The Season of Living the Journey
The Season of Living the Journey is an intense time of life. All that has been learned in childhood and early adulthood is now fully practiced, not in a theoretical way but lived. A journey is the distance traveled in a lifetime, and the active season of mid-life is a time for great need of nourishment from the Sacraments and Scripture. This season is broadly defined as between the ages of 30 – 50 years.
10 Quick Tools:
- After Mass, pray the prayer to St. Michael the Archangel with your family, followed by some time of silence and reflection on the gift of the Eucharist that you have received.
- Start off your next date night with a visit to the Blessed Sacrament.
- It is important to pray with your spouse, but it is also crucial to pray for your spouse. Pray a rosary or a chaplet of divine mercy specifically for your spouse and their intentions.
- Designate a spot in your home which can be an in-home chapel. Decorate it with Catholic imagery such as a crucifix, icons, and other sacred art. Use this space to unite your family in daily prayer.
- Sacred Scripture is the word of God. It helps us to better understand who God is and how he is speaking to us. Read a chapter of the New Testament each day as part of your daily prayer time, starting with the Gospels.
- The Liturgical Calendar highlights the life of Christ with seasons like Advent and Lent, and it also contains the feast days of saints. Find ways of celebrating the patron saints of your family members.
- God’s revelation is transmitted by Scripture and Tradition under the guidance of the Magisterium. Try using a Catholic Study Bible as a way of going deeper into the truths of our faith.
- God loves us and created us for communion with him. Reflect on this call to intimate friendship with the Lord by praying the Anima Christi after receiving the Eucharist.
- Do the “Heroic Minute” challenge that St. Josemaria Escriva recommends and wake up at the same time every day without hitting the snooze button.
- Offer a “media fast” during the week (social media, TV, Netflix, YouTube, etc) as a way of incorporating more silence into your daily life. Use the time you would have spent on those things in prayer and discernment of God’s will for yourself and your family.
Tool Box:
- List of articles for the Season of Maturity at the Catholic East Texas
- Luke Heintschel, The Way of Christ, Lesson Four, “Salvation History”
- Fr. Joshua Neu, “Apologetics: The Immaculate Conception”
- Fr. Justin Braun, “The Church is Holy” St. Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life
- Mary Eberstadt, Adam and Eve After the Pill: Paradoxes of the Sexual Revolution
- St. Louis de Montfort, True Devotion to Mary: With Preparation for Total Consecration
- Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, The Three Conversions in the Spiritual Life Fr. Mitch Pacwa, S.J., Father Forgive Me, for I am Frustrated: Growing in Faith When You Don’t Find it Easy Being Catholic
- Josef Pieper, The Four Cardinal Virtues
- Josef Pieper, Faith, Hope, Love
- Joseph Cardinal Ratziner, In the Beginning:A Catholic Understanding of the Story of Creation and the Fall
- Robert Cardinal Sarah, The Power of Silence: Against the Dictatorship of Noise
- Fr. Benedict Groeschel, The Courage to be Chaste
- Beth Knobbe, “Flying solo: Life as a single Catholic,” U.S. Catholic
- Jacques Philippe, Time for God
Additional Resources
Scripture:
- Matthew 5-7
- John 6
- Ephesians 5:1-6:18
- Luke 10:38-42 (Mary and Martha)
Catechism of the Catholic Church:
- The Sacrament of Matrimony (CCC 1601-1666)
- Law and Grace (CCC 1950-2051)
- Christian Prayer (2558-2565)
- Expressions of Prayer (2700-2724)
- The Domestic Church (1655-1658)
Heavy Machinery:
- Pope John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio (1981)
- Pope John Paul II, Veritatis Splendor, (1993)
- Word on Fire Institute
- McGrath Institute
- Augustine Institute