The spiritual life is a struggle. And, incredible as it may seem, in this struggle those who fight the least get the most.
Newskdesk (22/04/2024 17:10, Gaudium Press)
Whenever a man desires something inordinately, he immediately becomes restless. The proud and the greedy are never at ease, while the poor and the humble of spirit live in great peace. The man who is not perfectly mortified is easily tempted and defeated, even in small and insignificant things. The spiritual man, still somewhat carnal and prone to sensuality, will only be able to let go of all earthly desires at great cost. Hence his frequent sadness when he abstains from them, and his easy irritation when someone contradicts him.
If, however, he achieves what he wanted, he immediately feels the remorse of conscience, because he has obeyed his passion, which is worth nothing to achieve the peace he longed for. True peace of heart is found in resisting the passions, not in following them. There is therefore no peace in the heart of the carnal man, nor in that of the man given over to external things, but only in that of the fervent and spiritual.
Taken from: IMITATION OF CHRIST. Book 1, chapter 6.
Compiled by Roberta MacEwan
