Episode Transcript  

One

Defining Success

I am really blown away by the people who are praying with us who send me messages daily about how their lives are changing in very significant ways! How can you tell if prayer is truly transforming your life? Jesus gave us a simple measure, “Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit… You will know them by their fruits.” (Matthew 7:17–20)

The good fruit Jesus desires is a real change within us, a turning from vice to virtue, from self-centeredness to love. If you’ve begun praying the Rosary more often and meditating on the Word of God in the School of Mary, you’ve probably noticed this change. As a result, I bet you complain less, lose your temper less, are less anxious, fall into sexual sins less, and gossip less. Sure, we fall, but I bet you fall less often, and when you do, you recognize it more quickly and try to correct it. I bet you’re growing in humility, that you are making better decisions, that you really consider what your people need and are trying to be unselfish and care for them. I’d even bet you are becoming more aware of the situations that lead to sin and are trying to avoid those, and that when suffering or difficult situations come, you don’t like it, but you’re trying to be more accepting and patient. You may deny this because, like me, you know we are still sinners, but if you were really honest, you are probably becoming more loving in concrete ways. 

If this is happening in you, then rejoice. This is success in the eyes of God. You are bearing good fruit.

Two

The Means 

If we want to bear the good fruit of virtue, the two most powerful means are daily meditation and regular spiritual direction. Daily meditation on the word of God with a concrete resolution, that is, to read and think about the word of God and then put it into practice that day.

The Catholic spiritual masters give us three simple steps for meditation: Read or listen to something from the Word of God found in Scripture, Tradition, or the teaching of the Church. Reflect or think about what struck you. To understand it, love God for this truth. Then, apply that truth to your life by asking, “Am I living this or not?” Resolution. Choose something practical and concrete to remember or to do that day based on your meditation. The resolution is your practical game plan to live out your mediation. 

Three

Transforming Power of a Resolution 

Jesus said his family are those who hear the word of God and put it into practice. Luke 8:21

Meditation isn’t complete until it leads to a practical resolution, something specific we will do today to live more faithfully to God’s Word. Meditation forms convictions in the heart, but it must move us to action. As St. James says, we are called to be doers of the Word, not hearers only. Jesus himself warned that only those who do the will of the Father will enter the kingdom of heaven.

St. Francis de Sales explains that resolutions are the most important fruit of meditation. Without them, meditation can be useless, or even harmful, because we may deceive ourselves into thinking we are virtuous simply because we have good intentions. Real growth happens when resolutions are practiced carefully and consistently.

A resolution isn’t just a good thought, it’s a concrete action. For example, “Today I will avoid gossip by speaking kindly or remaining silent.” Or, “Today I will not give in to anxiety but entrust my concerns to God.” 

With a daily resolution, good actions become habits that turn into virtues, making us more like Christ. Without a daily resolution, bad actions become habits that turn into vices, making us more and more vicious over time.

Four

Three Step Plan

If we meditate on the Word of God each day and have a concrete resolution, then we will change from the bad fruit of vice and begin to bear the good fruit of virtue. But one of the hardest things is to follow through with a resolution each day. So let’s walk through an example from October 2nd, the Memorial of the Guardian Angels. In the Gospel for that day, Jesus said, "See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father."

What struck me is that I have a guardian angel, and I almost always forget about him. I want to remember my guardian angel so he can help me more. So, what is my resolution, my game plan to remember this? I write it down on a little scrap of paper and keep it with me all day, remember your Guardian Angel. Then I try to put it into practice immediately. “My Guardian Angel helps me not forget you today.” Then, throughout the day, every time I see or feel that piece of paper in my pocket, I talk to my Guardian Angel. Finally, at the end of the day, I ask myself, did I remember and practice my resolution? 

So, here are the simple steps: Do meditation in the Rosary. Choose something simple to remember and practice today. Practice it immediately. At the end of the day, ask if I did it. 

Five

Spiritual Direction or Mentoring 

The second powerful way to bear the good fruit of virtue is through a spiritual director or mentor whom you meet with regularly, ideally once a month. It’s very difficult to navigate the spiritual life alone without getting lost or discouraged.

The spiritual life is like traveling in a foreign country and not knowing the language, or the way to go, or what you are seeing. But if you have a good guide who has lived in that country for a long time, who knows all the ins and outs, the good restaurants and places to go, and knows the language and the people, well, that totally transforms our experience from wandering aimlessly and getting lost to a fantastic adventure where you get the experience of a lifetime. That's why the Saints say it's a non-negotiable that we all need a spiritual director or spiritual mentor.

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