We live in a time where advances in technology, especially artificial intelligence, are rapidly reshaping the world around us. Many fear the loss of jobs, the change in educational systems, and the redefinition of human contribution. But perhaps these shifts are also an invitation to look inward. To ask ourselves not what we can produce, but what makes us irreplaceable.
The answer is simple and ancient: our ability to feel, to love, to connect. It is through relationship, through compassion, that we are made whole. The Christian understanding of love frees us from rigid structures and calls us to something far more enduring than success or achievement.
As Saint Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal… If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.”
In a world that often measures worth by output, love remains our deepest offering. And it is often through spiritual direction that we begin to rediscover this truth.
Fr. Brian Smail, OFM, shared with me that from a young age, his father taught him the names and positions of the constellations, planets, and stars. For him, looking at the night sky is both a scientific and spiritual practice, a reminder of the vastness of creation and the omnipresence of God in all things. The continual expansion of the Universe speaks to a God who is always moving, always creating, always inviting us to grow beyond the limits we once believed were fixed.
In spiritual direction, that same sense of expansion happens quietly. We begin to ask deeper questions. Why am I here? What am I being called to? We start to see that our careers, passions, and talents are not separate from God, but can become instruments of grace.
Fr. Brian spoke of artists who reveal God’s hand through their work. Of teachers who serve not only knowledge but healing and hope. When we link our path to a larger purpose, every task takes on a sacred meaning.
Through spiritual direction, we start to see life differently. We begin to sense God beyond church and prayer, in creativity, in our work, and in the way we love others. Our vision widens. Our hearts open.
The deepest call of spiritual direction is not to find the right answers but to become who God already knows us to be. It is a lifelong journey of return, a quiet unfolding of the relationship between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and the beloved soul that is you.
Along that journey, prayer becomes less about form and more about connection. Fr. Brian reminded me that prayer is simply a conversation. Begin by saying thank you. Thank you for the blessings you have. Thank you for the ones that are yet to arrive.
He shared a beautiful image: a baby in the womb believes that the womb is the whole world. And then, one day, it is born into something much bigger. In many ways, this is what spiritual direction reveals. We begin to see that what we once thought was everything, our titles, our goals, our routines, was only preparation. Life is far more expansive than we imagined.
At some point, we stop asking “What should I do?” and begin asking “Who am I before God?” We learn to trust in what we cannot see. We open up to mystery. We allow ourselves to be led.
And in that space, we find peace. Not because everything is clear, but because we know we are not alone. We are seen. We are known. We are becoming.
If you are feeling called to deepen your relationship with God or are seeking guidance through a time of transition, spiritual direction may offer the space you need. At St. Anthony Shrine, Franciscan Spiritual Companionship provides a safe and confidential setting to explore the inner pull toward deeper purpose and connection.
Our trained spiritual companions are here to listen, support, and walk with you as you grow in awareness of God’s presence. This ministry is open to people of all faith backgrounds and life experiences. To learn more or to request a spiritual companion, visit our Spiritual Companionship page.