meditation of the day

“Do not be afraid”

If the enemy continues to make war against you, this might mean that he has still not obtained what he set out to achieve, otherwise he would stop tormenting you…. If you have no struggle at all, rather be afraid and question yourself. Recognize that either this has happened by a free gift of God—in which case you should simply thank him and feel unworthy of it, or else it has happened because you have become accustomed to evil and compromise—in which case it is time for you to wake up.

Saint Catherine of Siena once received a visit from her heavenly spouse at a time when she was being assailed by a tide of temptations of the flesh. “My Lord,” she called out to him, “where were you when my heart was being tormented by so many temptations?” And the Lord replied: “I was in your heart.” And she said, “Saving always the truth of what you say, my Lord, and with all due respect for your majesty, how can I believe that you were living in my heart, when it was full of unclean and devilish thoughts?” And the Lord answered: “Those thoughts and temptations: did they gladden your heart, or sadden it? Did they bring you pleasure, or displeasure?” And she replied: “Great pain, and great displeasure.” And the Lord answered: “Who was it who made you feel displeasure, if not I who was hiding in the center of your heart?”

Father Raniero Cantalamessa, o.f.m. cap.

Father Cantalamessa is the preacher to the papal household. [From Virginity, Charles Serignat, Tr. © 1995, The Fathers & Brothers of the Society of St. Paul, ST PAULS/Alba House, Staten Island, NY. www.albahouse.org. Used with permission.]