Spiritual Ruminations: Nose to the grindstone…

My spiritual director often needs to remind me to keep my nose to the grindstone. I value her wisdom greatly. And so, I have been learning the deceptively simple task of keeping my nose to the grindstone.

This valuable piece of guidance is akin to another old adage about sorting and throwing chaff to the wind.

Why are these thoughts finding their way to this blog?

I have been angry—very, very angry. The notion that my country is being sucked into a giant dismemberment of our democracy makes me onfiresicktomystomachwantingtothrowthings angry.

Years ago, I took a similar anger to confession. I spoke with a priest I did not know. He advised me wisely—do something holy with this anger.

Holy anger requires focus, discernment, prayer. And thus, the part about chaff in the wind becomes relevant. Get rid of the stuff that clogs the process of discernment, prayer, focus. Throw it…