Want to Pray More? Start By Doing Your Laundry

By Santiago Rodriguez, S.J.

thinkstockphotos.com

I promised you a very different follow up to my entry on why young adults don’t pray. You probably imagined a list with amazing tips to pray more. But the more I thought about it, and the more I talked to friends, I realized this is the entry I needed to write for today.

Reading is my beautiful escape and comfort. I read to know that I am not alone. I read to live a thousand lives all at once. It is a great pleasure to devour a book – to be transported to other worlds, to explore all the secrets of a story, to be intoxicated with the ardor to change the world. A good book is both portable magic and a marvelous companion, for it amuses me and attends to the cares of my soul. But, for me, there is nothing easy about reading a book. I find myself reading all sorts of magazine articles and online essays, but giving my full and undivided attention to a book is a different matter.

From Procrastination to Gratitude

By Santiago Rodriguez, S.J.

“The early bird may get the worm, but it is the second mouse the gets the cheese.” This attitude has always been a comfort to me, as I am a procrastinator through and through. It is not a genetic condition, but a malady which has plagued me since my college days.

Over the last couple of years, my Jesuit formation has taught me to plan in advance, and that I do not employ my delaying tactics as often. Yet, I still find myself dragging my feet when it comes to calling a friend, writing a letter, or replying to emails. On the contrary, when I stop postponing these things, I find these activities to be very life-giving. I usually tell myself that I can find God in all things if I stop procrastinating and start seeking Him in my neglected and unfinished tasks. I will illustrate this through a personal example.