~ by Benedict Kaiser (our son-in-law)
Dear Reader,
If you are even a little bit like me, you could probably use some encouragement. The book of Job says that man’s life is a warfare. One doesn’t need to spend very much time here in this vale of tears to see the reality of that statement.
We are engaged in war on three fronts, and when we get some relief from one front, often the conflict rages on all the more on the others.
The world is constantly launching salvos at the people of God. It has from the earliest points of salvation history. Often outright attack is preferred by someone who wants to do the will of God, for often the most dangerous attacks the world has to throw our way are the subtle and seemingly harmless poison, and traps that are laid for the faithful.
The devil goes about like a lion seeking who he may devour. His demonic presence is often made to seem like a fairytale, but unfortunately, I must tell you that the evil one’s existence is indeed a reality. He desires your destruction, and he is an enemy that does not sleep, and his intellect goes far beyond anything the most intelligent human being could ever dream of achieving.
Finally, we have our last enemy, and the most difficult front of this battle for our soul, ourselves. We were created good, and we truly are, but we are fallen due to original sin. Our wills are weakened, and our intellects darkened. Our soul thirsts for God, but our bodies clamor for instant gratification, and inordinate use of pleasure as an end, and not as a means. We seem to be half-hearted in much, or all that we do. We are constantly at war with ourselves.
Perhaps, reader, you are thinking something along the lines of “Well, if that is your idea of encouragement, what would you have said if you were trying to discourage me!?”
I have some words of encouragement for you now…
“Fear not”. I put those words in quotations because I am not speaking them to you, for another broken, sinful human being telling his brother or sister to not fear would be of little consolation while we are waging this war. They are the words of Our Lord Jesus Christ. When He speaks them into our lives they truly mean something. “Fear not”, “Be not afraid”, “Peace be with you”, and other similar words were spoken many times by Our Lord.
Jesus knows the reality of this war of which I have been speaking, and His response is, “Fear not”. If that isn’t a word of encouragement, I am not sure what is.
He clearly sees the danger, the sin, the attack on His sheep, and He wants to encourage us to our very core, the innermost part of our being. Hopefully He is already there in our souls by baptism, and sanctifying grace.
Should not He be our refuge? Should not we recall that He is there with us? What does it matter if we have the world against us? If the devil, and his army attack us, can he overthrow God in your soul? Even with your brokenness, of which God is very much aware, is it not your frailty that attracts Our Divine Physician? Did He not say He was the Good Shepherd? Sheep are not intelligent, powerful animals. They are helpless, and pretty stupid. He gives us this image to remind us that He is taking care of us. We are not meant to have a self-reliance. Our sufficiency comes from God.
I would like to bring our minds to the episode in the Gospel when St. Peter walks on the water to Our Lord in the storm. There is a lot to think about in this event.
The Apostles were battling the storm out on the water, and it wasn’t looking very good. Perhaps they were thinking, “Where is Jesus?! Why did He command us to cross this way?” They were probably frustrated with each other. Simon the Zealot, was surely telling James the Less that he needed to row harder! “Just because you have some relation to Jesus doesn’t mean you get to slack off!”
Thomas was probably thinking, “Did He really tell us to do this? I don’t think Peter heard him properly. That guy is always quick to talk, and make a grab for the glory!”
Jude was thinking, “This is a lost cause! We are all going to drown!”
It didn’t look good. When they saw Our Lord, they were even more afraid! They thought He was some kind of ghost! The fear, and panic surely rose to quite the level, and James was probably ready to whack Simon over the head with his oar to boot.
When Our Lord spoke to His friends, “Be of good heart, it is I, fear not,” it is interesting to note that nothing about their very unpleasant situation had changed when Our Lord said these words. The storm was still very much raging, and if the Apostles truly were less afraid, it was only because they saw and heard Jesus, not because the difficulties were removed. In fact, Peter’s words were, “Lord, if it be You…” They still weren’t even positive that it was Jesus. What a frightful scenario!
What happened next? Our Lord told Peter one word, “Come.” He didn’t fix all of the problems, the storm was still raging, they were all still scared. I am sure Peter was too, but he didn’t let that stop him from going to Our Lord. He walked on water to meet his Lord, and St. Peter’s love for Our Lord really shows in this moment.
It is really interesting to note that he started to sink when he saw how strong the wind was. That was his problem, that is our problem, we take our eyes off Our Lord. We see how the world is trying to get us to give in to temptation, we see how honest, saintly people are persecuted, we read all the bad news, we let the devil speak words of discouragement, and accusation to us.
We realize how broken and sinful we are when we take an honest look at ourselves. In doing all of that, we take our eyes off Jesus. Hopefully we can do exactly what our first pope did too. We can call out, “Save me!”
I have a question for you now, reader. Has anyone every called on Our Good Lord and been abandoned? The help for our storm is always at hand. The storm will not be taken away in our lives, but Our Good Jesus will meet us there. Let the words of our first pope be ever on our lips, “Lord, save me!”
Take heart my friend, we, like the Apostles, are going to be rowing against the wind, there are going to be tensions, and arguing even among the best of us, the world will try and get us to give up, the devil will make a lot of noise and try to get us to leap from Our Lord’s arms, and leave His Church.
We will always be battling our own brokenness in some form or another. Through this all, “Fear not!” As long as we keep our eyes on Our Lord, we won’t sink, and when we forget and quickly sink let’s call out with all our hearts, “Jesus, save me!” That’s what Our Lord’s very name means, Savior. Should He not be glad to save us then?
Let’s stay focused on Our Lord. Let us remember He is not absent in the storm. Let us go to Him, the storm won’t stop us. Let’s ignore the wind, and the waves. They aren’t new, and they are here to stay. Let us, “Fear not!”
So many people crowd their lives with too much activity and squeeze out of their schedule some of the things they would like to do or ought to do. They are doing many things that are good, but they are neglecting other things that are better and more important.
Perhaps this is because they lose sight of the primacy of the obligations arising from their family and home.
Your first duty is to your home and family. You have solemnly sworn an obligation to work for their happiness and salvation.
~Fr. Lovasik, Catholic Family Handbook
CHAPLETS!
Available here.
Our Lady of Sorrows:
Precious Blood:
Surrender Novena:
Sacred Heart Chaplet:
Holy Face Chaplet:
St. Andrew Christmas Novena Chaplet:
The Book of Confidence ~ Available here.
Trust and Confidence on Divine Providence are a spiritual treasure. Those who find it are blessed. If you are searching for peace and serenity, amidst the storms of our contemporary times, Fr. Thomas de Saint Laurent work is a must read: “O Voice of Christ, mysterious voice of grace that resounds in the silence of our souls, you softly whisper in the depths of our hearts, words of sweetness and of peace. In all our misfortunes, our sufferings, that voice repeats to us the word, so often spoken by the Divine Master during His mortal life: Confidence! Confidence!’’….
Achieving Peace of Heart ~ Available here.
Reverend Irala here addresses ways to promote mental and emotional well-being to help increase one’s health, efficiency and happiness. He speaks on topics such as how to rest, think, use the will, control feelings, train the sexual instinct, be happy, and choose an ideal. Included are also many practical instructions on dealing with mental struggles of all kinds. This book is most useful in our present times of worldly confusion.
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