Fewer words make space for quiet listening. Some people pray through meditation, some say memorized prayers, some absorb the wonder of creation and see that “It is good.” Some look at that same creation and are frightened by the power of wind, rain, and fire, wondering about the source of such a destructive force. Finding God in all things is the core of Ignatian spirituality but it can be a challenge and a mystery. Some things look very mundane and ordinary; hardly holy looking. Others look fearsome and confusing. It’s both daunting and awesome. That’s why we need to let go of cheap faith and deepen our faith for the long haul.
I try to recognize God in the traditional ways of worship and then go straight to the source. We talk it over. I figure God came to us in the person of Jesus and continues to touch our lives through the Holy Spirit. I can’t prove it, but I choose to believe it. The home I’ve found for this faith is through the Catholic Church, warts and all. It’s not perfect because the institutional church is all of us who participate, and we are not perfect. Yet, I believe we are guided through the Holy Spirit, who comes to us through prayer and the community of believers.
—Excerpted from Blessed by Less by Susan V. Vogt