for His Presence—or just race through life at full speed, busy with our own agendas and plans? Growth in our spiritual life paradoxically requires slowing down and paying attention—in seeking the grandiose and magnificent, we often fail to notice the everyday, subtle beauty of the Christian life that surround us everywhere. And often when we recognize one instance of God’s loving presence and action, other examples come into focus and become apparent—“to the one who has, more will be given” Jesus instructs us.

If we want to find birds, it’s best to go to habitats that support bird life. Yes, I’ve found birds in the middle of cities or habitats suffering from environmental degradation, but not many and it’s not much fun to search through all the filth and death. Similarly, if we want to find God, it’s best to spend our time in places and situations where we know God is sought and honored. Yes, I suppose one could work hard to find God within the pages of gossip magazines or while listening to vile music or while watching depraved movies—but why bother with that effort? Fill your life with “habitats” where God’s presence is more likely—and where you will be more likely to be captivated and entranced.

Lesson number two: learn what you need to pay attention to and focus on what’s most helpful, not what’s most noticeable. When people hear that I am a birdwatcher, they often ask me about a bird they saw. They usually begin by saying something like, “Hey, Marie, I saw this bird and thought of you. Can you identify it for me—it was yellow.” I usually respond with a series of questions such as: “How big was it—was it tiny like a chickadee or bigger like a blue jay or really big like a crow?” “Where was the bird and what was it doing?” “Did you notice any features like the shape of its beak or stripes on its wings or head or tail?” After my questions, they sometimes look downcast and say, “Well, it was yellow, I thought you’d know what it was…” Unfortunately, the things we notice as an untrained observer aren’t usually the things that really help us identify what we see.

Isn’t that true, also, in our spiritual life? When we seek to understand what we are experiencing, we often fail to notice the distinguishing characteristics that really matter. We go through a trial or a period of suffering. We might notice, in minute detail, the extent and quality of the suffering we experience (and take great delight in talking about it to others)—but fail to notice the moments of grace, the opportunities for purification, the blessings of friends who reach out to us, the greater capacity we develop to be compassionate to others suffering similar challenges. We can’t learn from and grow through these experiences until we learn to pay attention to the correct details—and focus on what really helps us make sense of things as a Christian disciple. Taking on the life of a disciple of Jesus Christ gives us a new life and new home: the way we identify the circumstances and events of our life need to reflect that eternal destiny.

Lesson number three: enjoy the adventure set before you and resist the temptation to shift your goals. There is a tendency within our fallen human nature to be restless, always seeking “more and better” out of life. We’re fearful of ever giving the impression that we’re not sophisticated—and therefore we train ourselves to find “commonplace experiences” boring and tiresome. We forget the initial joy and wonder of learning and seeing—and we turn to wanting to learn something more valued by others, or experiencing something rarer and more difficult for the “average” person to encounter. This leads us to spending ever-increasing amounts of time and resources on a diminishing amount of enjoyment.

Birdwatchers have this temptation as well. Pretty soon, it’s easy to focus on adding birds to your “life list”—if it isn’t a new bird you haven’t seen before, why bother watching it? Or you want to pay exorbitant amounts of money to travel to distant lands so you can add exotic birds to your list. Some birdwatchers even harass and disturb the very birds they seek to enjoy—and turn into obnoxious, selfish people who trespass, ruin wilderness, and chase birds off their nests just to get a look at a rare species.

I remember reading in a birdwatching magazine about two world-famous birders who were on a trip along the west coast—both wrote books, led birding tours to exotic lands, and had life lists of thousands of different bird species. They were traveling with a local member of a birdwatching club who was driving them from one speaking engagement to the next from California to Washington. Along the way, the car broke down. There they were, on the side of a lonely mountain highway, waiting for help. The local guide watched these two world-famous birders waiting in the back seat of the car. One of them called out, “Hey, Dark-eyed Juncos!,” grabbed his bino’s and leapt out of the car. The other guy grappled for his bino’s and tried to catch up. Here were two birders who had seen exotic species all over the world, making a big deal about seeing a bird that is basically found at every bird feeder in every back yard! Those two birders hadn’t lost sight of what birdwatching is all about—watching birds! They hadn’t given in to the temptation to be snooty and “discerning” about what was worthy of their attention—they had retained a child-like sense of wonder and enjoyment about life that kept their priorities straight.

How like them we need to be about our spiritual life! In order to grow in our spiritual life, we need to work hard to maintain our priorities—to keep first things first. Spiritual growth—advancing in our walk with Lord—doesn’t depend on exciting and thrilling moments. We can get distracted by emotional experiences, new insights, profoundly moving events—and begin seeking them for their own sake, rather than seeking the God whom we serve. We can seek to appear more sophisticated and advanced than others—and so we look down upon and resent the “commonplace” tools of spiritual growth: daily prayers, works of mercy, and love of neighbor.

Spiritual growth happens when we have the humility and trust in God to seek Him where we are—and not pine after novelty nor resent the commonplace. When one is filled with the love of God for God’s sake (and not for emotional, intellectual or social benefits for ourselves), then every day, every situation is an adventure offering us the possibility of a “God-sighting” that can bring us joy and fulfillment.

Lesson number four: accept the reality of what’s possible yet remain open to surprises. When I hike around the High Desert in Eastern Oregon, there are certain birds I am likely to see. There are other birds that I most definitely can’t find. If I am walking through the woods, I am not going to find birds that live in marshes. However, as top-notch bird guides love to remind us, “Birds have wings.” In other words, birds can end up in some surprising and unusual locations—and it’s always a joy to find them.

One Spring day my husband and I and our kids drove to Newport on the Oregon coast. There’s a great walk alongside Newport Bay that always brings up good birds. The boys love playing along the rocks and locating tiny crabs, so it keeps everyone happy. As we began our hike that morning, we noticed a large group of birdwatchers coming toward us—these guys were serious birders who were carrying spotting scopes and binoculars worth thousands of dollars! As we got closer, they noticed our birdwatching equipment and called out, “Are you looking for the Least Tern?” No, I said, we didn’t know about it. A Least Tern is a beautiful, tiny Tern that usually lives along the Gulf Coast—they are not present in Oregon. Apparently, this little guy’s migration compass was calibrated incorrectly, and he ended up along a bay in Oregon! We walked a bit further and spotted our vagrant resting with all the “local” terns and gulls on the sand near the water. Those are always exciting finds—to see something where you don’t expect it! It always feels like an unexpected gift—to be treasured and appreciated.

When we seek to grow as disciples of Jesus Christ, it’s helpful to keep in mind the situation and life we have. If we are a working mom, for example, we should not expect our spiritual growth to depend upon hours and hours of silent, meditative prayer. If we have difficulties reading and retaining information, we should not expect our spiritual growth to depend on being taught high-level theology. God will bring about the growth we need in ways that fit our situation—He is so in love with us as an individual, He is not interested in forcing us to be someone we’re not. Every person can achieve sanctity, every person can grow in their spiritual life—but not in the same way, not through the same means.

However, don’t be surprised by surprises! Sometimes God provides us with an experience, an encounter, an opportunity that is truly unexpected—and these unexpected situations can bring about great growth! I recall an experience I had right after we moved to Eugene, Oregon and purchased our first home. The house seemed so big! We only had two kids at the time, and the two bedrooms upstairs fit all of us—leaving two bedrooms downstairs that were essentially empty. A friend who worked at the parish called me up and said she knew of an urgent situation where an elderly lady needed a room to live in for a while. I learned a bit more about her and, after my husband and I talked about it, we agreed to let her move in for a month or two.

She was so appreciative the use of our room so she wouldn’t end up homeless, and we enjoyed her company. Eventually, however, things got a bit more challenging as she admitted to the gambling addiction that had gotten her kicked out of her daughter’s house in the first place, and she also developed some health issues that left her gasping for air at night, crying out for me to come help her sit up so she could breathe. I am not a nurse. I am not a social worker. I am a very introverted person who doesn’t like to wade into conflict. I was so out of my comfort zone!

I remember walking to work with a heavy heart, feeling exhausted and defeated after being woken up by our guest several times the previous night. I slumped down in a pew in front of the tabernacle and I just put my head in my hands and started crying. I told the Lord, “I am not good at this, Lord, I don’t know what to do and I am so unhappy. I’m sorry I’m not more capable!” After more protest and complaints on my part, I stopped my heart and mind and tried to listen to the Lord. Rather than hearing Him fuss at me for not being stronger, braver and more competent, I heard in my heart the voice of my Lord and Master telling me, “I know how hard this is for you. I know none of this is natural for you. I am so pleased that you’re trying. I know you, I know your capabilities, and I love you. You please me.” I simply rested and relaxed—God knew how hard this was, and He was pleased with me. I could just be me!

Well, soon after that, my pastor and my friend helped this woman find a wonderful assisted-living home that helped her face her gambling addiction and her health issues. We visited her there a few months later, and she was so happy and so much healthier! God is good, yes! The surprise of this unexpected encounter was certainly a challenge and uncomfortable, but the blessings that abounded in my own spiritual growth and, more importantly, for the woman we hosted, were amazing. Praise the Lord!

Lesson number five: pass on what you know to others, being patient with novices. One of the greatest joys we can experience is to pass on what we love to someone else. This happens all the time in our families—we pass on the stories and lessons from our ancestors. We pass on our love for certain hobbies or food or even football teams!

When I began birdwatching, I joined bird walks on Saturday mornings with our local Lane County Audubon Society. It was wonderful to walk into the woods or along a marsh with competent, skilled birdwatchers who could share tips and tricks about finding and identifying birds. I so appreciated their patience in describing how to tell the difference between species of ducks who all looked bewilderingly the same to me. I learned from the way they searched for birds, and from the characteristics and marks they noticed on the birds they were identifying. I caught their excitement and enthusiasm about birdwatching and dropped some of my silly worries about birdwatching being only for khaki-clad, elderly British eccentrics!

As I became more adept at birdwatching, I also found joy in sharing my hobby with others. I took my boys on hikes to favorite places, I invited friends to go on walks with me, and I even got to teach my son’s kindergarten peers about birdwatching as a guest speaker. I learned an important truth about passing on what I know to others: in the process of teaching others, I had the chance to rediscover and sharpen my own love for my hobby, too. When I was sharing with my kids how to identify that Red-tailed Hawk on the telephone phone, it helped me appreciate and admire the beauty of a bird that I can recognize in a moment’s glance. Taking the longer look, in order to teach another, helped me avoid becoming jaded and careless.

When we take the time to pass on our faith to others, the same blessings occur. First, and most importantly, we are sharing the Good News with another person—helping win souls for Christ and playing a part (however small it might be) in the development of a future saint. We Catholics aren’t always known for our commitment to evangelize. We are often stereotyped as being too private, as unwilling to step out and speak up. Fair enough—let’s all remember that Jesus Christ commands us to preach the Gospel and to share the Good News of salvation. It is important for us to share the faith. What we need to recognize is that faith is usually caught, not taught. Sharing the faith is not primarily about explaining and defending doctrine—but about showing how a relationship with Jesus Christ, lived within the Catholic Church, transforms and enriches our lives. When people wonder about the joy, peace and vitality that emanates from us—that’s when we can pass on the faith to others. What a joy it is to help someone else meet the Way, the Truth and the Life—and to support them as they begin their own journey to heaven. Spiritual growth happens within relationships best described as apprenticeships—where the entire “deposit of faith” is shared, unpacked and lived.

But there’s more to it than that! In sharing our faith, we have a chance to deepen and strengthen our own faith. In patiently answering questions, doubts and concerns from someone seeking faith—we have a chance to renew our own commitment to the Lord. In demonstrating a faith that is lived in every part of life—not just by showing up to Mass on Sundays, but in the way we approach our responsibilities at home and work and in our community—we come to treasure it even more. When we experience the Catholic faith from the perspective of someone for whom everything’s new and meaningful and important, we can recapture some of that joy in our own faith life.

Lesson number six: receive help from others in your community, avoiding prideful and indignant isolation. I am often pleasantly surprised by how eager experienced birders are to share information with others. I can’t tell you how many times I have been stopped while birdwatching at some location by someone eager to share a good bird they spotted up the trail or suggestions about other nearby locations to check out.

One time my boys and I were out at Fern Ridge Wildlife Refuge, one of our favorite birdwatching spots, and we were enjoying watching ducks, herons, hawks and songbirds all around us. Some older gentlemen walked toward us and stopped to say hi. After exchanging some pleasantries and hearing that we were ready to turn back to the parking lot, they encouraged us to keep walking. There was a snowy owl resting in the rock berm at the edge of the marsh. We thanked them and eagerly headed out along the path toward the lake’s edge. There we saw a magnificent snowy owl, sleepily resting and waiting for nightfall. He didn’t seem bothered by us, so we stayed there and watched him for quite a long time—Snowy Owls rarely get so far south! We were able to point him out to several other groups of hikers, even letting them see the bird through our spotting scope (which always elicits gasps as they see the detail of every feather!). Part of the joy of a good birding trip is sharing what you have found with other people—and sharing in their joy at the discovery.

The same is true for our faith life. Spiritual growth happens when we accept suggestions, guidance and insights from others who might be farther along in their journey. If we pridefully refuse to take other people’s advice, we lose out. We harden our hearts and make it even more difficult for us to grow spiritually. Spiritual growth depends upon protecting a humble heart that’s willing to be taught and eager to obey. Each human soul we encounter has something they can teach us—we all experience God from a little different perspective and have different insights about Him. We can learn so much from each other, if we only stop the internal running commentary that judges and evaluates others without really listening to them. What have we missed, I wonder, as we hurry past the people we consider too unworthy, uninteresting, or unimportant to teach us anything?

Birdwatching is a great hobby—it has helped me see and appreciate the beauty of God’s creation in new ways. Recalling an exciting new species or really cool encounter with a bird has made it easier to call to mind beautiful landscapes and re-experience the awe of being in these places. Sharing the discoveries, the challenges and the surprises of birdwatching with my loved ones has brought us closer together—and given us amazing shared memories and dreams of new places to explore. I would encourage anyone to take up this hobby—it will enrich your life and bring you so many enjoyable hours out of doors.

I think the lessons I have learned from birdwatching also help me with my much more important task of spiritual growth. For the faithful Catholic, spiritual growth is something we actively foster. God pours His grace into us and, in the end, all depends on His grace—and yet, in His love for us, He wants to include us. He wants our effort, He wants our participation. Spiritual growth takes time, discipline, practice and help. Spiritual growth happens within the community of the Church—the Mystical Body of Christ, especially those already in heaven who eagerly cheer us on as we finish our race. Never forget that, although your spiritual growth is your responsibility, you are not alone! You are a beloved child of God—and your elder brothers and sisters, the saints, love you with an intensity and energy we simply can’t imagine. Ask for help, seek guidance, and enjoy the great adventure!