Monday, April 27

55 Maxims for Spiritual Living...

I found Fr Thomas Hopko's 55 Maxims for Spiritual Living on Sneakers and Books via The Conversion Diary. It is a great list (and one that I have not only printed but passed on to Fr John for use in his bulletin!)! If you haven't see it, enjoy!

1. Be always with Christ.

2. Pray as you can, not as you want.

3. Have a keepable rule of prayer that you do by discipline.

4. Say the Lord’s Prayer several times a day.

5. Have a short prayer that you constantly repeat when your mind is not occupied with other things.

6. Make some prostrations when you pray.

7. Eat good foods in moderation.

8. Keep the Church’s fasting rules.

9. Spend some time in silence every day.

10. Do acts of mercy in secret.

11. Go to liturgical services regularly.

12. Go to confession and communion regularly.

13. Do not engage intrusive thoughts and feelings. Cut them off at the start.

14. Reveal all your thoughts and feelings regularly to a trusted person.

15. Read the scriptures regularly.

16. Read good books a little at a time.

17. Cultivate communion with the saints.

18. Be an ordinary person.

19. Be polite with everyone.

20. Maintain cleanliness and order in your home.

21. Have a healthy, wholesome hobby.

22. Exercise regularly.

23. Live a day, and a part of a day, at a time.

24. Be totally honest, first of all, with yourself.

25. Be faithful in little things.

26. Do your work, and then forget it.

27. Do the most difficult and painful things first.

28. Face reality.

29. Be grateful in all things.

30. Be cheerful.

31. Be simple, hidden, quiet and small.

32. Never bring attention to yourself.

33. Listen when people talk to you.

34. Be awake and be attentive.

35. Think and talk about things no more than necessary.

36. Speak simply, clearly, firmly and directly.

37. Flee imagination, analysis, figuring things out.

38. Flee carnal, sexual things at their first appearance.

39. Don’t complain, mumble, murmur or whine.

40. Don’t compare yourself with anyone.

41. Don’t seek or expect praise or pity from anyone.

42. We don’t judge anyone for anything.

43. Don’t try to convince anyone of anything.

44. Don’t defend or justify yourself.

45. Be defined and bound by God alone.

46. Accept criticism gratefully but test it critically.

47. Give advice to others only when asked or obligated to do so.

48. Do nothing for anyone that they can and should do for themselves.

49. Have a daily schedule of activities, avoiding whim and caprice.

50. Be merciful with yourself and with others.

51. Have no expectations except to be fiercely tempted to your last breath.

52. Focus exclusively on God and light, not on sin and darkness.

53. Endure the trial of yourself and your own faults and sins peacefully, serenely, because you know that God’s mercy is greater than your wretchedness.

54. When you fall, get up immediately and start over.

55. Get help when you need it, without fear and without shame.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

My favorite one is "Be an ordinary person." I love that.

Thanks for posting. I've never seen this list.

MamaBirdEmma said...

Every time I read this list something new jumps out at me... Today's was "Pray as you can, not as you want."

Michelle said...

"Be an ordinary person" Is it wrong to be extraordinary? If God has blessed you with a gift, is it not expected that one would use it for extraordinary purpose?

"avoiding whim and caprice" Although I tend to lead a fairly structured life, I would be sad to see whimsy and capriciousness disappear completely.

MamaBirdEmma said...

If you are able, Michelle, you might want to listen to the podcast that he did on this list. He explains each item.

http://ancientfaith.com/podcasts/hopko/P7/

The title of the podcast is Lent- A Tithe of the Year and it is just under 28 minutes.

Pres. Kathy said...

I have not seem this before either. I really enjoyed it. The one that stuck out to me right now is "Be simple, hidden, quiet and small." Thanks for sharing.

Michelle said...

Thank you, I will listen!

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