Day 42 of Basic Training in Holiness – You Made Us for Yourself
DAY 42 – MARY, QUEEN OF CONFESSORS, PRAY FOR US
YOU MADE US FOR YOURSELF
The unfortunate reality is that the modern campaign of militant secular indoctrination has been so severe that fewer remain who believe or trust in God’s supernatural power. In spiritual terms, this makes us puny and scrawny rather than strong and powerful mighty warriors ready to confront the powers of darkness in the heavenly realm. With so many modernized Christians ignoring the reality of grace, it is no wonder that evil is thriving in our day.
In speaking of the need for a New Evangelization, Pope Benedict XVI said, “the true problem of our times is the ‘Crisis of God,’ the absence of God, disguised by an empty religiosity” … a kind of lukewarmness, going through the motions of one’s faith, which ends up collapsing completely. The terrible consequence of this war on the supernatural is seen in the epidemic of spiritual sloth in our times — hearts deadened to the Divine Life of God.
Bishop Robert Barron draws attention to this very real epidemic in our times: “A real concrete statistic around this is that 70 percent of the baptized faithful are staying away from Mass on a regular basis. And we’re doing well in comparison with the European countries. Vatican II said the Mass is the source and summit of the Christian life … everything leads to and flows from the Mass. The Eucharist is everything, and 70 percent could care less about it. Yes, there are many reasons around why some do not go to Mass, but I suspect that, for most, they are suffering from spiritual sloth; they could just care less.”
Aristotle said, “No one can long remain in sadness without any joy.” Depriving oneself of spiritual joy through neglect and sloth leaves one desperate to fill that void with inferior pleasures. Hence, it is no wonder why we see so many people frantically attempting to fill their lives with every kind of activity and distraction possible, desperately trying to avoid the gloom of emptiness. St. Augustine said, “You have made us for yourself, Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.”
MENTAL PRAYER (15+ Minutes)
PRAY A ROSARY
Miraculous 54 Day Rosary Novena
