Spiritual Enrichment

“Adult faith is clearly and explicitly rooted in a personal relationship with Jesus lived in the Christian community. The Christian faith is, above all, conversion to Jesus Christ, full and sincere adherence to the person and the decision to walk in his footsteps. Our understanding of the person and the way of Jesus continues to grow by our meditation on the word of God, by prayer and sacrament, by our efforts to follow Jesus’ example, and by the sure guidance of the Church’s teaching.” [1]

Spirituality can be described as the efforts of a person to recognize, acknowledge, and respond to God’s loving and providential action in his or her life. Christian spirituality involves a personal relationship with Jesus in which the believer—through prayer, reflection, liturgy, a regular sacramental and eccesial life, communal sharing, moral behavior, and openness to the Holy Spirit in all of life’s events—attempts to deepen his or her union with the Lord and, in so doing, to live life in ever greater conformity with God’s will.

“Our call to holiness is not only an individual call, but a call to be part of the Christian community seeking holiness.” [2] Through small Christian communities, members respond to Jesus’ invitation to discipleship by attempting to live in a manner increasingly faithful to the gospel. The Spiritual Enrichment materials will be helpful to parish staff, leaders, and Parish Core Community members who wish to assist parishes and small Christian communities to deepen the spiritual life of their members.