The battle we wage

"Behold, you desire true sincerity; and secretly you teach me wisdom. Cleanse me with hyssop, that I may be pure; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow."

Psalm 51:8-9

In the secret heart, the Lord speaks. He is only heard and found in a soul that sincerely seeks Him. He is not found in confusion, nor is He found in anxiety but only in peace. He is found in the quietness and in the stillness. He is found in the silence. For He is peace. He is not hard to find, He only asks for goodwill and a sincere desire to know Him, and He allows Himself to be found. Behold the goodness and mercy of Jesus Christ.

"Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him"*

Everyday, we wage a constant battle. From the moment we arise in the morning until the close of the day, our souls are in a battle between good and evil. The enemy is a roaring lion seizing every opportunity to lead the soul astray. The devil knows all of our weaknesses, our faults and also are virtues which he uses to our own hurt; he is the most deceitful and cunning. It is crucial that we arm ourselves for the fight, with God by prayer because apart from Him we fall to our own ruin. "Watch and pray so that you will not enter into temptation."* He is the vine, we are the branches and truly apart from Him we can do nothing.

We live in a world today that acclaims right as wrong and wrong as right. To be "politically correct" simply means to people please and oftentimes to go contrary to the Truth.

"We must obey God rather than men."*

The decisive issues, as St. Lucia had said, are the family and marriage. The woman is the central part of each as she has the grace of bearing new life thus bringing forth a family, which is a fruit of holy matrimony. Yet, the world has taken this sacred gift of sex, intended for a man and woman in marriage, and degrades it by contraception. This sacred act of spousal union now subject to a superficial pleasure, stripping it of the sublime gift of new life and making a mockery of what was intended for good. The negative effects of birth control and contraception for the woman and also the man are many, and above all it is an OFFENSE against God. It is rejecting God's plan for the wife and for the husband. It is a grave matter to spurn what God intends. Yet, even among Catholics birth control and contraception is accepted and encouraged. How tragic.

God withholds nothing that is good. How could we ever think that in following God's commandments we are in some way "missing out". It is a deceitful lie from the enemy. If a couple discerns that child bearing for a time be withheld, there is natural family planning. These methods respect the dignity of the woman and does not disrupt her gentle hormonal cycle and the vocation the woman has to be open to life.

"Be fertile and multiply."*

With natural family planning, the wife and the husband practice virtue by self-denial out of love and their spousal union brings authentic joy.

I affirm and exhort once more, that if we are to know truth and live truth we must pray. Prayer opens the heart to God. It is to communicate with Truth Itself. For Truth is a person, it is Jesus Christ.

Mother Angelica had once exclaimed what a call it is to become a saint in the 21st generation. Yet, this is precisely the age that Our Good Lord has placed us. Mother had said, "we are all called to be great saints, don't miss the opportunity." Let us follow after Truth and bring our brothers and sisters along with us. Let us love Love Itself and thus find perfect fulfillment.

Mother Angelica, pray for us.

Notes:

Holy Scripture

Psalm 37:7

Matthew 26:41

Acts 5:29

Genesis 1:28