After watching many hours of social media telling me what is trending, I have learnt one thing: People want human connection. It seems like our very eyeballs are tired of watching screens all the time and we are yearning to ‘go out and touch the grass’, as many young people have told me recently. That is the way the good Lord designed us to be. ‘It is not right for man to be alone,’ God said in the Garden of Eden. He designed us to be social creatures, making connections with each other. AI content is out. Highly glamorised fake influencers are out, and genuine, raw, honest human content is in. Creators are told to be authentic in front of the camera and, above all, create communities for like-minded people to connect with each other. This is all very well, and God is probably happy with this, as we are reverting back to our natural programming. However, God also designed us to connect with Him. We are so pre-occupied with our work and busy lives in this technology-focussed society ,we have become disconnected from the source of life and meaning. For my own part, I want to lay aside all the distractions that block my connection with Christ, and I wonder whether you want to join me on this journey to connect with Christ this year?
Dig for Jesus
Many years ago, when I was a teenager, I spent a night in prayer and meditation trying to connect with God. This was before we had mobile phones. One evening, I prayed earnestly to be closer to Jesus. I said to God that He felt so far away, in another universe that I couldn’t possibly comprehend. How can a person have a relationship with a God who is unseen and all-powerful? How can we comprehend His majesty? How can I possibly understand the mind of a being who lived in a world beyond the dimensions of this physical universe? I can only think in terms of our own limited dimensions of space and time. As I wept, with my eyes closed, Our Lord shared a vision with me. He rarely does this, which is why I still remember the vision. Jesus was standing in a small rowboat in an underground, vaulted river. It was dark, with flaming torches on the walls. It reminded me of the underground canal system in The Phantom of the Opera. Jesus was appealing to my Romantic sensibilities. Above the vaulted ceiling, I could see various layers of sand, rock, soil and grass, and I stood upon the grass. Then the Lord said to me, “I live in your heart. You need to dig for me.”
Reckless Love of Jesus?
We have to dig for Jesus? We have to get our hands grubby to reach Him? What happened to the ‘reckless love of God’, as suggested by Cory Asbury in his popular song, ‘Reckless Love’. Isn’t Jesus supposed to kick the door down and rescue us from our enemies like a superhero? Didn’t he say he would leave 99 sheep behind to rescue one lost sheep? Sure, that is what Jesus does on occasion when a soul is in real danger. However, most of the time, he waits for us to come to him. Throughout the gospels, Jesus calls his disciples with the simple phrase, ‘come and see’. He is a gentleman like that. He won’t mess with our free will. He calls us and waits for us to find him.
Why Jesus Waits For Us
In all the great questing novels, such as Pilgrim’s Progress, the hero goes on a quest to find freedom and personal growth. He is given tools by a higher power to battle foes and reach fulfillment. The hero builds character by doing things for himself to reach his goals. A good parent lets their child tie their own shoelace, even if it takes longer so they learn a key skill to be independent. They will have a sense of accomplishment and will be proud of themselves for succeeding.
Jesus wants this for us. He is the higher power who has given us the tools to dig through our own dirt and rocks to reach him. The tools are the sacraments, and sacramentals, such as the rosary, the bible and the magisterium. You also have others to help you dig for Jesus: Our Holy Mother, Mary, your guardian angel, the saints and your church community. Everyone wants you to find Jesus in your own heart. If you invite Him into your heart He will come, but over time layers of life will build up between you and Jesus, and you may need to dig deep to connect with him again.
5 Ways To Connect With Jesus This Year
Daily Prayer
Pray at least twice a day. Say ‘Good morning to God’ as soon as you rise and pray when you go to bed. If you write a journal, share what you have written in your evening prayers. Jesus wants to know how your day went and wants to laugh and cry with you, like any friend.
Go to Mass
Go to mass every Sunday (which is a holy day of obligation by the way). But if you have a chance to go midweek, make an effort to go more often. You’ll make a connection with Christ by receiving his body in the Holy Eucharist. Jesus teaches us in the Lord’s Prayer to ask God to ‘give us our daily bread’. Ideally, He would love us to meet with him every day at Mass. If that is not possible, He understands, but receiving his body in the Eucharist will give your soul more spiritual strength to dig deeper towards Him and to fight your daily battles.
Read the Bible Daily
If you want to connect with Jesus, read the bible daily. I recommend reading the daily readings of the Mass. You can do this at Universalis: Readings at Mass. You will get to know Jesus better by listening to the gospel daily.
However, if you want to learn more about the Christian faith, the bible and the story of salvation, I recommend listening to Fr Mike Schmitz ‘Bible in a Year’ Podcast on YouTube.
Listen to Inspiring Podcasts & Music
Are you an impressionable person? I know I am. I can be so easily influenced by what I see and hear. This is why I am very careful with what I watch and listen to on TV and online. Sometimes I take days off from listening to the news, so my spirit isn’t crushed by all the negativity. If I want to improve in a skill or be inspired in a particular field, I will watch inspiring videos and listen to podcasts, such as fasting videos, when I want to practise fasting, or cooking channels if I want to experiment in the kitchen. There are so many inspiring Catholic channels sharing testimonies and good teachings. If you want to connect to Christ, listen to these remarkable podcasts. But don’t listen to them all the time. Give yourself headspace to spend quiet time with God to listen His word to you.
Go on a Retreat or Pilgrimage
Even Jesus needed time away from the disciples and the crowds to recharge with His Heavenly Father. If you are feeling burned out, go on a retreat. It could be a one-day retreat in a local convent or monastery. Or maybe a planned retreat with an organisation. A day without a mobile phone or TV, to spend quality time with God and fellow Christians on the road to salvation with you. You are bound to connect with Christ on such a retreat. You can also consider going on a pilgrimage. It may be a domestic location, such as Walsingham or Knock, or maybe something biblical, such as The Holy Lands or on a cruise following the footsteps of St Paul. Such a journey will inspire you, and you will treasure it always.
What are Your Plans?
So what are your plans to connect with Christ this year? Let us know on Our Facebook Page. Let’s all Connect with Christ this year and by the end of the year share how much closer we are to Our Lord and each other.
