FJ June 2026

A few weeks ago I went to the dentist. Not normally a newsworthy event, but for me it was unusual – it was my first visit in almost six years.

Life had been so busy and I didn’t notice any issues so having a checkup wasn’t a priority.

However, I was hit with a painful reminder of the need for regular dental visits. When I last visited in 2020, I had a small hole developing in a wisdom tooth. Six year later and the hole is now much larger, making the tooth beyond repair and in need of extraction.

Upon hearing the prognosis, I was left reflecting upon the importance of regular checkups. If only I had visited the dentist even a year ago, I could have avoided the need for pulling out the tooth.

During May you might have read some of the news articles and opinion pieces regarding Pope Leo XIV’s first year as the head of the Catholic Church. Even in workplaces, we have become accustomed to annual performance reviews.

But I wonder – when was the last time that you reviewed your spiritual life?

I don’t mean just a quick 30-second reflection before the next notification on your phone steals your attention. I’m thinking of a solid 15-minute (or more) period of taking stock and asking yourself things like:

  • What has changed in my prayer life in the past 12 months?
  • What things am I grateful for in my life?
  • What bad habits are still blocking my progress?
  • What have I actively done to try to deepen my relationship with Jesus?
  • What changes do I need to make to give God more space in my life?

These are challenging questions that require an attitude of humility and honesty. But it’s important that we make time to ask ourselves such questions regularly.

The idea of reviewing one’s spiritual life isn’t new. In fact, St Paul encourages the early Christians to “examine yourselves to see whether you are living in the faith. Test yourselves” (2 Corinthians 13:5). 

Whether it’s today, tomorrow, or next week, try to set aside some time to heed the words of St Paul and review your spiritual life. Doing so might just save you from facing an uncomfortable reality further down the track.

 

Further reading

The hand examen: A prayer for all (Melbourne Catholic)
Annual Spiritual Checkup (CS Lewis Institute, USA)

 

Image: Lightstock
Words: Matthew Biddle