You learned the Ten Commandments when you were young. They were good rules to teach the young, because they were a list of wise "don'ts," just like your parents always told you what NOT to do. You've matured enough that you respect those "don'ts" and stay away from those sins. You're starting to trust God more and more, even when it's a struggle.
So what's left? What more can you do to become a spiritually mature person? Once you're settled in life and have a better grasp of who you are, you can begin to take the second part of your spiritual journey, into understanding and living the Beatitudes, Jesus' most important teaching about spiritual maturity. The Beatitudes are really a description of a spiritually mature person.
How happy are the poor in spirit; theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. You're beginning to understand that you don't know everything. You see possessions for what they are - temporary. You're even beginning to understand that you're not perfect; your motives always include self-interest. Like Little St. Therese, you've accepted that you're a little flower in God's big garden. You're able to tell God that you're poor, weak, and you need God to help you be strong, and you hope and trust that God will help you.
Happy the gentle: they shall have the earth for their heritage. Gentleness is not rushing to judgment and attack. Gentleness is accepting other people for who they are - imperfect, like you. You even hope God will give you the strength to be gentle with your enemies.
Happy those who mourn; they shall be comforted. You've been devastated enough by sorrow to fall into God's arms in need of comfort. You've learned to hope in eternal life. And sorrow has broken you open enough to have deep compassion for everyone and everything that suffers.
Happy those who hunger and thirst for what is right: they shall be satisfied.
Happy are the merciful: they shall have mercy shown them.
Great love and great sorrow have taught you that love and mercy don't end with your family and friends, your inner circle. God calls you to cast a wider net, like Jesus' fishermen apostles learned to do, a net to fish for others, to spread the Gospel. to LIVE the Gospel by caring about the poor and hurting.
Happy the pure in heart; they shall see God.
Happy the peacemakers; they shall be called children of God.
Happy those who are persecuted in the cause of right; theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Once you're at ease with who you are, you can be less concerned with yourself and your ego needs, and begin to have the freedom to reach out to others and give love, healing, support. You have a just anger about injustice, and the courage to stand up for what is right. You are secure enough in your relationship with God that you are willing to be God's instrument for making peace.
No one is ever totally spiritually mature - and a good part of maturity is recognizing your own immaturity, forgiving yourself, and trying again. Daily, ask God to lead you so you can become all God wants you to become - gradually, in His time and way.
There is a deep, abiding joy, a freedom, in allowing yourself to live in God, with God, through God. Live in hope that day by day God is leading you deeper into Himself, and deeper into Hope and Love and Joy! Because when Jesus has finished teaching the Beatitudes in Matthew 5: 3-10, when he has told his followers that yes, they will be persecuted for living such a counter-cultural life, he says
"Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in Heaven."
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