What are some exercises, according to Catholicism, to keep a mindfulness on Christ?

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What are some exercises, according to Catholicism, to keep a mindfulness on Christ?

This is truly a great question, as it deals with improving one’s closeness to Jesus who is called the Christ.

Some exercises to help keep us mindful on Christ could be as follows (no particular order is intended):

  • Have a spiritual director whom you feel comfortable and confident with to talk things over with. The more traditional priests would be of great value here.
  • Prayer is an obvious point. Perhaps try saying the rosary every day or the Way of the Cross weekly or perhaps monthly.
  • Take a yearly spiritual retreat and/or parish mission. Oh yes, leave the cell phone at home!
  • Practical ways are not to be overlooked either. Every time one hears the Sacred Name of Jesus, one could try making a habit of making an inclination of one’s head in honour of Our Lord. This could be extended to the Holy Name of Mary, the saint of the day and the patron saint of the location one is in at particular moment. (This is something I have been doing for decades now, and it really keeps my mind alert, especially during homilies at mass.)
  • Make periodic pilgrimages. Local ones are fine. If you do not have any in your area, make one. My parish church is named in honour of St. James the Greater. Sure I drive to church on Sundays as my wife has leg problems. But that does not stop me from walking occasionally to Mass through the woods with my pilgrim staff, just as if I were doing the Camino de Santiago! An hour and a half walk each way.
  • Try reading a little of some tradition books on Catholic spirituality each day, such as The Imitation of Christ.

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E.F. Schumacher, who was a Jewish convert to Catholicism turned me on to the Jesus Prayer, which he used as a sort of thought experiment as to how one could pray always like St. Paul enjoins.

The Jesus Prayer

Jesus Christ Son of the Living God have mercy on me a sinner.

is a prayer that can be repeated practically between thoughts. It, like the Hail Mary, is rooted in scripture and is a good way to keep Jesus in your mind all the time. The prayer itself, is definitely more of an Eastern Orthodox tradition, but it is perfectly appropriate for Catholics:

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says:

This prayer is possible "at all times" because it is not one occupation among others but the only occupation: that of loving God, which animates and transfigures every action in Christ Jesus

CCC 2668

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