No Spirituality Without Religion

 LECTIO: Matthew 5: 17

Do not think that I have come to destroy the Law or the Prophets, I have not come to destroy but to fulfill it.

STUDIUM:

In Jesus' time, there was a lot of legalism in religion.  It was burdensome to too many people.  And of course, then as now, there was corruption among the leaders.  Power corrupts.  

MEDITATIO:

What was going on in Jesus' time is no different from my institutional church. But I see that Jesus never advocated leaving His religion.  He says, "Do NOT think I have come to destroy...but to fulfill.  The Catholic Church is Jesus' fulfillment.  The Hebrew law, priesthood, sacrifice, covenant gave birth to His Mystical Body.

ORATIO: 

Lord Jesus, thank you for making Yourself available to us in the Eucharist.  You didn't come to abolish religion, but to fulfill it.

CONTEMPLATIO: 

People who say "I'm spiritual but not religious," are missing out.   All they have are spiritual ideas and abstractions.  The Catholic Church has tangible divinity.  And best of all they give you Jesus, for free.

RESOLUTIO:

This is my answer to my relatives and friends who are merely spiritual.  They need to think deeper.  How do they worship an abstraction?