(AsiaNews) - To prevent evil from entering into our hearts, there is an ancient, but very good, practice, the examination of conscience. We should carry this out every evening, to "ensure" the devil who "is patient" and "very clever" does not enter . This was the focus of Pope Francis' homily at morning Mass in Casa Santa Marta, commenting on the Gospel of the day which reminds us that the devil always returns, he never stops tempting man: "The devil is patient", "he will never give up on what he wants for himself".
As reported by Vatican Radio, the Pope observed that "After the temptations, in the desert, when Jesus was tempted by the devil, in Luke's version it says that the devil left Him for a time, but during the life of Jesus he returned again and again: when they put Him to the test, when they tried to trap Him, in the Passion, finally on the Cross. 'But if you are the Son of God... but you come, you come from us, so we cannot believe.' And we all know that these words touch the heart: 'But can you do it? Let me see! No, you can't.' That's how the devil even to the end [dealt] with Jesus... and likewise with us."
We need to guard our hearts, where the Holy Spirit dwells, the Pope said, "so that other spirits do not enter. To guard the heart, as a house is guarded, with a key." And then to watch the heart, like a sentinel: "How often," he asked, "do wicked thoughts, wicked intentions, jealousy, envy enter in? So many things that enter in. But who has opened that door? Where do they enter from? If I do not realize [how much] enters into my heart, my heart becomes a piazza, where everything comes and goes. A heart without intimacy, a heart where the Lord cannot speak and cannot even be heard."
"And Jesus says something else here - doesn't He? - that sounds a little strange: 'He who does not gather with me scatters.' He uses the word 'to gather.' To have a gathering heart, a heart in which we know what happens, and here and there you can perform a practice as old as the Church, but good: the examination of conscience. Who of us, at night, at the end of the day, remains by himself, by herself, and asks the question: what happened today in my heart? What happened? What things have passed through my heart? If we don't do this, we have truly failed to know how to watch and guard [our hearts] well."
The examination of conscience "is a grace, because to guard our heart is to guard the Holy Spirit, Who is within us": "We know - Jesus says clearly - that the devil always returns. Even at the end of life, He, Jesus, gives us an example of this. And to guard, to watch, so that the demons don't enter in, we must be able to gather ourselves, that is, to stand in silence before ourselves and before God, and at the end of the day ask ourselves: 'What happened today in my heart? Did anyone I don't know enter? Is the key in its place?' And this will help us to defend ourselves from so much wickedness, even from that which we could do if these demons, who are very clever and at the end would cheat all of us, even if they enter."
http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Pope:-an-examination-of-conscience-to-defend-us-from-the-devil-who-is-patient-and-very-clever-32388.html
教宗清晨彌撒：守護心靈，如同守護一個家、一把鑰匙
良心省察幫助我們抵制罪惡
（亞洲新聞及梵蒂岡電台訊）- 我反省，「在初期教會時代十分普遍的做法，也是很好的。」每天晚上這樣做，有助於「監督」以便防止魔鬼進入到我們的心裡。魔鬼是很「有耐性的」、「狡猾的。」這是今天教宗方濟各在彌撒聖祭講道中圍繞福音講解的道理。福音記載魔鬼總是會來，永遠也不會放棄誘惑人。「撒旦有耐性」， 「不會放手他們想要的。」
據梵蒂岡廣播電台報導，教宗指出「耶穌在曠野中遭到魔鬼誘惑後，《路加福音》指魔鬼離開了祂一段時間，但在耶穌的生活中又回來了、多次回來：當他們考驗祂時、試圖給祂設置陷阱時、在祂受難時、直到十字架上。『如果你是天主子，那你就來呀，來到我們中間，這樣我們就相信了』。我們都知道這句話直接觸動了人心：『你有這個本事嗎？讓我看看！不，你沒這個本事』。正如魔鬼最後對耶穌所作的，也對我們這樣做。」
需要保護我們的心，那居住著聖神的心，「不讓其他神進來。」守護心靈，如同守護一個家、一把鑰匙。要像哨兵一樣警惕自己的心靈。「多少次，我們的心裡有過壞的想法、壞主意、嫉妒、仇視。許多東西進來了，但誰開啟了那扇門？它們又是從什麼地方進入的呢？如果我沒有註意到」多少「進入了我的心裡，我的心便成了廣場，所有人都進進出出。一個沒有隱私的心、一個上主不能講話的心，甚至不能被聆聽的心。」
「耶穌說了另外的，不是嗎？似乎有些奇怪：『誰沒有接納到我，便迷失了』。」採用了「接納」一詞，「擁有一顆接納的心、一顆懂得在發生什麼的心。這裡可以採用初期教會十分常用的方式，也是好的：自我反省。我們中的哪一個人，晚上，也就是一天結束前，只剩下自己時、孤獨一人時，自問過：『今天我的心裡發生了什麼？有什麼我不認識的進來了嗎』？如果不這樣做，那我們真的不知道怎樣警惕和保護好我們的心了。」
最後，教宗指出，自我反省「是恩寵。因為保護我們的心是保護聖神、在我們內的聖神。」「我們知道，耶穌說得很清楚，魔鬼會回來、總會回來。即便是在臨終時，祂也給我們作出了榜樣，耶穌給我們作出了榜樣。為了監督，不讓魔鬼進來，就需要懂得接納我們自己，即學會在自己、在天主面前保持沉默；在一天即將結束時自問：『今天我的心裡發生了什麼？有什麼我不認識的進來了嗎？鑰匙放好了嗎』？這將有助於我們免遭許多壞東西傷害，包括我們自己能做的，如果魔鬼進來了，他們是狡猾的，最後就會詐取一切。」
--Pope Francis, 10 October 2014, Santa Marta
Pope Francis: Put a lock in your heart
Pope Francis: Flee!
July 02, 2013 (Zenit.org) Junno Arocho Esteves
During his morning Mass in the Chapel of Domus Sanctae Marthae, Pope Francis emphasized the calling of Christians to be courageous in their weakness. Concelebrating the Mass with the Holy Father was Cardinal Manuel Monteiro de Castro, the major penitentiary of the Apostolic Penitentiary and Archbishop Beniamino Stella, president of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy.
The Mass was also attended by a group of priests and employees of the Tribunal of the Apostolic Penitentiary and a group from the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy.
Referring to the first reading which spoke of the escape of Lot and his family from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the Pope said that there are several possible attitudes in difficult situations. The Holy Father commented on Lot’s slowness in escaping the city.
“The angel tells him to run away, but he carries within an 'inability to detach himself from evil and sin,” Pope Francis said. Despite our determination to leave “there is something that pulls us back, and so Lot begins to negotiate even with the angel.
"Its so hard to cut ties with a sinful situation,” the Holy Father continued. “It is hard! Even in a temptation, it's hard! But the voice of God tells us this word: 'Escape! You cannot fight there, because the fire, the sulfur will kill you. Escape!' St. Therese of the Child Jesus taught us that sometimes, in some temptations, the only solution is to escape and not be ashamed to escape; to recognize that we are weak and we have to escape. And our popular wisdom, in its simplicity, says as much, somewhat ironically: 'he who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day.' Escaping to go forward along the path of Jesus."
Referring to the angel’s command to Lot and his family to “not look back”, the Holy Father said that one way of overcoming the nostalgia of sin was to think of the “People of God in the desert.”
"They had everything, promises, everything." And yet "they were nostalgic for the onions of Egypt" and this "longing made them forget that they ate those onions on the table of slavery." There was the "longing to go back, to return." The Pope went on to say that the angel’s advice, "is wise: Do not look back! Move ahead!" We must not do as Lot's wife, we must "leave behind all nostalgia, because there is also the temptation of curiosity."
"Faced with sin, we must escape without any nostalgia. Curiosity does not help, it hurts! 'But, in this sinful world, what can we do? What is this sin like? I would like to know . . . ' No, do not! This curiosity will hurt you! Run away and do not look back! We are weak, all of us, and we must defend ourselves.”
Contemplating on the Gospel, which spoke of the disciples fear in the midst of a storm, the Holy Father stated that another situation is fear. “There is a temptation that says it is better to stay here, where I'm safe,” the Holy Father said. “But this is the slavery of Egypt."
"I fear moving forward, I'm afraid of where the Lord will bring me. Fear, however, is not a good counselor. Jesus, so many times, said: 'Do not be afraid.' Fear does not help us."
The final attitude in the face of a difficult situation is the “grace of the Holy Spirit.” Continuing his reflection on the Gospel, the Pope noted the disciples awe at Jesus calming the sea. "Faced with sin, nostalgia, fear, we must always turn to the Lord,” the Pope said.
"Looking to the Lord, contemplating the Lord. This gives us the beautiful wonder of a new encounter with the Lord. 'Lord, I am being tempted: I want to stay in this situation of sin, Lord, I am curious to know about these things, Lord, I'm afraid.' And they looked to the Lord: 'Save us, Lord, we are lost!' And wonder at a new encounter with Jesus followed.”
“We must not be naive nor lukewarm Christians, but brave, courageous,” Pope Francis concluded. “We are weak, but we must be courageous in our weakness. And often our courage must be expressed in escaping without looking back, so as not to fall into the trap of wicked nostalgia. Do not be afraid and always look to the Lord!”
A Christian is always in the making
The purpose of Lent is to keep alive in our consciousness and our life the fact that BEING a Christian can only take the form of BECOMING a Christian EVER ANEW; that it is not an event now over and done with but A PROCESS requiring CONSTANT PRACTICE."
--Benedict XVI, in Dogma and Preaching, Ignatius Press 2011)
Guard your feelings and thoughts! Beware of the returning devil!
On Luke 11:15-26
There are some priests who, when they read this Gospel passage, this and others, say: ‘But, Jesus healed a person with a mental illness’. They do not read this, no? It is true that at that time, they could confuse epilepsy with demonic possession; but it is also true that there was the devil! And we do not have the right to simplify the matter, as if to say: ‘All of these (people) were not possessed; they were mentally ill’. No! The presence of the devil is on the first page of the Bible, and the Bible ends as well with the presence of the devil, with the victory of God over the devil.
And we can ask ourselves the question: Do I guard myself, my heart, my feelings, my thoughts? Do I guard the treasure of grace? Do I guard the presence of the Holy Spirit in me? Or do I let go, feeling secure, believing that all is going well? But if you do not guard yourself, he who is stronger than you will come. But if someone stronger comes and overcomes, he takes away the weapons in which one trusted, and he shall divide the spoil. Vigilance! Three criteria! Do not confuse the truth. Jesus fights the devil: first criterion. Second criterion: he who is not with Jesus is against Jesus. There are no attitudes in the middle. Third criterion: vigilance over our hearts because the devil is astute. He is never cast out forever. It will only be so on the last day.
Be vigilant because the devil's strategy is this: ‘You became Christian. Advance in your faith. The devil will leave you alone. He will leave you at peace. But then when you are used to not being so watchful and you feel secure, he will come back.' Today's Gospel begins with the devil being cast out and ends with the devil coming back! St. Peter said ‘It's like a fierce lion that circles us’. It is like that. ‘Some may say, but, Father, you're too old fashioned. You're frightening us with these things…’ No, it's not me! It is the Gospel! And these are not lies: it is the Word of the Lord! Let us ask the Lord for the grace to take these things seriously. He came to fight for our salvation. He won against the devil! Please, let's not do business with the devil! He wants to come back home, to take possession… Don't accept relativism, be vigilant! And always with Jesus!
--Pope Francis, Homily, 11 October 2013
有些神父讀到這段福音時會說:『耶穌治癒了一個精神病患者』。的確，在那個時代人們可能會將癲癇和附魔相混淆；但是魔鬼的存在也是真的！我們無權簡單地說：『這些人並非附魔；只是精神上患病』。這是不對的！魔鬼在聖經第一篇就存在，而且聖經也是以魔鬼的存在和天主戰勝魔鬼來結束的」。因此，我們「不能太天真」。
我們不能說這是誇大其詞。這不是微弱的差別，而是一場戰爭，一場攸關永恆生命，我們眾人的『永遠得救』的戰爭。
我們要時刻警惕邪惡的誘惑。我們應當自問：『我是否警惕自己，警惕我的心、我的情感、我的思想？我是否守護恩寵的珍寶？是否守護臨在於我的聖神？或者我不去理會，認為一切都會安好呢？』要知道，如果你不好好守護，比你更強大的那一位便會來臨。他將打敗你，奪走你所依賴的武器，瓜分你的戰利品。所以一定要警惕！
Pope Francis: flee from temptation and do not look back!
TWO VERSIONS
1
http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-at-mass-courage-in-spite-of-our-weaknesses
Pope Francis: Escape from temptation; Run away and do not look back! We are weak, all of us, and we must defend ourselves.
VATICAN CITY, July 02, 2013 - During his morning Mass in the Chapel of Domus Sanctae Marthae, Pope Francis emphasized the calling of Christians to be courageous in their weakness.
Referring to the first reading which spoke of the escape of Lot and his family from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the Pope said that there are several possible attitudes in difficult situations. The Holy Father commented on Lot’s slowness in escaping the city.
“The angel tells him to run away, but he carries within an 'inability to detach himself from evil and sin,” Pope Francis said. Despite our determination to escape the temptation “there is something that pulls us back, and so Lot begins to negotiate even with the angel.”
"It is so hard to cut ties with a sinful situation,” the Holy Father continued. “It is hard! Even in a temptation, it's hard! But the voice of God tells us this word: 'Escape! Get away from it! You cannot fight there, because the fire, the sulfur will kill you. Escape!' St. Therese of the Child Jesus taught us that sometimes, in some temptations, the only solution is to escape and not be ashamed to escape; to recognize that we are weak and we have to escape. And our popular wisdom, in its simplicity, says as much, somewhat ironically: 'he who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day.' We must escape and go forward along the path of Jesus."
Referring to the angel’s command to Lot and his family “not to look back”, the Holy Father said that one way of overcoming the nostalgia of sin was to think of the “People of God in the desert.”
"They had everything, promises, everything." And yet "they were nostalgic for the onions of Egypt" and this "longing made them forget that they were eating those onions at the table of slavery." There was the "longing to go back, to return to the situation of sin." The Pope went on to say that the angel’s advice, "is wise: Do not look back! Move ahead!" We must not do as Lot's wife, we must "leave behind all nostalgia, because there is also the temptation of curiosity."
"Faced with sin, we must escape without any nostalgia. Curiosity does not help us, it hurts! 'But, in this sinful world, what can we do? What is this sin like? I would like to know more . . . ' No, do not! This curiosity will hurt you! Run away and do not look back! We are weak, all of us, and we must defend ourselves.”
Contemplating the Gospel, which spoke of the disciples’ fear in the midst of a storm, the Holy Father stated that another danger is fear. “There is the temptation that tells you, it is better to stay here, where you’re safe,” the Holy Father said. “But this is the slavery of Egypt."
"I fear moving forward in my life; I'm afraid of where the Lord will bring me. Fear, however, is not a good counselor. Jesus, so many times, said: 'Do not be afraid.' Fear does not help us."
The final support in the face of a difficult situation is the “grace of the Holy Spirit.” Continuing his reflection on the Gospel, the Pope noted the disciples were awed at Jesus calming the sea. "Faced with sin, nostalgia, fear, we must always turn to the Lord,” the Pope said.
"Looking to the Lord, contemplating the Lord. This gives us the beautiful wonder of a new encounter with the Lord. 'Lord, I am being tempted; I remain stuck in this situation of sin, Lord, I am curious to know about this and that, Lord, I'm afraid.' The disciples looked at the Lord: 'Save us, Lord, we perish!' And wonder, a new encounter with Jesus followed.”
“We must not be naive nor lukewarm Christians, but brave, courageous,” Pope Francis concluded. “We are weak, but we must be courageous in our weakness. Often, our courage must lead us to escape without looking back, so as not to fall into the trap of wicked nostalgia. Do not be afraid and always look to the Lord!”
2
http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Pope:-faced-with-temptation-we-must-not-be-ashamed-to-escape-28356.html
Pope: faced with temptation we must not be ashamed to escape
During Mass this morning Francis points out that in this "sinful world", we are weak, but "we must be courageous in our weakness. And often our courage must be expressed in escaping and not looking back, not falling into the trap of nostalgia. Not being afraid and always looking to the Lord!".
Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Faced with the temptation we should not be ashamed to flee, we should not have "nostalgia of sin" nor the "curiosity" to find out about it, nor, finally, fear of "moving forward" in following the Lord. Instead we should have the courage to recognize our weakness and to be guided by God, to act slowly, not to look back or fear turning to the Lord, for the grace of the Holy Spirit. In his homily at morning Mass at the Casa Santa Marta, Pope Francis drew from today's readings to dwell on four "possible attitudes in conflict situations, in difficult situations."
The first attitude indicated, Vatican Radio reports, is the "slowness" of Lot. He decided to leave the city before it was destroyed, but he does so slowly. The angel tells him to run away, but he carries within an '"inability to detach himself from evil and sin." The Pope noted that we want to go out, we are determined, "but there is something that pulls us back," and so Lot begins to negotiate even with the angel. "It's so hard to cut ties with a sinful situation. It is hard! Even in a temptation, it's hard! But the voice of God tells us this word: 'Escape! You cannot fight there, because the fire, the sulfur will kill you. Escape!' St. Therese of the Child Jesus taught us that sometimes, in some temptations, the only solution is to escape and not be ashamed to escape; to recognize that we are weak and we have to escape. And our popular wisdom, in its simplicity, says as much, somewhat ironically: 'he who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day.' Escaping to go forward along the path of Jesus."
The Pope continued that the angel then says "do not look back," to escape and keep your eyes faced forward. Here, he said, is some advice on how to overcome our nostalgia of sin. Think of the People of God in the desert, he stressed: "They had everything, promises, everything." And yet "they were nostalgic for the onions of Egypt" and this "longing made them forget that they ate those onions on the table of slavery." There was the "longing to go back, to return." And the advice of the angel, the Pope observed, "is wise: Do not look back! Move ahead!" We must not do as Lot's wife, we must "leave behind all nostalgia, because there is also the temptation of curiosity."
"Faced with sin, we must escape without any nostalgia. Curiosity does not help, it hurts! 'But, in this sinful world, what can we do? What is this sin like? I would like to know . . . ' No, do not! This curiosity will hurt you! Run away and do not look back! We are weak, all of us, and we must defend ourselves.
The third situation is on the boat: it is fear. When there is great upheaval at sea, the boat was covered with the waves. 'Save us, Lord, we are lost!' they say. Fear! Even that is a temptation of the devil: to be afraid to move forward on the path of the Lord." There is a temptation that says it is "better to stay here," where I'm safe. "But this - warned the Pope - is the slavery of Egypt." "I fear moving forward - the Pope said - I'm afraid of where the Lord will bring me." Fear, however, "is not a good counselor." Jesus, he added, "so many times, said: 'Do not be afraid.' Fear does not help us."
The fourth attitude "is the grace of the Holy Spirit." When Jesus calms the agitated sea, the disciples on the boat are filled with awe. "Faced with sin, nostalgia, fear," he said, we must always turn to the Lord."Looking to the Lord, contemplating the Lord. This gifts us the beautiful wonder of a new encounter with the Lord. 'Lord, I am being tempted: I want to stay in this situation of sin, Lord, I am curious to know about these things, Lord, I'm afraid.' And they looked to the Lord: 'Save us, Lord, we are lost!' And wonder at a new encounter with Jesus followed. We must not be naive nor lukewarm Christians, but brave, courageous. We are weak, but we must be courageous in our weakness. And often our courage must be expressed in escaping without looking back, so as not to fall into the trap of wicked nostalgia. Do not be afraid and always look to the Lord! ".
(Chinese version)
http://www.asianews.it/news-zh/%E6%95%99%E5%AE%97%E6%8C%87%E5%87%BA%E9%9D%A2%E5%AF%B9%E8%AF%B1%E6%83%91%E4%B8%8D%E5%BA%94%E5%AF%B9%E9%80%83%E8%B7%91%E6%84%9F%E5%88%B0%E7%BE%9E%E6%84%A7-28356.html
教宗指出面對誘惑不應對逃跑感到羞愧
今天清晨的彌撒聖祭中，教宗方濟各講道強調在這個"罪惡深重的世界"，我們是軟弱的，"但面對我們的軟弱應該勇敢。我們的勇氣常常就應該體現在逃跑的行動上，不要向后看，以免留戀過去。不要害怕，要始終注視上主"！
梵蒂岡城（亞洲新聞）-面對誘惑不應對逃跑感到羞愧、不應" 留戀罪惡"或者對罪惡"好奇"，也不要害怕向前追隨上主，而應有勇氣承認我們的軟弱、讓天主引導我們。這是今天清晨彌撒聖祭講道中，教宗方濟各結合讀經和福音闡述的核心內容，指出了"面對沖突、艱難局勢下可能有的四種態度"-- 行動遲緩、留戀、害怕、求助於上主和神聖的恩寵。
據梵蒂岡廣播電台報道，教宗談到的第一種態度是羅特的"行動遲緩"。他決定在索多瑪被毀滅前離開，但卻不慌不忙。天使讓他快跑，他卻沒有能夠徹底與邪惡、罪惡一刀兩斷。我們願意擺脫、決定擺脫了，"但總有一些東西拖著我們的后腿"，羅特甚至和天使討價還價。"同一個罪惡深重的世界切割太難了，太難了！即便受到誘惑時，也很難！但天主的聲音告訴我們說'快逃，你不能在那裡斗爭，因為硫磺和火會把你吞沒，快逃'！聖女小德蘭也曾教我們說，有時候、在某種誘惑下，逃跑可能是唯一的辦法，不要為逃跑感到羞恥，我們要承認我們是軟弱的、應該逃跑。我們的人民以其淳朴的智慧詼諧地稱'逃兵是為了其它戰爭的'。逃跑是為了在耶穌的道路上前進"。
天使還說"不要往后看"、快逃、別留戀。這裡是建議我們不要留戀罪惡，讓我們想一想荒漠中的天主自民，"他們什麼都有、許諾、一切都有"。即便是這樣，他們卻"留戀埃及的蔥頭"。忘記了那個蔥頭是他們淪為奴隸時吃的。而天使的建議是十分明智的，"快快逃命，不要往后看"。我們應該像羅特的妻子那樣"擺脫一切留戀，因為好奇中也有誘惑"。"面對罪惡，要毫不留戀地逃跑。好奇是沒有用的，隻能帶來不好的！'那在這個罪惡深重的世界裡應該怎樣做呢？ 我想認識......'。不要，放棄一切！好奇隻能帶來不好的！快逃、不要向后看！我們是軟弱的，所有人都是、我們要自衛"。
"第三種情況就是船上那樣的：害怕。當大浪洶涌、小船被巨浪席卷時，'上主救救我們吧！我們迷航了'！害怕！也是魔鬼的誘惑：害怕在上主的道路上向前"。這種誘惑對我們說"最好留在這裡"，我們比較安全的地方。"但這是奴隸的埃及"！害怕絕對不是好的軍師、"害怕是沒有任何幫助的"。第四種態度則是聖神的恩寵，當耶穌讓風平浪靜后門徒們驚異不已。"無論是在罪惡、留戀和害怕時"，我們都要始終轉向上主。"仰望上主、默想上主。這將給我們帶來驚喜，再次與上主相遇這是多麼美好的事呀。當別人害怕、好奇、留戀和受到誘惑時，他們卻仰望上主說，'救救我們吧上主，我們迷失了航向'！於是就有了與耶穌再次相遇的驚喜。我們既不是沒有頭腦的也不是冷淡的基督徒，我們是精干的、勇敢的。我們軟弱，但我們在我們的軟弱中是勇敢的。我們的勇氣常常就應該體現在逃跑的行動上，不要向后看，以免留戀過去。不要害怕，要始終注視上主"！
Take courage, aim high!
Remain steadfast in the journey of faith, with firm hope in the Lord. This is the secret of our journey! He gives us the courage to swim against the tide. Pay attention, my young friends: to go against the current; this is good for the heart, but we need courage to swim against the tide. Jesus gives us this courage! There are no difficulties, trials or misunderstandings to fear, provided we remain united to God as branches to the vine, provided we do not lose our friendship with him, provided we make ever more room for him in our lives. This is especially so whenever we feel poor, weak and sinful, because God grants strength to our weakness, riches to our poverty, conversion and forgiveness to our sinfulness. The Lord is so rich in mercy: every time, if we go to him, he forgives us. Let us trust in God’s work! With him we can do great things; he will give us the joy of being his disciples, his witnesses. Commit yourselves to great ideals, to the most important things. We Christians were not chosen by the Lord for little things; push onwards toward the highest principles. Stake your lives on noble ideals, my dear young people!
--Pope Francis, Homily to Confirmands, 28 April 2013
Narrow is the path to heaven, wide the path to perdition
As I travel around and visit with people, the picture that most Catholics have in their mind about the world is this: "Broad and wide is the way that leads to heaven and almost everybody's going that way, but narrow is the door and difficult the road that leads to hell and hardly anybody's going that way." Now this is a little scary because it's just the opposite of what Jesus said. So how did we get to this point, where so many of our fellow Catholics are believing something as a matter of Gospel truth that is just the opposite of the Gospel truth. Matthew 7: 13-14 “Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few." --Ralph Martin, Director of Graduate Theology Programs in the New Evangelization at Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit and a Consultor to the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization
THE NEED FOR GRACE AND INTERIOR STRUGGLE
Baptism, as we know, does not automatically produce a consistent life: this is the fruit of the will and of the persevering commitment to collaborate with the gift, with the Grace received. And this commitment costs us effort, there is a price to pay in person.
--Benedict XVI, Address to Seminarians of Rome, 2011
IN THE VALLEY OF DARKNESS, SHOW ME THAT YOU ARE THERE
Then there is the phrase about the “darkest valley” through which the Lord leads us. Our path as individuals will one day lead us into the valley of the shadow of death, where no one can accompany us. Yet he will be there. Christ himself descended into the dark night of death. Even there he will not abandon us. Even there he will lead us. “If I sink to the nether world, you are present there”, says Psalm 139(138). Truly you are there, even in the throes of death, and hence our Responsorial Psalm can say: even there, in the darkest valley, I fear no evil. When speaking of the darkest valley, we can also think of the dark valleys of temptation, discouragement and trial through which everyone has to pass. Even in these dark valleys of life he is there. Lord, in the darkness of temptation, at the hour of dusk when all light seems to have died away, show me that you are there. Help us priests, so that we can remain beside the persons entrusted to us in these dark nights. So that we can show them your own light.
--Benedict XVI, Homily, Closing of the Year of Priests, 11 June 2010
INTERIOR STRUGGLE AND HOPE
On earth, we are wayfarers, always on the go. This means that we have to keep on moving forward. Therefore be always unhappy about what you are if you want to reach what you are not. If you are pleased with what you are, you have stopped already. If you say,"It is enough," you are lost. Keep on walking, moving forward, trying for the goal. Don't try to stop on the way, or to go back, or to deviate from it.
- St. Augustine of Hippo, Bishop
On earth, we are wayfarers, always on the go. This means that we have to keep on moving forward. Therefore be always unhappy about what you are if you want to reach what you are not. If you are pleased with what you are, you have stopped already. If you say; "It is enough," you are lost. Keep on walking, moving forward, trying for the goal. Don't try to stop on the way, or to go back, or to deviate from it.
(St Augustine of Hippo, Bishop)
Always bear in mind that in the spiritual life beginnings count for little; we look for progress and attainment. Judas began well, but finished badly, and St Paul finished well although he had begun badly. Perfection lies in unvarying perseverance, in the acquisition of the virtues and in progress in them because, in the sight of God, not to advance is to fall back, since man never remains in the same state. [p. 121]
(St Vincent de Paul. From Jacques Delarue, The Holiness of Vincent de Paul, Geoffrey Chapman Ltd, London 1960, 132 pp)
Ei mihi! Dómine, miserére mei! Ei mihi! Ecce vúlnera mea non abscóndo: médicus es, æger sum; miséricors es, miser sum.
Numquid non tentátio est vita humána super terram? Quis velit moléstias et difficultátes? Tolerári iubes eas, non amári. Nemo quod tólerat amat, etsi toleráre amat. Quamvis enim gáudeat se toleráre, mavult tamen non esse quod tóleret. Próspera in advérsis desídero, advérsa in prósperis tímeo. Quis inter hæc médius locus, ubi non sit humána vita tentátio? Væ prosperitátibus sæculi semel et íterum a timóre adversitátis et a corruptióne lætítiæ! Væ adversitátibus sæculi semel et íterum et tértio a desidério prosperitátis et quia ipsa advérsitas dura est, et ne frangat tolerántiam! Numquid non tentátio est vita humána super terram sine ullo interstítio?
Et tota spes mea non nisi in magna valde misericórdia tua.
This is agony, Lord, have pity on me! It is agony! See, I do not hide my wounds; you are the physician and I am sick; you are merciful, I in need of mercy.
Is not human life on earth a time of testing? Who would choose troubles and hardships? You command us to endure them, but not to love them. No-one loves what he has to endure, even if he loves the endurance, for although he may rejoice in his power to endure, he would prefer to have nothing that demands endurance. In adverse circumstances I long for prosperity, and in times of prosperity I dread adversity. What middle ground is there, between these two, where human life might be free from trial? Woe betide worldly prosperity, and woe again, from fear of disaster and evanescent joy! But woe, woe, and woe again upon worldly adversity, from envy of better fortune, the hardship of adversity itself, and the fear that endurance may falter. Is not human life on earth a time of testing without respite?
On your exceedingly great mercy, and on that alone, rests all my hope.
(St Augustine, Confessions, Book 10)
Cum inhæsero tibi ex omni me, nusquam erit mihi dolor et labor, et viva erit vita mea tota plena te. Nunc autem quóniam quem tu imples, súblevas eum, quóniam tui plenus non sum, óneri mihi sum. Conténdunt lætítiæ meæ flendæ cum lætándis mæróribus, et ex qua parte stet victória néscio. Conténdunt mæróres mei mali cum gáudiis bonis, et ex qua parte stet victória néscio.
When at last I cling to you with my whole being there will be no more anguish or labour for me, and my life will be alive indeed, alive because filled with you. But now it is very different. Anyone whom you fill you also uplift; but I am not full of you, and so I am a burden to myself. Joys over which I ought to weep do battle with sorrows that should be matter for joy, and I do not know which will be victorious. But I also see griefs that are evil at war in me with joys that are good, and I do not know which will win the day.
(St Augustine, Confessions, Book 10)
Hi, qui in stádio currunt, omnes quidem currunt, sed unus áccipit bravíum. Sic cúrrite, ut comprehendátis. Omnis autem, qui in agóne conténdit, ab ómnibus se ábstinet, et illi quidem, ut corruptíbilem corónam accípiant, nos autem incorrúptam.
All the runners at the stadium are trying to win, but only one of them gets the prize. You must run in the same way, meaning to win. All the fighters at the games go into strict training; they do this just to win a wreath that will wither away, but we do it for a wreath that will never wither.
(I Corinthians 9:24-25)
You are the soldiers of God, his army, the Militant Church. Be in consonance with your title, fight for God: diffuse His love, spread the example of good. Give abundantly what you have received and make the soul advance towards heaven. Oh, how great will be your reward if you contribute to the salvation of souls!
(Locution to Gabriela Bossis, God's Spiritual Direction (Messages from Heaven). Transl. Fr Adolf Faroni, SDB. Manila: Don Bosco Press, 2000, p 89)
13 Fratres, ego me non arbitror comprehendisse;
unum autem: quae quidem retro sunt, obliviscens,
ad ea vero, quae ante sunt, extendens me
14 ad destinatum persequor,
ad bravium supernae vocationis Dei in Christo Iesu.
13 Brethren, I do not consider that I have made it my own;
but one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind
and straining forward to what lies ahead,
14 I press on toward the goal
for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
(Philippians 3:13-14)
The Gospel passage we have just heard broadens our view. It presents the history of Israel from Abraham onwards as a pilgrimage, which, with its ups and downs, its paths and detours, leads us finally to Christ. The genealogy with its light and dark figures, its successes and failures, shows us that God can write straight even on the crooked lines of our history.
God allows us our freedom, and yet in our failures he can always find new paths for his love. God does not fail. Hence this genealogy is a guarantee of God’s faithfulness; a guarantee that God does not allow us to fall, and an invitation to direct our lives ever anew towards him, to walk ever anew towards Jesus Christ.
(Benedict XVI, Homily in the Basilica of Mariazell, 8 September 2007)
Full text: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/homilies/2007/documents/hf_ben-xvi_hom_20070908_mariazell_en.html