The brief self-assessment below flows out of Pope Francis' commentary on "Spiritual Worldliness" in The Joy of the Gospel (EG, nn., 93-97). The Holy Father lays out the issue as follows: "Spiritual worldliness, which hides behind the appearance of piety and even love for the Church, consists in seeking not the Lord's glory but human glory and personal well-being" (EG, n. 93). So, take a quick look at where you stand in relation to the goal of growing in holiness as a missionary disciple of Jesus:
Spiritual Worldliness Missionary Discipleship
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
<--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------->
Seeking human glory Seeking the Lord's glory
and personal well-being and the well-being of others
Subtly pursuing Openly pursing
one's own interests Christ's interests
Cultivating appearances Cultivating ongoing
conversion of heart
conversion of heart
Concerned with feeling Concerned with the
superior to others Gospel and the good
of others
superior to others Gospel and the good
of others
Pursuing the pleasure of Embracing evangelical
complacency and self-indulgence fervor
Attracted by elitism Willing to open the door
and classifying others of grace to others
Preoccupied with the Church Concerned with the
as an institution, the property Church as the People of
of a select few God, especially the poor
Enjoying talk about Offering of one's life
"what needs to be done" in a spirit of service
Fascinated with social Bearing the mark of
and political gain Christ crucified and risen
The temptations to let ourselves become spiritually worldly are both subtle and multi-faceted. We slip into it any time we embrace a bourgeois version of Christianity--a self-affirming, "wealth and wellness," milquetoast view of God's love which strips the Gospel of the mystery of the Cross. We also slip into it whenever we assume a Pharisaical vision--a self-righteous, self-asserting rejection of God's grace which empties the Gospel of the gift of divine mercy revealed in Jesus.
Such spiritual worldliness calls to mind Jesus' stern warnings in the parable of the sower: The Word of God simply cannot flourish on the path or on rocky ground or among the thorns. Indeed, spiritual worldliness kills the only thing that ultimately counts, God's life and love in us. It is only rich, well cultivated soil which can bear fruit and yield "a hundred or sixty or thirty-fold" (Mt 13:23). This rich soil describes the heart of a missionary disciple, the one who has broken open the well-worn dirt of the path, has unearthed the stultifying stones, and has uprooted those relentless weeds.
In the words of Pope Francis, "this stifling worldliness can only be healed by breathing in the pure air of the Holy Spirit who frees us from self-centeredness cloaked in an outward religiosity bereft of God" (EG, n. 97). As aspiring missionary disciples, let's continue to open ourselves to the transforming presence of the Spirit, and let's ponder what we really mean when we say "I Believe in Jesus".
