“Update your profile picture now!!!”
This is a common reminder that pops up every now and
then after joining or signing up in a blog, socio-eco cyber-media community, or some tech forum. It will keep bugging you to upload a photo of yourself, fill in some info about your hobbies and other helpful data inviting others in the same social group to get to know you better.
Unless you are really connected to the Internet 24/7 for motives of work or maintaining some cause-oriented site, then you will most likely fill in all the blanks. The more contacts one has, the greater the chances of selling and buying. For this reason, one strives to present himself in the most credible and productive way in order to market and eventually sell one’s goods and services.
For this, one must constantly update his profile.
Applied to the spiritual life, the idea of maintaining a profile is also important. Undoubtedly, God who is our boss already knows us well. For us, on the other hand, a profile is advantageous: it gives us a realistic and healthy idea about the progress of our spiritual life.
Without a spiritual profile, the spiritual life ends up being cold, minimalistic and anonymous. One simply does ‘required things’ without discovering what they mean to one’s life and how they enrich his personal encounter with Christ.
Naturally, updating one’s spiritual profile is of no use to anyone who only sees his religious life as a list of things to do and not do. However, if one realizes (or is helped to realize) that he has something unique to give God through a personal relationship with Him, then he will perhaps gradually consider building and updating his profile. It will somewhat be like marketing himself to
God, not to get something in return, but as his sole desire to please God and give Him glory.
Here are some concrete examples of what our spiritual profile may contain:
a) Dates. The dates of our baptism, confirmation, first holy communion, wedding anniversary, priestly ordination, etc. We try to celebrate these days in thanksgiving and also renewing on those days what we have committed ourselves to God for. They are also dates to pray for our parents, godparents, relatives, friends, etc.
b) Names and saints. An important part of our profile is obviously our baptismal name. We must learn to venerate its Christian origins and also the saint or saints we have been named after. Some even have the custom of celebrating the day of their saint instead of their birthday.
c) Holy places. It is helpful to remember the significance of the holy places connected to our life, like the Church where we were baptized, confirmed, married or ordained. These help to reinforce the moments when God had physically touched us with His grace. A visit to these holy places of our life can offer new spiritual graces and conversions.
d) Lists. Lists are important to help us remember things (not too many) and help keep our spiritual engagements in tiptop shape. For example, an updated list of spiritual books is wise to keep. A list of people to pray for, daily sacrifices we offer for specific intentions and a list of simple acts of piety that remind us of our daily moments of prayer, rosary, Mass and other devotions.
e) Goals. Heaven is clearly the goal! But while we are on earth, we have temporal ones which set the “theme” or “backdrop” for our spiritual life. These may be focusing on a particular virtue(s), personal or community apostolic targets, and simple areas of the struggle which require refining and polishing.
f) Spiritual coach. If professional outfits have business consultants, the Christian can also find a spiritual adviser or coach handy. The guidance of a pious, trusting and wise adviser will genuinely help one not to give in to excuses and easy-going ways. Directors will, considering our own spiritual good, demand from us to help upgrade our profile.
g) Notebook. Jotting things down in a notebook or digital agenda helps materialize a spiritual profile. This need not be a diary. It serves as a simple reference to get us back on the track of our struggle. Eventually, this can also be helpful to assess ourselves deeper in moments of prayer during a retreat or recollection.
These are the most basic contents, although there may be more, of a spiritual profile. It is only a means, and not an end, to know oneself better so as to faithfully and fruitfully grow in one’s spiritual journey with God and men.