In Favor of B-Minus Christianity
Update on Magnify 90, and some thoughts on why pretty-good is pretty good.
One thing my older sister and I have in common is our teaching and tutoring experience, even though the details are quite different. So when I told her yesterday on our weekly accountability-partner phone call that I estimated I was getting maybe a B in our Magnify 90 course of self-mortification and spiritual growth, she knew exactly what I meant. “And that’s not the honors section,” I clarified. Also: I’m very happy with that grade.
Wait a minute, we’re being graded?
Goodness no! But when you undertake a particular plan of life, you need to periodically evaluate how it’s going. Is it sustainable? Is it having the desired benefits? Are there adjustments that need to be made?
My sister could get her head around what a B student looks like: Overall things are going well, progress is being made, and there are moments of real breakthroughs and brilliance. But also sometimes there’s a missing, incomplete, or late assignment. Sometimes the work isn’t so brilliant, but it’s functional. Could use some improvements, but it’s passable for now.
Most importantly: Contrary to the academic hyper-perfectionism of the younger generation, my sister and I both know that a B student is probably in the right class — it’s not too hard and not too easy . You’re being pushed a little, yes you might even have to put a lot of effort into earning that B, but you aren’t drowning and you aren’t overwhelmed. It’s a genuine challenge, but in a good way.
Good news: So far so good on the content of Magnify 90
Kaylene Brown noticed from a photo I’d posted that I’d gotten the older edition of the Magnify book, and she graciously sent me a review copy of the updated Imprimatur edition. I haven’t done a close look to see what was changed in the updates, I just picked up with the new text when it arrived.
FYI I have zero complaints about what I’ve read in the earlier edition, although full disclosure: I just vaguely skimmed the intro. I’ve only read word-for-word the plan of disciplines (checking those rules very carefully, ahem) and then each of the daily reflections.
What I can say so far, not quite two weeks in, is that the spirituality here is solid. Right off the bat we got a reminder that you can’t “fail” at this. It’s not about proving what an amazing Catholic you are because you are so good at logging all the prayers and denying all the comforts.
Of interest to readers of this newsletter: Halfway through week two, we are already solidly into the heart of evangelization. These virtues we are working on — humility in week one, affability in week two — they are for something, and that something is greater love of God and neighbor. That love, in turn, allows us to help the people around us grow closer to Jesus.
I feel consistently challenged by the reflection and journaling questions each day. Also: Sometimes I find out I can do some things right.
B students have a pile of successes!
A balanced examination of conscience looks not just for our sins and faults, but also identifies our successes and virtues.
Something that has been very heartening, especially in light of how nuanced the development of each day’s reflection topic is, is the opportunity to see that sometimes I really do already live out the virtue being highlighted that day. Maybe I could do it more or better? But yeah, I have some things that explain how I managed to get that B.
I think that would be true for anyone. Also helpful: The questions, at least in my case, don’t just uncover problem areas, but they point me towards solid, realistic approaches for how to work through those weaknesses in my spiritual life. —> The alternating daily litanies of Humility and Trust are an essential part of that.
We can’t all be honors students.
My sister and I have one area where we are absolutely rocking the plan of self-denial in Magnify 90: Neither of us wear make-up. (My sister doesn’t even own it — I might remember to put it on for a special but non-crying occasion as often as once a year.)
Of course the point is not about choice of cosmetics. When I get to the reflection points relating to how women today often feel like our very faces as-created aren’t good enough, the onus is on me to fess up that yeah, I have some other, different, but equally self-sabotaging ways that I hold myself to a false standard of vanity.
In other areas, though, our lives are such that doing the entire plan as-proposed doesn’t mesh with our actual states in life. For example, we both made (different) customizations to the food-related plan of self-denial, in light of the clear demands of health and practical reality.
This is an awful lot like playing guidance counselor. You don’t want a student to take too easy of a course load and miss out on valuable education — spiritual growth, in this case — but you also have to choose a course plan for the student you actually have. Not every student is ready for every class assignment.
If my sister and I were finding the plan as we’d adapted it to be a piece of cake? (Except: No cake. Ha.) We’d add more rigor.
We aren’t having that. We’ve made goals that are a stretch for us, but a good stretch. When we don’t hit goal, it isn’t a disaster, it’s an opportunity to look at why we didn’t hit goal. That why is where some of the biggest spiritual payoffs are coming, because it helps us understand more about who we actually are and what kind of life God has prepared for us.
It’s good.