Focus on forming faith habits (BJRE058)

 


Focus on forming faith habits

(By Dr. Edward Edezhath. Published in Kairos Magazine in 2021) 

In a recent prayer meeting, one message was this: “I am forming some habits in you and molding your character. Walk in my path, and I will prepare you little by little for heavenly joy.” This was followed by a shared reflection on Galatians 3:27 – you who were ‘baptized into Christ have put on Christ. ' Sangeetha’s reflection connected to dressing up for a marriage party. “Looking into the mirror, I would say, I look so beautiful.” Putting on Christ is like that; we gain a new and beautiful image. Others spoke up about their transformations, making a gradual difference in their lives. 

Through habits to a lifestyle

Listening to this, I reflected on the importance of habit formation within the Jesus Youth movement. We have gained many insights throughout our journey to establish a vision for the movement. A retreat or a series of classes is insufficient for a person to grow in Christ; most people soon ‘fall away. ' Today’s youth face numerous ‘push and pull’ factors in their complex daily lives. We need regular follow-up and an effective support system to help them cultivate a Christian lifestyle.

Consider this: each of us is a collection of habits, some helpful and acceptable, while others are unhelpful or unacceptable. Living an active Christian life revolves around ‘conscious living with Christ,’ which involves becoming aware of ourselves and intentionally growing into the image of the Lord. In this context, it is helpful to recall Mahatma Gandhi’s oft-quoted saying: “Your beliefs become your thoughts, your thoughts become your words, your words become your actions, your actions become your habits, your habits become your values, and your values become your destiny.” We need to work, personally and in our communities, ‘little by little,‘ towards a new lifestyle.

Reaching the Flow State

What habits are we discussing? There are personal habits and lifestyles within families and communities. We often acknowledge our shortcomings, “in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and what I have failed to do. “Therefore, we need to cultivate positive attitudes, emotional responses, patterns of conversation and communication, and ways of acting or refraining from certain actions. There are patterns of eating, drinking, breathing, praying, reading, talking, and much more that we need to consider.

“Everywhere, I am really decent, but when I talk at home, my negative side shows,” one group member remarked. “If I start my day with 30 minutes of prayer, it usually goes quite well,” said another. “I always try to give a warm smile to everyone, and if I can, I initiate a casual conversation,” a young mother added. “I know the Lord wants me to be faithful in the small things in life. However, my issue is that I tend to judge people quickly and often think negatively. " Another participant expressed a desire to be regular and punctual for the prayer meeting. The list could go on endlessly. 

And how do we go about this? Any skill requires continuous practice. Playing a musical instrument, sports, dancing, or cooking is initially quite complex and challenging but later reaches a stage of gracefulness. The Hungarian-American psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi refers to this as the ‘Flow State,’ in which you perform a complex activity with great ease, enjoyment, and complete absorption. To transform essential activities in our lives into regular habits that lead to a joyful flow state, we need a significant amount of ‘inner push’ or, as he calls it, “intrinsic motivation.” St. Paul challenges us on this journey: “Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Ro. 12:2)

Habits aimed at fostering a joyful nature

“But isn’t there a danger of people being blindly carried away by the example of successful heroes, ambitiously trying to cultivate habits that are not meant for them?” Absolutely true! As a thinker rightly said, “Imitation is suicide.” My old parish priest used to chase away women who remained in the Church after the Mass, praying for a long time, “Go home and look after your family; that’s what God wants from you!”

Proper self-awareness of my unique nature and mission in life is a crucial starting point for cultivating the right habits. Many young people face the challenge of being fascinated by glamorous and successful individuals, whether they are distant saints or leaders next door. Discovering and accepting myself, building on the small blessings that the Lord has given me in my life (Mt 25:21), and learning to practice what is beautiful and joyful for me are straightforward ways in which I find my own path to nurturing faith habits. 

Interiority – connectedness - fruitfulness

“No person is an island.” A helpful community and its cultural setting are the best bet for helping a person develop a good lifestyle. Jesus Youth, with its motto of “Towards a life in its fullness,” provides such a supportive ambience. The movement's six pillars emphasize cultivating and balancing essential habits of interiority, community life, and missionary effectiveness. 

“Jesus Youth has a remarkable trade secret,” I heard someone say. She went on to describe the captivating way JY gathers young people and challenges them within joyful communities. The wonderful outcome is that these youths invite the Lord into their lives and begin to walk with Him in a joyful manner. The best habits are caught rather than taught, and this happens most effectively in a vibrant community. Perhaps more than powerful teachings or annoying scolding, what we need now are opportunities to sit and talk in small groups about our daily struggles to grow into the image of Jesus.

I started with the prophecy in our group and the discussion that followed. Later, someone summed it up: “The Lord invites us to walk toward fullness, guiding us to an everlasting life of joy. We need to respond by examining how we establish fruitful personal habits, resulting in a rich Christian life.”

This path is well expressed in the old song, “Little by little every day . . . Jesus is changing me.” This may have been inspired by the well-known saying in the Old Testament: “For your immortal spirit is in all things. Therefore, you correct little by little those who trespass . . . that they may be freed from wickedness and put their trust in you, O Lord.” (Wis 12:1,2) Let us cooperate with the Lord’s plan of shaping each of us into the image of Jesus, attending to the cultivation of beautiful and helpful habits.


Ponts:

        Faith Habits

        Six Pillars

        Accompaniment

        Graduality


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