Train to be spiritual warriors

GIVEN our objective dignity as children of God and our current human condition that will always be hounded by our own weaknesses, the temptations in the world and by the devil, we should train ourselves to be spiritual warriors who know how to wage a lifelong war of love and peace against the enemies of God and of our soul.

Yes, our life will always involve some fighting, some struggling. But let’s always remember that we have a Father who takes care of everything. He assures us that everything will just be all right even if we commit some mistakes as long as we are with him or we go back to him after we fall. He will always welcome us with open arms.

We should not worry too much over the erratic condition of our life in this world. While God assures us of his love and mercy, he does not exempt us from having to fight against his enemies and those of our soul, because our life here on earth is still the time of God’s creation and redemption of us. There will always be trials and temptations to contend with.

We have to learn to always choose God over anything else, knowing that with him everything else that we need will be taken care of. We just have to learn the art of fighting, of smelling dangers even from afar, of protecting and defending ourselves from temptations and the consequences of sin.

We have to hone our combat skills, knowing how to say no to temptations and how to conquer more areas of love for God and for others. Usually the fighting is done in little things, and if we are faithful in these little skirmishes, then we would be ready when the big battles come along.

We cannot deny that in our life we have to face many challenges and some of them can be very difficult, if not impossible and insurmountable, ones. I always remember what St. Paul once said regarding this point:

“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate to do,” he said. (Rom 7,15) “I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing,” he continued. (18-19)

And he explained why this is so. “As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature…Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.”

We should not be surprised anymore by this phenomenon. We just have to accept it and learn to deal with it as best that we can. That is what matters. And what we cannot accomplish despite our best efforts, Christ will take care of it.

Christ has assured us of his mercy. “In this world you will have trouble,” he said. “But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (Jn 16,33) And thus, while we have to continually wage war against our real enemies, we can still manage us to have peace of mind and even joy.

Of course, this assurance of Christ should not lead us to lower our guards or to soften our desire to progress in our love and in our spiritual life. Rather, it should spur us to sharpen our desire to make war with our real enemies, since we are assured of victory.

Yes, we can manage to be spiritual warriors but always looking good and even elegant!