Spiritual Combat: A Call to Arms

“Fight or die.” – Dom Lorenzo Scupoli
Perhaps one of the greatest temptations in the Catholic life is that of complacency. We go through the motions, attending Mass on Sunday and maybe going to a parish program or two, but the Faith never really penetrates deep into our souls. It remains a superficial reality; just another thing to do in our comfortable, civilized lives.
We love to complain about the problems in the Church—rending our garments over this bad bishop or this corrupt priest. We ask: Where are the saints of the modern Church? Where are the holy men and women who can be shining lights in this dark world? We lament the state of things, never realizing that it is us that God has called to be saints. It is we who must strive for sanctity as if our lives depended on it—because they do.
Fight for the Crown of Eternal Life
Jesus Christ is calling you and me to rise above lukewarmness and mediocrity and to pursue greatness. He does not want us to muddle through the Christian life. He wants to fight nobly for the crown of eternal life. “Fight your way in at the narrow door,” he tells us, “There are many who will try and will not be able to enter.”
Now, realize that this spiritual combat does not necessarily mean grandiose outward actions. Most of us are not meant to found a religious order or to convert a far flung nation. The saints constantly tell us that holiness is found in sanctifying our everyday actions, however small they may be.
But the point is, no one coasts into heaven effortlessly. It doesn’t work that way. We have a powerful enemy who works day and night to destroy us. Every day we encounter temptations internal and external that, if consented to, will destroy our souls.
Men, a survey has