Each and every day we are faced with choices and decisions, but it is what is guiding our decision process that will define what we choose. What many are unaware of is that many of these choices are little more than temptations in disguise, why are we so blind that we fail to see the hand of the tempter?
Is it because our prayer life has lost it's meaning? We are so busy rushing here and there, that we basically have no time to pray at all, or we leave prayer to the last minute of our 'things to do list'. Then when the day finishes and finally many can collapse exhausted into bed some may then think of 'saying' the Rosary as they fall asleep half way through. Should the Rosary be treated as little more than a sleeping pill?
We are living in the land of the unaware, as our senses are made dull by the lurid images on our TV screens and our reading matter becomes more and more superficial. As if finding the latest skin cream will enhance our spiritual life, or the newest gadget will give us the inner peace we all seek. Then when temptation comes our way as it will we have no means of combating it hence we fall and fail, yet this is not what God wants from us, as we nourish our bodies and starve our spirit of any meaning.
Everyday we begin a battle against temptation this is called spiritual warfare, and yet few even know they are in a battle and so go forth into the day and into the fray unarmed and unprepared, why is this so? Could it be that we are being conditioned to ignore the one thing that will give us the means and the ability to conquer the eternal foe, Satan and his hordes of demons? Let us remember that Christ has already conquered sin through His Salvific death, yet many behave as if the battle had been lost and we are the vanquished! Once again we enter the element of 'conditioning' why fight a war which seems all but lost?
Through Christ we have the Word which teaches us how essential prayer and obedience is in order for us to fight the good fight, for though Christ has won the ultimate Victory, still the fight for individual souls continues to this day. Yet let us look at what Scripture says, 'Persevere in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving; at the same time, pray for us, too, that God may open a door to us for the word, to speak of the mystery of Christ, for which I am in prison, that I may make it clear, as I must speak. Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you know how you should respond to each one.' There are many more prisons than just a jail cell many find their very minds are a prison if their minds are consumed with impure thoughts, one is also a prisoner if they are held captive by the tyranny of bitter memories which they allow to fester in their mind.
All sin begins and ends in the mind for what we think we will do, never underestimate the power of stray thoughts for when we linger too long on impurity this will gain a stronghold over us, but if we instead focus on God and godly things through prayer this then is our cure it is also our greatest weapon. Once again Scripture instructs us 'I beg you that, when present, I may not have to be brave with that confidence with which I intend to act boldly against some who consider us as acting according to the flesh. For, although we are in the flesh, we do not battle according to the flesh, for the weapons of our battle are not of flesh but are enormously powerful, capable of destroying fortresses. We destroy arguments and every pretension raising itself against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive in obedience to Christ, and we are ready to punish every disobedience, once your obedience is complete. Look at what confronts you. Whoever is confident of belonging to Christ should consider that as he belongs to Christ, so do we.'
No object is sinful it is the intent of the person using the object for illicit purposes that it becomes sin. So no-one can say, they sinned but it is not their fault but rather it is the fault of that particular instrument, whether it be the TV, the internet or by any other inanimate tool for technology has no sense of right or wrong but the person using it does! In the words of St. John Vianney, "If we understood fully what it is to receive the sacraments, we should bring to the reception of them very much better sentiments than those we do. It is true that the greater number of people, in hiding their sins, always keep at the back of their minds the thought of acknowledging them. Without a miracle, they will not be any the less lost for that. If you want the reason, it is very easy to give it to you. The more we remain in that terrible state which makes Heaven and earth tremble, the more the Devil takes control of us, the more the grace of God diminishes in us, the more our fear increases, the more our sacrileges multiply, and the more we fall away. The result is that we put ourselves almost beyond the possibility of returning into favour with God. I will give you a hundred examples of this against one to the contrary. Tell me, my dear brethren, can you even hope that after passing perhaps five or six years in sacrilege, during which you outraged God...you would dare to believe that God is going to give you all the graces which you will need to emerge from this terrible state? You think that notwithstanding the many crimes against Jesus Christ of which you have been guilty, you have only to say: "I am going to give up sin now and all will be over."
This is why it is absolutely necessary to make prayer the most important part of our day, for it is through prayer that we gain the strength to not only fight the good fight but to recognise our foe, which is Satan. When we make prayer a non essential this allows the devil a foothold into your soul and also allows your senses to be dimmed when it comes to recognising sin, and how grievous it is for those who no longer fight it. Without prayer we are like lackluster warriors who throw their weapons down rather than fight and would sooner remain slaves than free men and women, did God make us this weak? As St. Augustine wrote, "God does not command impossibilities, but by commanding admonishes you do what you can and to pray for what you cannot, and aids you that you may be able....Conquer yourself and the world lies at your feet."
We already have the power within us to conquer the evil that Satan tempts us with and that power is the indwelling Spirit, but as St. John Vianney suggested above we need to get serious about sin and realise the harm it does to our relationship with God. When we choose repeatedly to sin this causes a domino affect so that soon the entire fortress that is our heart, body and soul will crumble. This need not happen if we keep prayer as the priority of our day and to remain in the Presence of God throughout the day no matter where you are or what you are doing, God is always Present.
Throughout the day whether at home, school or work keep a running dialogue with God and at the end of the day spend quality time alone with God so that He can strengthen that which is weakest in your nature. Our Heavenly Father knows our lives are busy, therefore how much joy He has when a child wishes to spend precious time with Him in the solitude of one's heart. We should all long to spend this time with our loving Heavenly Father as no-one on earth will love you to the degree that God does. As St. Therese of Lisieux wrote, "Jesus needs neither books nor Doctors of Divinity in order to instruct souls; He, the Doctor of Doctors, He teaches without noise of words." This great Saint teaches us that Jesus is not looking for great words from us nor even great deeds, what Jesus wants from us is our time, for the time that has been given us comes from Above.
We don't have to impress God, for the Almighty looks not at our achievements but at our humility and with what love we undertake each task. It is Satan who longs to boost our pride so that we become so busy trying to impress others we lose sight of God. Once again St. Therese says, "Without love, deeds, even the most brilliant, count as nothing." Let us not become too busy for God but rather let us use every available moment to offer God all our work and then complete the day by being alone with the indwelling Spirit, who fills us with the Grace needed to fight our foe.
We have not been left orphans therefore let us go forth in full knowledge that with God nothing and no-one can destroy us, not even Satan himself without our consent.
God is Victorious the question is...are we?
Peace of Christ to ALL
Copyright © 2006 Marie Smith. All rights reserved.
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