“Time For Your Spiritual MRI”

Ever had an MRI?  If you have, you probably won’t forget it. It’s pretty restrictive and if you have a tendency to claustrophobia, it’s not going to be a fun experience. Yet the MRI is s great diagnostic tool. 

In case you’ve forgotten, “Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a medical imaging technique used in radiology to form pictures of the anatomy and the physiological processes of the body. MRI scanners use strong magnetic fields, and radio waves to generate images of the organs in the body. It can detect tumors, and a variety of injuries including cancer…”

When you get the results of a MRI, you have a pretty good idea of what’s going on with your body… are you healthy or sick. 

Well, how about your soul? What about getting an MRI of your soul? Wouldn’t it be good to get an extensive evaluation of your soul. “Hmmmmm …… what’s that dark shadow over there….I don’t like the looks of that lesion….. yikes, is that the “BIG C” I detect?” We better do some exploratory surgery. 

Yet, there’s one thing worse than getting a troubling MRI and that’s not undergoing a MRI and having no clue that you’re in trouble. If you find out you have a problem, then you can get some help. If you don’t know, then you’re just  “fat, dumb, and happy” skipping your way to the cemetery or worse. “ Whistle, whistle, whistle…. I’m fine, I’m good…. whistle, whistle…. nothing to worry about…”

Praying, going to confession, seeing your spiritual director, talking honestly with a good and holy friend, going on retreat, can be the equivalent of a “Spiritual MRI”. We can get a good idea of how we’re doing spiritually. Jesus, the divine physician, is the overall chief of staff, and will help us interpret the results. If he detects a tumor, Jesus will take care of the surgery. If we need to take off 25 pounds of “lukewarmness”, he will prepare a new diet of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving….. “Dave, let’s beef up that almsgiving… who’s money is it, anyway…… Dave, I hate to tell you this, but it’s not about you; don’t seek so much to be understood, but try to understand others more.” 

While the periodic “spiritual MRI” is very helpful, let’s also do a daily checkup,  a daily examination of conscience….”what’s going well and what’s not going so well”. Let’s do a course correction daily as opposed to waiting until the ship has run aground and is in the middle of a Kansas cornfield. 

And with these diagnostic tools and spiritual directives, we’ll also find ourselves more peaceful. “And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:7)  And that is very good news.