Spirituality and Religion

I read a bit of a discussion on Facebook about spirituality and religion.  The argument’s thesis was that spirituality is emotional and religion is about obligation.  I have to disagree with that.

For me the purpose of practicing a religion is to achieve union with God.  One can have emotional experiences along the way, and there is nothing at all wrong with that.  However, in my opinion, a real spiritual experience changes one forever.  If it does not,  then it was just an emotional experience.

Religion includes emotion, because it includes the whole human being.  But to me, spiritual practices are intended to achieve personal transformation, not emotional highs, or even certainty of salvation.  Enlightenment, if I may use the term, is not achievable by emotional excess.  Nor is it reached by intellectual exercise, in my opinion, though there is nothing wrong with that either.  The study of theology is important, if we are to be able to articulate what we believe and what leads us to those conclusions.

What I understand of God has come by way of diligent, daily practice of prayer and meditation, graced from time to time with the sheer, pure gift of contemplation.  I am a committed Celtic Christian, and if you want to know what that means, go to the CCC website and read the Statement of Belief. 

I am also a recovering alcoholic and I know from personal experience that there is no easy path up the Mountain of God.  Anyone who tells you it’s easy is lying or just doesn’t get it.  On the other hand, it is very simple:

            -- There is a God.

            -- I am not it.

            -- I daily turn over my will and my life to God as I understand God.

Everything else is details, such as putting God first in life to make everything else fall into place.  Such as telling the truth even if it costs me a friend, because not telling the truth makes me uncomfortable in my own skin, and then I have to make amends, which I do not like to do.  Such as living the Rule of my religious order because I have found a call, and the Rule helps me live that call to service and to prayer for the church and the world.  Such as giving my brother anything I have that he needs and I do not. 

Religious practices are just fine.  But the sacraments are not for God, they are for the people of God.  The rules are not to be worshipped – only God is worshipped.  Clericalism is a cancer and should be avoided at all costs.  Yes, I am a priest, but that only means I am the least and lowest servant of God.  I am here to serve Christ in my brothers and sisters.  Not because I am special or different, but just because I can’t help it.  He did something profound in me, and now I have to try to help everyone else see that he sees them as the beloved as well…that he aches to love and to help them; that he suffers with them when they are unhappy.

Maybe I am all wrong.  But these are the things I believe.  And when I live them, I am happy.