Finding A Spiritual Element To Cleaning.

[Ash Wednesday]

This is an odd post, but here goes. Is there some reading or any advice to be had about the spiritual element of cleaning? A way to make it seem less tedious? A way to be motivated by it besides the fact that nobody likes to live in a nasty house? Is there any spiritual benefit to it or something written about the subject (or housework in general)? It's an odd question but something I just wondered about. Though I do know that Holy Week, traditionally, is when the house gets scrubbed inside and out, top to bottom, in preparing for Easter. 

[MIKolbe]

“There should be less talk; a preaching point is not a meeting point. 
What do you do then? Take a broom and clean someone's house. 
That says enough.”

 

- Blessed Mother Teresa 

[blazeingstar]

I think that looking at your house and every object and asking yourself if you truly NEED that object or if someone could use it better than you.  Do you really need 3 winter coats?  If you're in New England or Michigan where you'd have a dress coat, a bedraggled shoveling coat and an everyday coat, then probably yes.  If you're in Florida, then no.

 

I think cleaning can be truly humbling when we look at how much "stuff" we have.  During major cleaning time I often find myself setting a goal...like a trash bag worth of clothes...to donate.  Sometimes it's hard, but it's always worth it.

 

I also find the less "stuff" I have, the easier it is to clean...honestly, if you're having trouble keeping up with basic chores, then I promise you, you have too many things.

[Ash Wednesday]

I think that looking at your house and every object and asking yourself if you truly NEED that object or if someone could use it better than you.

 

That has been my thing, recently, too. This Lent I really want to get rid of STUFF. I hate clutter and keeping things that I really don't need. Getting my husband to get rid of things is a challenge, he and his family tend to want to hang onto things because they see it in a practical light "you never know when you're going to need it" -- which is understandable but personally having too much stuff starts to drive me a bit batty after a while and there's a lot to be said about simplicity. 

 

I can almost guarantee whenever the subject and issue of getting rid of something comes up between us, there's always an argument. -___-

 

A close friend from college, an older woman and philosophy major, was into simple living to the point where she really aimed to live on as little as she could. Yet she had one of the coziest, most welcoming dwelling spaces I've ever had the pleasure of visiting :)

Edited March 10, 2014 by Ash Wednesday

[Sister Marie]

When I clean, I try to think of how Mary took care of Jesus and Joseph each day by cleaning, cooking, and by being faithful in everyday ways. Cleaning really is a contemplative activity because you can think, pray and offer what you are doing to God. I imagine that the daily living of Mary's life, after Jesus' birth were more difficult than her initial "yes" to God was. It's easier to be faithful in the big moments than in the small and seemingly meaningless ones. The goal is to transfer the energy we have for the big things of the kingdom into the hidden moments of our everyday lives... That is where holiness and our salvation are born.

[Lil Red]

I only "super clean" or "deep clean" when I'm really really angry. Like, so angry I can't even speak. Like, so angry that I cry because I'm so angry (it's more of an emotional release than actual real tears).

 

soooooo, not sure how that relates to spiritual element to cleaning. haha! all I know is that it calms me, gives me a chance to think without shouting at anyone. 

[franciscanheart]

There must be something. The sisters used to tell us to meditate during our chores. After all, no act is a small act if God is included. :like:

[SilentJoy]

A nun told me that whenever she has to do something, especially when it is tedious, she says, "I offer this task to you, dear Jesus, I'm doing it for you." Then she makes a game of saying, "Each one of these floor tiles that I have to clean is saying, 'Praise you, dear Jesus!' Each one of the slats of the blinds I offer for the salvation of souls."

 

 

*edited because 'sous' don't need saved.

Edited March 11, 2014 by SilentJoy

[4588686]

"clean that ish up or I'll smack your teeth out"

 

~~~Mother Theresa of Calcutta~~~

Edited March 11, 2014 by Hasan

[Winchester]

French maid costume.

[4588686]

French maid costume.

 

Bonjour ;)

[4588686]

"I like to clean things"

 

-Mary Magdalene   

[AnneLine]

Somewhere between 

 

 

 

 

 

and

 

 

is the sweet space where God lives!

 

to me it feels most like this:

 

 

Lord knows I try to stay in that happy space with the Lord... but often end up either in the frenetic or the dejected one.

 

What has helped me for years is my old friend Marla Cilley, the Fly Lady.   She is a protestant lady who has an incredible gift for helping people get out of 'chaos' ('can't have anyone over syndrome') by doing little things each day.  It completely reminds me of St. Therese and Mother Teresa -- just doing little things ith great love.  You might want to check it out!

 

Last year I did her 31 baby steps as my Lenten practice and it was ASTONISHING... for me and for a few others who contacted me that they were doing it behind the scenes.  I ended up with a very clean and functional house AND more time for prayer and just for feeling like a happy human.  VERY much the '3rd image'.

 

 I'm not going to post the whole thing again this year, but you can easily adapt last year's thread.... and you really can pick it up right this week and you would not be behind at all....   praying for you!  And feel free to PM me if you have questions!

 

http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/topic/127033-lenten-flylady-challenge-from-anneline/

 

(and here's a video about flylady in case you are curious....)

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgdNPWhAlyI

[AveMariaPurissima]

When I was in the convent, we were taught that we were living in the house of God, and, as such, it ought to be kept clean and orderly at all times, out of respect and love for Him.  Another thing I remember one of the Sisters saying is that we should always make sure the house was in order before retiring for the night; if God comes for you tonight, wouldn't you rather leave behind a neat house (especially the particular aspect of that that was your responsibility!), rather than a disheveled one?

[AnneLine]

French maid costume.

 

St. Therese will come do your laundry for you..... and bring her own cleaning tools....