This episode of The Inner Life with Patrick Conley and Fr. Dave Heney is all about anxiety and the spiritual life. And boy, does Fr. Dave have some amazing insights.

You can listen to the whole hour!

Here’s a little bit of what he had to say.:

What is Anxiety?

-Anxiety = Your reaction to a present or future challenge.

-It’s normal and even good because it’s your body’s way of getting ready to face something.

-But if it never goes away (like generalized anxiety), it can lead to depression and feeling totally overwhelmed.

Where’s This Anxiety Coming From?

Fr. Dave thinks the biggest culprit is trying to meet other people’s expectations.

-Whether it’s your boss, spouse, friends, or random strangers, we can get so wrapped up in pleasing others that we lose focus on pleasing the only One who really matters: God.

-It brings to mind the classic Bible story: Young Jesus in the Temple. His parents are stressed as they’re looking for Him, and Jesus says: “Didn’t you know I must be about my Father’s business?” (God’s expectations come first.)

Scrupulosity: When Anxiety Goes Nuclear

-Scrupulosity is basically spiritual OCD. It’s when you put tough standards on yourself, believing everything you do is sinful.

-It’s mental illness territory, and Father says that it’s completely against the message of Jesus.

-Fr. Dave always says this to people who struggle with scruples: “I’m only listening to Jesus, and Jesus loves you.”

Listener Email from Stan (New Jersey):

Stan says: “I’m scared I’m not going to heaven even though I try my best to live out my Catholic faith.”

Fr. Dave’s has a helpful response: He says that if you’re trying to follow Jesus, you’re not in mortal sin… so don’t give into fear! Anxiety like that is just a waste of time.

The Shackles of Anxiety

Fr. Dave says that anxiety, especially scrupulosity, is like “being at a banquet full of delicious food and choosing to eat oatmeal in the corner instead.”

-Jesus came to give us an abundant life, not one dominated by fear and unnecessary guilt.

-If you struggle with this, keep the Divine Mercy image in mind and repeat, “Jesus, I trust in You.”

Fr. Dave’s advice is basically: Anxiety is part of life, but it doesn’t have to take over your life. When you’re feeling the weight of it, turn to God and tune out the negative noise.

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