A Knight’s daily spiritual life consists of more than one may expect. It is not simply a matter of saying a prayer after waking or before going to bed. It is more than saying grace. And it is even more than praying time to time before the Blessed Sacrament in a Church. Rather, a Knight’s daily spiritual life is constantly interwoven in the fragments that make up a full day.
Certainly a Knight will say prayers in the morning or before bedtime, will say grace at meals, and will take some time to pray before the Blessed Sacrament, but the totality of a spiritual life rests in the practice of making the entire day itself a prayer.
A day is split into many pieces by what is done, what is thought, and what is spoken, but these all contribute to the overall quality of a day. To focus each of these actions towards the focal point of the Passion of Christ and the Eucharist that He left us dramatically changes the quality of the day from one that is mundane to one that is heavenly. By focusing on Christ’s resurrection, we focus on each moment of the present, and we fill ourselves with gratitude for each moment. In this way, the day feels longer and more fulfilling. By allowing room for the Holy Spirit to come into us, we allow ourselves to receive the blessing of a connection to the eternity of the Kingdom of God.
The Knights are committed to this ideal of a fulfilling spiritual life. However, we are also committed to making more opportunities available for others to experience this ideal. On the first Friday of every month, we make it possible for anyone to adore Him in the Blessed Sacrament. Every Tuesday, we sponsor Benediction to Our Lord. On special occasions, we usher at Mass. And every weekend, we are roaming around the District accomplishing a service project. Every moment, the Knights of Columbus ponder how to better do God’s will in making His great Creation feel His presence. We dedicate ourselves to making every moment of the day—joys, sorrows, victories, and defeats, and even those moments that seem bland—an offering in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. In offering who we are to God, He can direct us with His will much more directly.
As servants of God, we all have the task before us to offer every day as a prayer. The spiritual life of the Knight is enriched not only by his awareness of this fact, but also by the many friends around him who strive to achieve this ideal for themselves and who also remind each other of the need for this self-dedication. Since I became a Knight, my daily spiritual life has never been so rich. I have heard of no better way of life that directs my thoughts, actions and words towards Christ than the day prayed.
Charles Campbell is a Japanese major in the College’s class of 2008. A native of Naples, FL, he will study abroad in Sophia University (Tokyo) over the academic year 2006-2007. In addition to the Knights, he is an active member of GU Right to Life, ESCAPE, and the GU Chapel Choir.