Sacred Images

1. There are two extremes to be avoided in venerating the images of Christ and the Saints. In emulation of the ancient heresy of the Iconoclasts, there are some who regard the veneration of images as a superstitious and idolatrous practice. In support of their view they quote from the Book of Exodus: You shall not carve idols for yourselves ... you shall not bow down before them or worship them. (Exodus 20:4-5)

The equivocation is obvious. This prohibition refers to the images of false gods, not to the images of Saints. It is the worship of idols which is forbidden, not devotion to the Saints. There are examples in the Old Testament of the veneration of images and symbols indicating the presence of God, such as the Ark of the Covenant, adorned by two cherubim of beaten gold, (Exodus 25:18) and the bronze serpent mounted by Moses on a pole in the desert. (Num. 21:8)

From the early days of the church there existed in the Catacombs representations of Jesus, the Blessed Virgin, and the Martyrs, and the fact that they were adorned with haloes is a clear indication of the veneration with which they were regarded by the faithful. The historian Eusebius specifically mentions a bronze statue erected in honour of the Saviour, before which the faithful prayed and were sometimes awarded with miracles.

Contrary to the accusations of some Protestants, therefore, this practice is not a novelty introduced by the Roman Church. Moreover, the honouring of images is not idolatry because it is not a direct adoration, but a relative and indirect veneration. Homage is not paid to the actual statues or pictures, but to Christ, the Blessed Virgin and the Saints, whom the images represent.

"The images of Christ, of the Virgin Mother of God. And of other saints are to be kept with honour in places of worship especially; and to them due honour and veneration is to be paid -not because it is believed that there is any divinity or power intrinsic to them for which they are reverenced, nor because it is from them that something is sought, nor that a blind trust is to be attached to images as it once was by the Gentiles who placed their hope in idols; but because the honour which is shown to them is referred to the prototypes which they represent." (Council of Trent, Session 25)

The cult of images has, therefore, a solid theological foundation. "We make images of holy men," as St. Cyril of Alexandria expressed it, "not to adore them as Gods, but as a reminder and a stimulus to ourselves to imitate them. Moreover, we make images of Christ so that our love for Him may be more easily aroused.", (In Ps., 113:16) Besides being theologically correct, the practice is also useful.

2. The opposite extreme of over-superstitious veneration of images must also be avoided. As St. Gregory the Great observed, sacred images should be regarded as a means of impressing on simple minds the virtues which they ought to emulate. Sometimes, however, the ignorance of the faithful in this regard needs to be corrected.

It is not unusual to enter a church and to see crowds of people around statues of the Blessed Virgin and the Saints, laying flowers at their feet and lighting innumerable candles. Meanwhile, the Altar of the Blessed Sacrament is deserted. Excessive homage can be paid to particular images, in such a manner as to suggest that the piety of the worshippers is directed towards the material images themselves rather than towards the Redeemer or our Divine Mother or the Saints. We must be careful to ensure that our devotion does not become corrupted by superstition.

3. Apart from avoiding the two extremes of behaviour which have been mentioned, we should cultivate a proper respect for the images of saintly men who have benefited mankind. If we can cherish so dearly the portraits of our parents, how much more should we revere the images of Christ, Our Lady and the Saints? We should kneel before them and imagine that the loved ones are present whom they represent. As we are praying, we should remember the virtues of those to whom we pray and resolve to follow in their footsteps.

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**Not included in Cardinal Bacci's book

St. Theodore Studite

"Nowhere did Christ order that even the briefest word be written about Him. Nonetheless, His image was sketched in writing by the apostles and preserved for us to the present. So, what is represented on the one hand with paper and ink, is likewise represented on the icon with various colors and different materials."

- Refutation 1, ch. 10, PG 99, 340 D

"...from the moment Christ is born of a Mother who can be depicted, He naturally has an image which corresponds to that of His mother. If He could not be represented by art, this would mean that he was not born of a Mother who can be depicted, but was born only of the Father and that He was not Incarnate. But this contradicts the whole divine economy of our salvation."

- Refutation 3, ch. 2, sec. 3. PG 99, col. 417C

St. John of Damascus

"If you have understood that the Incorporeal One became man for you, then it is evident that you can portray His human image. Since the Invisible One became visible by assuming a human body, you can make a picture of Him who was seen.

Since He who has neither body, nor form, nor quantity nor quality, who transcends all grandeur by the very excellence of His nature, who, being of divine nature, assumed the condition of a slave, "He thus reduced Himself to quantity and quality by clothing Himself with human features; therefore, paint on wood and present Him for contemplation, who desired to become visible."

- Discourse in Defense of Divine Images, PG 94, col. 1239

The Crucifix

1. I determined not to know anything among you, wrote St. Paul to the Corinthians, except Jesus Christ and him crucified. (1 Cor. 2:2)

It was St. Paul's boast that, while the Jews were looking for signs and the Greeks were searching for wisdom, he continued to preach about Christ on the Cross. The Jews ask for signs, and the Greeks look for 'wisdom'; but we, for our part, preach a crucified Christ-to the Jews indeed a stumbling-block and to the Gentiles foolishness.

Christian doctrine and Christian living are centred around Jesus Crucified. Unfortunately, in modern times as in the time of St. Paul, the Crucifix is either ignored and forgotten or attacked as a symbol of folly.

There is no need to be amazed at this. When the holy old man, Simeon, took Jesus in his arms, he made the prophecy that this Child would be a sign that shall be contradicted. (Luke 2:34) The world is proud of its scientific and technical progress, whereas the Crucifix is the symbol of the lowliness to which God Himself descended for love of us. The world is looking for pleasure and voluptuousness, whereas the Crucifix preaches to us the spirit of sacrifice and the purifying value of suffering. The world is fond of ease, riches and honours; the Crucifix demonstrates the depths of the love of God, Who became man for our sakes, suffered and died to redeem us from sin, taught us fraternal love, and commanded us to carry our cross daily if we wished to follow Him.

We must choose whether to follow Jesus Crucified or to follow the world. The world can only give us a vain and passing satisfaction, while the Crucifix can give us the peace of a good conscience, even in the midst of sorrow and trouble, and the hope of lasting happiness in the next life.

2. The Crucifix is the open book in which men can read of God's infinite love for them. The Saints wept before the Crucifix because they realised that the sufferings and death of the Redeemer were the result of sin, and so they learned to avoid sin at all costs. They meditated on the last words of Jesus dying on the Cross, words which so clearly illustrated His infinite mercy towards us.

We should follow the example of the Saints in this devotion. Let the Crucifix be the most precious object in our homes, and let us love to hold it in our hands. Let it recall for us the tragedy of Mount Calvary, when Jesus was stripped of His garments and nailed to the Cross, was raised up to suffer indescribable agonies, forgave his executioners and forgave us our sins, pardoned the penitent thief, and bequeathed to us the last treasured possession which was left to Him, His most holy Mother.

Let us weep for our sins and increase in love for our divine Redeemer. When we are oppressed by the weight of our own cross, we shall look at the Crucifix and find comfort. When we are tempted, we shall grasp the Crucifix and turn away with horror from thoughts of sin and ingratitude.

The Crucifix will teach us, as it taught the Saints, the lesson of charity towards God and towards our neighbour. It will teach us to hate sin and to love virtue. If we cherish it during life, it will be our consolation to kiss the Crucifix at the moment of death.

A Holy Death

1. Now and again it is useful for Christians to dedicate a day to meditation on the subject of death. It is useful because it is easy to regard our own death as something theoretical and remote, whereas in fact we ought always to be prepared to die since it is at an hour that you do not expect the Son of Man is coming. (Luke 12:40) It may be at the hour when we are least expecting it that Godwill come to take us, and it will be on our spiritual state at this hour that our eternity will depend.

We know neither when nor where death will surprise us. It may be to-day, it may be in a few years. It may come suddenly, or maybe after a long illness. We may be in bed or in the middle of a street, in hospital or at home. Finally, we may be resigned, comforted by the presence of a priest and by the reception of the last sacraments, or we may be alone and deprived of these consolations.

It is essential, therefore, to be always prepared, fortified by faith, charity and good works. If we are really prepared, it will not matter when, where, or how death comes, for it will be to us like the good Sister Death of St. Francis of Assisi. It will release us from this corrupt mortal flesh and open to us the gates of everlasting happiness. Then we shall fly joyfully into the arms of our Creator and Redeemer Whom we have tried hard to love and serve.

But if we are not prepared, what then? How bitter it will be to have to leave the world to which we have become so attached. What remorse we shall feel at the remembrance of our innumerable sins, badly confessed and never attoned for, and at the realisation that we have failed to do so much good which we could have done, whereas now we shall have to appear before the Eternal judge with nothing to offer.

2. When we meditate on death, then, we should resolve to remain always prepared. Besides this, we should make an act of perfect resignation to the will of God, accepting from Him whatever illnesses He may ask us to endure and whatever kind of death He has destined for us. We should promise to accept everything as long as He will allow us to die in the state of grace.

We should frequently offer to God, as a guarantee of our love and as satisfaction for our sins and negligences, the sufferings with which we shall be afflicted during our last illness. We shall be comforted in our final hours by the remembrance of thistotal offering of ourselves which we have so often repeated. Like Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, we shall be able to pray: Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from me; yet not as I will, but as thou willest. (Mt. 26:39)

3. During our meditation on death we should seize the opportunity of asking God for the favour of dying with the consolation of the last sacraments. Let us pray that in our final moments we may be comforted and reassured by the sacramental absolution and blessing of the priest at our bedside, and that Jesus may visit us once more in the Blessed Eucharist to revive our faith, hope, and love, and to strengthen us for our journey into eternity. Finally, let us pray that, before we have lost consciousness, Extreme Unction may heal our spiritual scars, make us worthy to see God, and assist us to pass peacefully from this vale of tears into everlasting happiness.

How to Remain Aware of the Presence of God

1. It is useful to consider the ways in which we can develop a constant and effective awareness of the presence of God. The first way in which we can do this is by cultivating a lively faithwhich will help us to see God everywhere. Do not I fill heaven and earth, saith the Lord? (Jer. 23:24)

This kind of faith should deepen our sense of God's presence and inspire in us sentiments of love and gratitude which will guide us in all our actions. We cannot expect that we shall be able to remain in a state of constant contemplation of God, for this is the privilege enjoyed by the blessed in Heaven, for whom faith has been replaced by the Beatific Vision. We must be satisfied with exciting in ourselves as often as possible the active awareness of God's presence. This should be a quiet and peaceful process, not involving undue mental effort or anxiety.

We should be able to attend quite naturally to our work and other obligations, and we should be helped and consoled in this by directing our thoughts to God from time to time in order to offer ourselves to Him. This can easily be done by means of frequent ejaculatory prayer, by renewing at regular intervals our intention of doing everything for the love of God, and by being prepared to endure in complete acceptance of the Divine Will all the hardships and trials of the day. Whenever it is possible, moreover, we should escape from the care and confusion of the world into a quiet church. Here we can kneel in the real presence of Jesus in the Blessed Eucharist and express in intimate prayer our love for Him and our desire to serve Him.

2. Another way of increasing our sense of the presence of God is to perceive Him in all His creatures. St. Thērhse of the Child Jesus loved to contemplate the image of her Creator in the flowers of the field and in the stars of the firmament.

God has created all things for our benefit and He is present in all things. He sees what use we make of them and can judge whether we employ them to honour Him, Who is our beginning and our end. The ray of divine beauty which shines in every created thing should attract us towards its Creator and cause us to adore and serve Him. Whenever we meet a learned and holy person, moreover, the reflection of God's power and goodness is even more compelling. "Learn to love the Creator in the creature," says St. Augustine, "lest the thing which He has made should grip you, and you should lose Him by Whom you also were created." (In Ps., 19)

In other words, let us learn to see the Creator in all His creatures so that these may not enslave us and cause us to lose Him Who is our highest Good.

3. The third way of remaining attentive to the presence of God is to contemplate Him living in ourselves. While it is true that God is present everywhere, He dwells in a special manner in the human soul, which is the masterpiece of creation. When our souls are adorned with His grace, His delight in us is unbounded. I will dwell and move among them. I will be their God and they shall be my people. (2 Cor. 6:16) Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? (1 Cor. 3:16)

God dwells among us, therefore, and lives in us as in so many temples. We should recognise His presence and listen to His voice; furthermore, we should adore Him, love Him, and pray to Him. Then we can sincerely claim to belong entirely to Him.

The Awareness of the Presence of God

1. The cultivation of a continual awareness of the presence of God is such a useful practice that many writers regard it as the fundamental principle of the spiritual life. As St. Alphonsus de' Liguori points out, it obliges us to do three things: (1) To preserve ourselves completely free from sin; (2) To practise virtue in every possible way, and (3) To seek a closer and more loving contact with God. (Al. Div. Servizio, III, 1, 3)

The realisation of the presence of God is a particularly good way of subduing our passions and conquering temptation. "If we were always aware of God's presence within us," writes St. Thomas, "we should never, or hardly ever, sin." (Opusc. 58, c. 2)

It is unlikely that a man who is committing sin adverts to the fact that God is watching him and could intervene to punish him at any moment. He has forgotten the presence of God, his Creator and Redeemer, Who has been so good to him and Who will one day be his judge. His mind has been darkened and his heart led astray by the deceptive pleasures of this world.

God is far from the sinner because the sinner ignores His inspirations and advice and has, in short, rejected Him. The unhappy man will never find peace in this world and is doomed to eternal unhappiness in the, next.

"If we remained always in the presence of God," wrote St. John Chrysostom, "we should neither conceive nor do anything evil.^" (Homil. 8, ad Phil., 2.)

2. The presence of God, moreover, encourages us to do our best to acquire all the virtues. When He is always before our eyes we have no difficulty in recognising that He is the supreme Truth, Beauty, and Goodness.

Let us seek to please God, therefore, by obeying His command­ments and inspirations. If we wish to be worthy of His presence, let us seek to adorn our souls with His grace, which is ours for the asking. Our awareness of God's presence should not be a passive state. It should enliven our faith and increase our love for Him.

Do we realise how poor and pitiful we are in the sight of God? Let us ask Him to make us holy. If we are troubled by temptations, let us ask Him for the strength to conquer them. If we are worn out by suffering, let us ask Him to help and console us.

3. If we remind ourselves constantly of the presence of God, we shall always be closely united to Him. Union with God should be the result of our love for Him, for it is an unfailing rule of love that it increases with the nearness of the beloved. If we live in the presence of God and contemplate Him as the perfection of beauty, truth and goodness, we shall be moved to love Him more and more. Our love, moreover, will generate in us the ardent desire of an even closer intimacy with Him.

This sacred union will bring us great peace and tranquillity in all the vicissitudes of life, a serenity which will be reflected in our personality and in our conduct for the edification of our fellow-men.

Little Things

1. Very few people are destined to great things by Almighty God. Most of us must offer ourselves in the relatively un­important walks of life in which we have been placed by Providence. Only some of the Saints were endowed with exceptional virtues and miraculous powers which attracted the attention and admiration of the world. In the normal course of events Christian perfection must be acquired little by little through the practice of ordinary virtues and unspectacular good actions. There is always scope for these. An upsurge of anger can be suppressed from the motive of the love of God and of our neighbour. We can behave courteously towards people who are unsympathetic towards us or who offend us by their un­mannerly conduct. We can combat pride by acts of humility and egoism by acts of charity. We can mortify ourselves in speech, in behaviour, and at table, and we can give alms to the poor, good advice to the ignorant, and comfort to the afflicted.

All these virtuous actions are insignificant in the eyes of men, but they are great in the sight of God. The blades of grass and the flowers in the meadow are tiny things, but joined together they constitute the pasture which provides nourishment for the herds and flocks. Let us perform these small actions every day and so cultivate the ordinary virtues. We shall attract the attention and favour of God, Who will help us to advance step by step towards the peak of Christian perfection.

2. Just as there are very ordinary acts of virtue, so there are very ordinary sins. But it would be rash to regard acts of deception, vanity and impatience as insignificant. Every deliberate sin is an offence against God, our highest good and our Redeemer.

How can God be indifferent to these ungrateful violations of His law? After all, even as He has assured us that a cup of cold water given in His name to a thirsty man will have its reward, (Cf. Mt. 10:42) so He has assured us that not even the slightest trace of sin can enter into eternal glory. We shall not be condemned to Hell for venial sins alone, but we shall suffer a decline in grace and shall be obliged to expiate our sins either in this life or in Purgatory.

3. Our eternal salvation will probably be determined by these ordinary acts of virtue and these ordinary sins. Jesus compared the kingdom of Heaven to a mustard-seed which grows into a tree. Similarly, many Saints began their spiritual ascent by following up one simple inspiration, and many souls, perhaps, have found themselves condemned as a result of having neglected the commonplace virtues and inspirations.

Ordinary virtue may develop into heroic virtue, but if a man has neglected to train himself to act well in small matters, how will he behave in a time of great spiritual trial? Experience also teaches us that smaller vices can develop into great vices. He who wastes the little he has will be stripped bare. (Ecclus. 19:1) A man who is not faithful to God in little things will not be faithful in greater things. We are either going up or down in the way of perfection; it is almost impossible to stand still. If we sincerely wish to make progress, let us resolve to avoid the least suggestion of sin and to enrich ourselves daily by tiny acts of virtue.

Other Ways of Resisting Temptation

1. After prayer, humility is the best weapon in our struggle against temptation.

God wishes us to realise that we are incapable of a single good thought or action without His assistance. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything, as from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God. (2 Cor. 3:5) God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5) We cannot conquer temptation without the grace of God, and God only gives His grace to the humble. He allows us to be troubled by temptation in order to humble us, and if He perceives that we are still proud He allows us to fall by denying us His grace. Many of our falls, especially sins of impurity, are the result of pride.

Let us be humble, therefore, and recognise our own nothing­ness. At the same time, let us have complete confidence in God. I can do all things in Him who strengthens me. (Phil. 4:13) We must be humble not only in the sight of God, but also in the presence of men. What hast thou that thou hast not received? And if thou hast received, why dost thou boast as if thou hadst not received it? (1 Cor. 3:5) Pride and ambition are links in a chain which secures us in the bondage of sin.

2. The third method is to avoid the occasions of sin. Anyone who places himself without grave reasons in the proximate occasion of sin is certain to fall. He who loves danger, the Holy Spirit warns us, will perish in it. (Ecclus. 3:27) It is useless for a man to pray when he is exposing himself needlessly and voluntarily to the danger of sinning. He cannot expect God to hear his prayers, for this is presumption, not confidence in God.

On the other hand a man may be obliged to expose himself to the risk of temptation in the course of his job or for some other strong reason. In this case, he can be sure of God's assistance, but he should fortify himself by fervent prayer and by taking all the precautions necessary to minimise the danger. Where temptations against holy purity are involved, it is especially necessary to avoid even the slightest occasion of sin when that is possible. As St. Francis de Sales was accustomed to say, there are certain battles which can only be won by soldiers who are prepared to retreat.

3. Very often it is impossible to flee from temptation, and there is no alternative but to face up to it.

We cannot face up to every kind of temptation in precisely the same manner. Pride, for example, may be assailed not merely by thinking about our own weakness, but also by performing acts of humility. We can counter irritability by remaining silent and by behaving gently and patiently. We can quench the desire for revenge by doing good to our enemies. In short, we can combat each temptation by performing good actions opposed to the vice towards which we are being drawn.

There are certain temptations, however, which it is wiser not to confront directly. If we allow ourselves to come face to face with impure thoughts and suggestions, for example, our senses are further aroused and the battle becomes harder than ever. God's grace should be implored from the outset and our good resolutions should be renewed. Then we should direct our attention to other thoughts and pursuits which are capable of holding our interest. If the temptations are particularly violent, voluntary mortification may be helpful and even necessary.

Once we have triumphed, we shall be rewarded with spiritual peace.

The Main Way to Conquer Temptation

1. God never allows us to be tempted beyond our strength, but will always give us the grace which we need in order to resist. God is faithful, St. Paul writes, and will not permit you to be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will always give you a way out that you may be able to bear it. (Cor. 10:13)

The man who is so discouraged by frequent falls that he surrenders to temptation and resigns himself to the slavery of sin as if there were no other way out, is making a fatal mistake. God is infinitely good and merciful and loves us all, even those who are sinners. Remember the parable of the Prodigal Son and of the lost sheep. How could our heavenly Father abandon us and not give us the strength to resist evil?

If we are discouraged, let us ask God's help, for He loves us and knows how weak we are. He knows how we are formed. (Ps. 102:14) It is a favourite trick of the devil to persuade us that nothing can help us. Let us cast aside all thoughts of discouragement, there­fore, and arm ourselves with the necessary spiritual weapons. With humility, perseverance, and the grace of God, we are sure to triumph.

2. The masters of the spiritual life suggest various ways of combating temptation. As St. Alphonsus de' Liguori points out, however, "the first way is absolutely essential, and that is to pray to God for the light and strength to conquer. Without prayer it is impossible to overcome temptation, whereas with prayer we are sure of victory.” (Al Servizio Divino, p. 11, c. 6)

The reason is obvious. Prayer is not simply a verbal address to Almighty God, but is an elevation of the mind and heart, a conversation with God. Let us pray, therefore, with confidence and with love.

3. Jesus Himself commands us to do this. Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. (Mt. 26:41) Temptation against chastity in particular can only be conquered by prayer. There must be no hesitation, but an immediate recourse to God as soon as the temptation is experienced.

"Slay the enemy while it is small,"' recommends St. Jerome. When a lion is small, it is easily killed, but if we wait for it to grow up, it will be more likely to kill us instead. It is the same with temptation. St. Francis de Sales tells us that we should imitate the little children who fly to the arms of their father and mother as soon as they spy a wolf. We should fly to Jesus and Mary for protection.

As long as temptation lasts we should persevere in prayer.

Temptations

1. When a man fears and loves God, temptation is the greatest trial which he can endure.

“No one is so perfect and holy,” says the Imitation of Christ, "as not sometimes to have temptations; and we never can be wholly free from them. Nevertheless, temptations are often very profitable to a man, troublesome and grievous though they may be; for in them a man is humbled, purified and instructed. All the Saints passed through many tribulations and temptations, and profited by theni. And they that could not support tenip­tations became reprobate, and fell away ...

"A man is never wholly secure from temptation as long as he liveth; for there is within us the source of temptation, since we were born in concupiscence ...

"Inconstancy of mind, and little confidence in God, is the beginning of all evil temptations. For as a ship without a helm is driven to and fro by the waves, so the man who is negligent, and giveth up his resolution, is tempted in various ways. Fire trieth iron, and temptation a just man.” (Imitation of Christ, Bk I, c. 13)

These words from The Imitation of Christ should encourage us. God sends us temptations in order to test our virtue and to make us understand that we are in continual need of Him. The important thing is to overcome them with the help of His grace, for a thousand temptations do not constitute a single sin. When we are prepared to make sacrifices and to rely upon God's assistance, temptations can be a source of merit for us.

Blessed is the man who endures temptations, writes St. James,./,or when he has been tried, he will receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him. (James 1:12)

We should not fear temptations nor be discouraged by than. Instead, we should watch and pray, and love God.

2. "Still we must watch," The Imitation of Christ continues, "especially in the beginning of temptation, for then the enemy is more easily overcome, if he be not suffered to enter the door of the mind, but is withstood upon the threshold the very moment that he knocketh. Whence a certain one hath said: ‘Resist beginning; all too late the cure, when ills have gathered strength by long delay.’ (Ovid. Remed. Amor., 5:91) For first there cometh into the mind a simple thought; then a strong imagination; afterwards delight, and the evil motion and consent.” (Imitation of Christ, Bk. 1, c. 13)

It is worth meditating on this vivid description of the psychology of temptation and of the simplest remedy by which it can be combated. Every temptation is first presented to the mind as a simple thought. If a man is determined enough it is quite easy to reject it immediately. If there is any delay, however, the concept is clothed by the imagination and projected in vivid colours until it arouses the evil inclinations of the senses. In this way the idea takes possession of the mind, so that it is almost impossible to set it free.

We must be ready to face up to such an idea before it takes possession of us. We should treat it as we would a serpent, not pausing to examine it, but taking to flight at once. If we are resolute, the grace of God will ensure our safety.

3. Why does God allow us to endure temptations? According to spiritual writers, there are two main reasons.

(1) Because God wishes us to be humble and not to depend too much on ourselves. Before he was tempted, St. Peter boasted that he would never deny his Master. When he was tempted, he fell, and recognised his weakness.

(2) Because by resisting temptation we can show our love for Jesus and our readiness to sacrifice everything for Him.

Temptations, therefore, can teach us humility and can help us to store up merit for our souls.

The Hour of Trial

1. Everybody, even a Saint, has his hour of trial. God wants it this way, so that if we are victorious with the help of His grace, we can receive our reward. One who enters a contest is not crowned unless he has competed according to the rules. (Cf. 2 Tim. 2:5) Even the Angels were put on trial, and those haughty spirits who rebelled against God were damned for ever.

Our first parents were placed on trial and because they disobeyed God's command were deprived of their supernatural gifts and exiled from their earthly paradise. Even Jesus willed to endure His hour of trial in the Garden of Gethsemane, before the Sanhedrin, before the judgment seat of Pilate, and on Mount Calvary. He desired to be tried in this way in order to teach us how to be victorious.

Our trials are of various kinds, some of which recur frequently during our lives. They may be physical, such as suffering, disease, disgrace or poverty. They may be moral trials which affect mainly the heart-the neglect of those whom we love, calumny, misunderstanding, or malice. There are also spiritual trials such as discouraging lapses into sin, or aridity of soul when it seems that the Heavenly Father has abandoned us as He abandoned Jesus in His last agony on the Cross.

How should we behave when we are tried? Jesus showed us the way when He took upon Himself the sins of all mankind and His passion began in the Garden of Gethsemane. Even before He ascended Mount Calvary and was nailed to the Cross, He experienced here all the agony and terror of His redemptive mission. Prostrate with suffering, He prayed three times: Father, if it is possible let this cup pass away from me; yet not as I will, but as thou willest. (Cf. Mt. 26:39-42) When we are tried, we should fervently repeat this prayer of complete resignation to the will of God.

2. Whether they are physical, moral or spiritual, these severe trials affect us greatly. We feel crushed and abandoned, lacking in the power to resist, and tend to yield to-temptation or to despair. At these times we should take the Crucifix in our hands and remember the sufferings of Jesus. Let us recall His terrible physical sufferings as He was dying upon the Cross. Let us remember the sufferings of His Heart when He was betrayed be Judas, deserted by the Apostles, and rejected by His own people. Finally, let us recall His spiritual sufferings, for He who was innocence itself willed to carry the weight of all our sins and to experience in a mysterious manner the sense of abandonment by His heavenly Father.

No matter what our trial may be, let us ask Jesus for the grace of resignation and of Christian hope.

3. We should meditate on the following passage from the Imitation of Christ:

"O just Father, holy, and ever to be praised, the hour is cone for Thy servant to be tried. 0 Father worthy of all love, it is fitting that Thy servant should at this hour suffer something for Thee. O Father always to be honoured, the hour is conic which from all eternity Thou didst foresee would arrive; that Thy servant for a short time should be oppressed exteriorly, but interiorly should ever live unto Thee; that he should he for a little slighted and humbled, and should fail in the sight of men; that he should be severely afflicted with sufferings and languors, that so he may rise again with Thee in the dawning of a new light and be glorified in heaven.

"O holy Father, Thou hast so appointed and such is Thy will; and that has come to pass which Thou bast ordained. For this is a favour to Thy friend, that he should suffer and be afflicted in this world for the love of Thee ... it is good for me, O Lord, that Thou hast humbled me ...
"Grant me, O Lord, to know what I ought to know; to love what I ought to love; to praise that which is most pleasing to Thee; to esteem that which appeareth to Thee valuable; to abhor that which is filthy in Thy sight." (Bk. III. c. 50)

In the light of these reflections every trial will be bearable and, by the grace of God, even welcome.

Adoration of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament

1. Anyone who loves Jesus sincerely in the Sacrament of the Eucharist must experience a pang of regret whenever he enters a church and sees that the spaces surrounding the tabernacle are empty. Here and there a few people may be praying before statues of Our Lady and of the Saints, but too often there is nobody to worship Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Only the dim light of the tabernacle lamp seems to be attempting to compensate in some small way for the ingratitude of men. Yet here is no mere image, but the real living Jesus Who loves us and longs to shower His gifts upon us.

We are poor, and He is rich; we are weak, and He is strong. We are sinners and He wishes us to kneel repentant at His feet so that He may forgive us. We are bent beneath the weight of our cross which seems too heavy for us to bear, and He desires to lighten it by His grace. We are weary and worried and unable to find a friend who will fully understand and comfort us. But if we go to Jesus we shall find a Friend and Comforter. Come to me, He says to us, all you who labour and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from nie, for I ani meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light. (Mt. 11:28-30) Let us kneel before Jesus in the tabernacle and confide to Him our worries, sorrows and desires. He will understand and enlighten us; He will strengthen our -wavering resolution and inspire in our hearts the divine love which makes it easy to sacrifice ourselves for His sake.

2. In many dioceses and parishes there exist associations of devout people who take it in turns to pray before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. There ought to be some such association everywhere, because everyone who has a sincere love for the Holy Eucharist should feel the need of spending some time in adoration and in conversation with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

The Saints often spent days and nights in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. What about you? Even if you are not members of an Eucharistic association, you should put aside some time every day for a visit to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. There you will find the strength to put your good resolutions into effect. You will find consolation in your troubles and rest for your soul.

3. Life to-day is fast and mechanical, a mad race for profit and pleasure. Cars speed along the roads; the footpaths are paced by people with anxious faces; theatres, cinemas and sports grounds are crowded with people searching for the illusion of happiness. But what of the churches? Apart from a few hours on Sundays, they are usually almost completely deserted.

Nevertheless, the churches are the only places where peace is to be found, for in each is the home of Jesus, really present and on fire with love for men.

Let us go and kneel before the tabernacle. Let us pray for ourselves, for our forgetful and ungrateful brothers who are plunged in sin, who have lost the light of faith and the purifying flame of love. Let us offer ourselves as living lamps of sacrifice for the salvation of our fellow-men and for the triumph of the Church.

Purification

1. We must recognise that we are all poor sinners in the sight of God.

Sacred Scripture warns us that the just man falls seven times. (Prov. 24:16) If we say that we have no sin, says St. John, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (1 John 1:8) Sin is the greatest evil because it offends God, our highest good and happiness. It only needs our own malice for us to commit sin, but in order to make reparation for it and to redeem us from slavery it was necessary for God to become man and to offer Himself as a victim of expiation for our sins. Only a God-Man could have fully satisfied our debt by offering Himself as a victim of reparation for His adopted brothers.

Jesus desires us to be associated with Him in His Passion, however. (Cf. Col. 1:24) Our justification cannot be something extrinsic to ourselves, but should transform us and make us holy. Our cooperation with divine grace is necessary for this purpose. (1 Cor. 15:10) If we are in sin we should not only repent, but should purify ourselves by acts of penance. Jesus Himself commands this. Unless you repent, you will all perish. (Luke 13:5) Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. (Mt. 3:2; 4:17)

We must make satisfaction for our sins, therefore, by voluntary co-operation with the grace of God. Although God is infinitely good and merciful, He will not purify us without this cooperation on our part. We can be purified by accepting the unavoidable tribulations of life with perfect resignation and by offering to God our own voluntary mortifications and sacrifices.

Are we prepared to follow the example of the Saints in this matter?

2. God has given us two supernatural means of purifying ourselves after we have sinned-the Sacrament of Penance and Indulgences. The Sacrament of Penance is the plank of salvation to which we can cling when we have been shipwrecked by sin, and by means of Indulgences we can draw on the infinite treasury of the merits of Christ, the Blessed Virgin Marv, and the Saints in order to make partial or total satisfaction for the temporal punishment due to our sins. In this way we can shorten our purgatory in this life and escape it in the next.

We should make good use of the Sacrament of Penance. If we fall into mortal sin, let us have recourse at once to this fount of grace. Even when we are not in mortal sin, let us be faithful to the practice of weekly or at least fortnightly Confession.

We should not abuse this great gift simply because it seems such a simple method of obtaining pardon. God is infinitely just, we must remember, and He expects us to co-operate with His graces.

3. We should also value Indulgences as a means of spiritual purification. They ought not to be treated lightly. Jesus gave His Church the power of loosing and binding every bond of sin. As long as we have the necessary dispositions, therefore, it can draw on the merits of Christ and of the Saints to release us from the temporal punishment due to the sins which have already been forgiven us. It achieves this by the concession of Indulgences. These require on our part the fulfilment of certain conditions, a sincere sorrow for sin, and a strong resolution never to offend God again.

Progress in the Love of God

1. The entire Christian system is based on the love of God. This is the greatest and first commandment (Mt. 22:38) of Jesus, from which the second commandment to love our neighbour naturally flows. A man who does not observe this first commandment is not a Christian, whereas a man who endeavours to increase every day his love foi God is a saint. There are many grades of ascent in this love, but the basic step is indicated in the words of our Divine Master: He who has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. (John 14:15, 21)

The love of God should not consist of an empty and uneffective sentimentality, but should comprise a sincere determination to please God by carrying out His will without reserve and by becoming more closely united to Him by the help of His holy grace. Progress in the love of God is divided by the masters of the spiritual life into three stages:-(1) the period of purification; (2) the period of illumination; and (3) the period of union with God. We may have advanced no farther than the first stage because there is still so much to be purified in our souls. Nevertheless, let us ask God's grace to help us to begin this work immediately.

2. They are in the first grade of perfection in the love of God who desire to love Him but still feel an attachment to sin. How is it possible to love God and at the same time to offend Him by yielding to unlawful desires and to the attractions of the world? This is a mystery of the human heart, which can experience simultaneously the desire to love God and the disturbances of the flesh.

People like this must humbly persevere in praying for the grace which they need. They must eradicate their major vices one by one so that they may be free to love God. Since their course will be difficult and full of obstacles, they will need the courage of mountaineers, but, far above, the white and sun-kissed summit awaits them. Only toil and sacrifice can bring them there, but when they arrive they will know real happiness, for they will see God. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God. (Mt. 5:8)

3. The second stage is one of illumination and increase in perfection. When the soul has been set free from sin, it must be enriched by all the virtues.

The love of God demands that we should never stand still. If we sincerely love God, we must please Him in every way. Under the influence of His grace, therefore, we must ascend step by step towards the perfection which Jesus requires of us, (Mt. 5:48) until we reach the third stage, which is union with God. We shall be blessed with happiness if we can reach this peak, for we shall look upon the joys and sorrows of this world with a tranquil gaze. Our whole being will go out to God in an act of complete surrender. Like St. Paul, we shall no longer be ourselves, but shall belong wholly to God. Let us be fervent and energetic in striving to reach this summit of perfection, which is a foretaste of Heaven itself.

Knowledge and Sanctity (July 23)

1. If there had been equal progress throughout the ages in sanctity and in science, men would now be very wise and very holy.

It is a well-known fact that science has made great strides, but it must be admitted, unfortunately, that it has often forgotten its beginning and final end, which is God alone. The object of knowledge is truth, and all truth comes from God, but it dwells in created things like a reflection of divine light. We must trace this reflected light back to its original source. If students had always done this, they could have become wise as well as learned. They would have gained from their studies and research a deeper knowledge of God, the author of all the marvels in the universe, and they would have discovered how to worship and obey Him.

When science goes astray or becomes an end in itself, it ceases to be of real service and can become an instrument of evil. When the history of philosophy was described as the history of human aberrations, this was not altogether an exaggeration. Moreover, the technical and practical sciences which are flourishing in this era have often become the means of human destruction. This is what happens when science turns away from God, who is its origin.

There is a great deal of learning in the modern world, but very little holiness. As a result of their absorption in intellectual labour and scientific research, men have forgotten the most important thing in life, which is goodness.

It would seem that the intellect has stifled the impulses of the heart and the dictates of conscience. Do not let this happen in your own case. By all means, have and promote learning, but more than anything else cultivate in your soul that sanctity which will be your greatest treasure in life.

2. We have no right to speak evil of human learning and industry, which are always a gift from God. But we must recognise that goodness is more important than knowledge. The devil's intellect is superior to ours, but he has lost God and in losing God has lost everything which is good.

Knowledge puffs up, (1 Cor. 8:1) writes St. Paul. Pride and presumption can easily spring from a little learning, whereas the fruits of holiness are always beneficial to ourselves and to others.

Let us be humble in our scientific studies and use the results which we obtain for our own progress in sanctity.

3. Padre Cordovans has described the proper progress of the intellect in the following way.

(1) First of all, it studies the things which it knows and mysteriously enriches itself.

(2) It rises from this abundance of knowledge to a keener sense of responsibility in life, until it achieves a Christian harmony. At this stage we have faith, meditation and Christian formation.

(3) Meditation cannot afford to become enclosed within itself, but goes on to become inflamed with love until it develops into contemplation. Now we have the contemplative, who can be a monk, a scientist, or a politician.

(4) If everything goes well, the contemplative abandons his state of solitude and goes in search of souls in the manner of the Saints and of our Divine Master. Otherwise, the contemplative can become a quietist. (Breviario Spirituale, p. 129)

We should try and follow this course in our studies, whether they are sacred or profane. If we do so, we shall achieve personal sanctity and shall engage ourselves in apostolic work for others.

Holiness/The Royal Road of the Cross

Holiness (July 22)

1. In a radio message which he broadcast on the occasion of the Beatification of Pope Innocent XI, the Supreme Pontiff, Pius XII, defined holiness as "the intimate awareness of loyal subjection to God, Who is adored and loved as the beginning, end, and norm. of every thought, affection, word, and action."

Let us meditate on this definition, which helps to shed sonic light on the true nature of sanctity.A holy man must always have a keen awareness of his own dependence upon God, his Creator, Redeemer and Sanctificr, and his hoped for reward and happiness in the next life. This awareness intist be vivid, for it should not be possible for it to be obscured by worldly distractions or obliterated by sensual allurements. It should be active, so that it may not be a merely theoretical acknowledgment of our dependence which leads to nothing more than lip-worship ; on the contrary, it must be capable of transforming our lives into an act of obedience and of love. Finally, it should be a faithful awareness, a complete and voluntary subjection to God which is the driving force behind all our words and actions, and which inspires us alike in joy and in sorrow, in victory and in defeat. If we wish to be perfect Christians, we must cultivate this kind of consciousness of our dependence upon God.

2. It is not true to say that holiness can be attained only by a few select souls, so that ordinary goodness is sufficient for people like ourselves who have so many other things to think about and to do. Such an attitude leads to tepidity, from which it is a short and easy step to sin itself. Anyway, there is no such thing as mediocre virtue, for if virtue is not aiming at perfection it is not genuine. A sincere Christian cannot be satisfied with mediocrity, for he is obliged to be holy, or at least to fight hard with the help of God's grace to become holy.

Even in the Old Testament we read: I, the Lord, am your God; and you shall make and keep yourselves holy, because I am holy. (Lev. 11:19; 19:2) This exhortation is repeated by St. Peter in his first Epistle, (1 Peter 1:15-16) and in the Gospel Jesus Himself commands us to be perfect even as our heavenly Father is perfect. (Mt. 5:48) Holiness, then, is a goal towards which all sincere Christians must strive.

3. We need Saints to recall our wayward and corrupt society to the paths of truth, justice and charity. We should pray to God to send us Saints who will reform the world by living the Gospel and making it live for others. Above all, we should endeavour to become holy ourselves. To achieve this we do not have to put on sack-cloth, go into the desert, or shut ourselves up in a monastery. Each of us can become a saint in his own home and in whatever position God has allotted him. All we have to do is obey God's Will in everything, love Him above everything, love our neighbour as ourselves, avoid sin and aim at what is good. We can and should do all this with the help of God.

The Royal Road of the Cross (July 21)

1. The way of the Cross is the only road which leads to Heaven. Consequently, a man who refuses to take this road cannot reach Heaven. If there were another way, Jesus would have told us about it. Instead, He insisted that if anyone wished to go after Him, he would have to deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow Him. (Luke 9:23)

Our Lord did more than preach this way to us, for He gave us an example of the manner in which to follow it. Jesus could have redeemed us by a single act of His human-divine will, simply by offering Himself to the Eternal Father in expiation of our sins. But He chose to carry the weight of the Cross, to climb the Hill of Calvary, and to die in agony.

We must ascend our own Calvary if we wish to imitate and follow Jesus. Our divine Redeemer fulfilled perfectly in His Passion all the works of perfection which He had preached in the Gospel. Let the Passion of Christ be our rule of life. Let us be glad when we seem to be more like Him and sorrowful whenever we seem to be departing from the example which He set us.

Suffering should be a source of consolation for us, for it makes us more like Jesus as long as we endure it with resignation and with love.

2. We all have our own cross. When we reject it, we fashion one for ourselves by our defects and sins, which leave us dis­contented and restless, and draw God's punishment upon us.

It is useless to flee from the Cross, for it follows us everywhere. If we refuse to accept the cross which God has given us, we take upon ourselves one which is heavier than the first. Worldlings can bask for a moment in their pleasure; but it soon passes and is replaced by bitterness and sorrow. Their suffering is deeper than that of a good Christian who places his trust in God. There is only one way of making our cross easier to bear and that is to embrace it as Jesus did. We should love the Cross because it is suffering which shows us how to become like Jesus, to make reparation for our sins, and to co-operate by our own passion with the Passion of Christ. (Cf. 1 Col. 1:24)

3. A penitent once asked a holy priest for a hair-shirt. "I can't give you that," the priest replied, "but the best thing you can do is to offer to God the trials of your daily life." The penitent's reaction was to protest that he would find this too difficult.

As a matter of fact, it is very difficult. But it is useless for a man to wear a hair-shirt and to scourge himself if he is not prepared to put up with ordinary everyday hardships and to deny himself by carrying his cross with resignation and love. God has imposed certain penances on us all and these are necessary for us. To accept them is to set out on the royal road of the Cross which leads to Heaven.

It is true, however, that there are times when we meet with temptations which are exceptionally strong. It can be necessary on these occasions to impose extra penances on ourselves, for it is better to enter life maimed or lame, than, having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. (Cf. Mt. 18:8) Nevertheless, the first and most necessary penance is to take up our cross daily and follow Jesus.

Nature and Grace

1. "Observe diligently the motions of nature and grace," says the Imitation of Christ, "for they move with great contrariety and subtlety, and can hardly be distinguished but by a spiritual man, and one that is inwardly enlightened." (Imit. of Christ, Bk. III, c. 54.)

The struggle between fallen nature and grace is due to original sin, which extinguished in us the supernatural life and gave rise to the disharmony which exists between our lower faculties and reason, and between reason and God. Even the Saints experienced this fearful internal battle between good and evil. I see another law in my members, says St. Paul, warring against the law of my mind. (Rom. 7:23) Elsewhere he complains that the flesh lusts against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh,(Gal. 5:17) and that the temptations of the flesh assailed him so strongly that he pleaded with God to save him. But God's reply to his entreaties was: My grace is sufficient for thee, for strength is made perfect in weakness. (Cf. 2 Cor. 12:7-9)

This does not mean that human nature is substantially corrupt and incapable of doing good as a result of sin. The inclination towards goodness and towards God remains and is very strong in our better moments. Nevertheless, we need the helping hand of God so that this inclination may express itself in good actions worthy of an everlasting reward. For this reason we should pray humbly and constantly for the precious gift of divine grace.

2. Two extremes must be avoided in the relationship between nature and grace. The first is that of the rigorists who see in human nature nothing but confusion and the propensity towards evil, and therefore advocate an iron domination completely lacking in any understanding of human frailty. They believe that perfection must be achieved swiftly by means of the most ferocious privations and penances. This excessively severe approach to the spiritual. life can lead to discouragement and eventual collapse. The way of perfection is an ascending ladder which must be climbed step by step. Falls must be expected, but it is necessary to rise again at once with renewed courage, knowing that when we reach the top we shall find rest and peace.

The other extreme is an attitude of superficial ease. There is no emphasis on the necessity of grace, nor on the need for prayer and faithful co-operation with God's grace in order to perform good works. Instead there is a kind of natural decency and luke­warm virtue which ignores the necessity for mortification and the spirit of sacrifice. Anyone who sets out on this path can never be a fervent and active Christian.

3. Even though there is a contrast between grace and nature there is also a certain harmony, because God made us for Himself, as St. Augustine says, and our hearts will never be at rest until they rest in Him. Grace is a supernatural graft which elevates our nature and makes it capable of attaining everlasting life. It is necessary to take away all the shoots of the old tree-stump and to care for the new branches. Only then shall we begin toapproach Christian perfection.

"Therefore, O Lord, let thy grace always go before and follow me, and make me ever intent upon good works, through Jesus Christ Thy Son, Amen." (Imit. of Christ, Bk. III, c. 55)

Our Dominant Passions

1. Among the passions which disturb us, there is one pre­dominant tendency which is our particular weakness. Perhaps we are not aware what it is, but those who have to live with us know it well. It is essential for us to know it also in order to make it a special objective in our spiritual combat.

This information may be obtained by praying earnestly to the Holy Spirit to enlighten us to know ourselves, by making a daily examination of conscience, and by seeking the advice of our confessor, of our spiritual director, and of any sincere friend. It is our predominant passion which most often leads us into sin. It recurs in all our confessions and we have great difficulty in overcoming it. The predominant passion of Cain was envy, which he failed to combat in time, so that eventually it caused him to commit fratricide. Lust was the predominant passion of Mary Magdalen and of St. Augustine and until they managed to control it, it led them into many grave errors. It was because the Apostle Judas neglected to struggle against his own avarice that he became a traitor. There are others who are inordinately proud and ambitious, and still others who are governed by a craving for pleasure.

What is your predominant passion? You must know what it is in order to combat it determinedly, for otherwise it will lead you into one sin after another until you are eternally ruined.

2. Holy and God-fearing people know their own particular weakness. They accept it as a cross and will not rest until they have conquered it with God's help. The battle cannot be won in a day, but in most cases takes a great many years. Often the ultimate victory is not gained until the hour of death.

It has been said that self-love dies three days after ourselves. We are enormously attached to our own ego, and humility is a very difficult virtue to acquire. Sometimes we have struggled for years to gain it and, quite suddenly, we meet with another disastrous fall. It would be easy to be overcome by discourage­ment at this stage, but this should not be allowed to happen. When we fall we should say to God in our repentance: "It is good for me to be humbled." To ourselves we should say immediately: "Let us begin all over again!"

St. Francis de Sales was endowed by nature with a sharp and hasty temperament, against which he fought for many years with great determination and reliance on God's help. Finally, he conquered and came to be regarded as an angel of peace. Nevertheless, even in the later years of his life, he still experienced inward tendencies towards anger, so that his exterior gentleness was really a supreme act of virtue.

3. We can conquer our predominant passion by the following means

(a) Fervent prayer.

(b) A daily examination of conscience, in the course of which we shall discover whether we have made any progress in the way of perfection, and shall renew our good resolutions.

(c) Weekly or at least fortnightly confession.

(d) Daily or at least frequent communion.

(e) Avoidance of the occasions of sin and employment of the necessary means to overcome sin.

(f) The performance of good actions which are opposed to our predominant passion.

(g) Determination to fight and to conquer, because we are

convinced that it is absolutely necessary to do so.

There can be no half-measures, for the only alternative to victory is defeat. If we are conquered, we shall be slaves of passion in this life and shall be everlastingly unhappy in the next.