Even though such persons claim to be Catholic-Christians, it is not uncommon to hear them call into question some key doctrines; one of these is the reality of Hell. In fact, to deny the truth does not change the reality of such a truth. I can say that there is no wall, but if I walk into it (having denied its existence), I will end up with a bruise or two as well as a bump on my head.

Another common phenomenon is to hear the following: “I cannot see how a good God could send anyone to hell.” You probably have heard this assertion more than once. The problem with this assertion is that it is a half-truth, which by the way is a half-lie. It is murky, unclear and ambiguous to say that God does not want to send anyone to hell because in truth it is our choice due to an abuse of our freedom. In a word, instead of using our freedom, we end up abusing our freedom—this is called sin.

JESUS AND HELL.  Jesus spoke about the reality of heaven—that He is going to prepare a place for us so that where He is we also might be. (Jn 14: 1-3) However, Jesus spoke much more frequently about the stark reality of hell. The reason for the multiple repetition of hell from the lips of the Master is pure love; He does not want us to end up in that horrible, horrendous haven of eternal torment and no-return. 

Therefore, instead of spouting out various erroneous speculations that either hell does not exist or that practically nobody is going there, why not turn to the Master, Jesus Himself, and rely upon His words. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Nobody comes to the Father except through Him. Jesus, in fact, speaks very frequently about the reality of Hell.

A priest-friend once stated in a homily a very poignant and convincing point as to the reality of Hell. He conveyed this truth. Jesus’ Passion, suffering, scourging and death on the cross was not for nothing, but rather to save us from the reality of Hell. In fact, according to Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Jesus died on the cross to show us the horrendous evil of sin—which if not repented can lead to hell—as well as to show us the immensity of God’s love for us. Love, pure love, motivated Jesus to undergo all of the horrendous tortures associated with His most cruel Passion, suffering and death on the cross.

Let us outline now some of the key places where Jesus teaches us about Hell. The passage will be indicated, a brief summary, and the possible reasons why some individuals could suffer the permanent and horrendous reality of hell.

1. MT. 25: 31-48.  The Parable of the Universal Judgment. Jesus separates the goats on the left from the sheep on the right. The goats symbolize those who will be damned; the sheep, the saved. This passage points to most of the Corporal works of mercy: feeding the hungry and thirsty, welcoming the stranger, clothing the naked, and visiting both the sick and the incarcerated. If done, salvation is the recompense; if neglected, separation from God is the eternal consequence. In a word, if we want to attain heaven and avoid hell, let us make a constant and concerted effort to serve Christ in the poor, the hungry, the suffering and the forgotten.

2. LK. 16.  Another Parable of Jesus that points to an eternal chastisement is the Parable of the Rich man and the poor man Lazarus. Somewhat related to the Parable above found in Mt. 25, it points to a failure in human relationships. This Parable highlights a marked literary contrast: a very rich, well-dressed, well-fed man and a poor man, so poor that he is almost dying of hunger. It is not that the Rich man is cruel, insulting, or mean-spirited toward the poor man Lazarus. No! The primary reason for the Rich man ending up in the lake of fire was not what he did to Lazarus, but rather what he failed to do. This is the all-too-common sin of omission—not doing what we should be doing. How often in fact do we sin due to omission? Perhaps more often than we are aware of! In Mass, in one of the Penitential Acts, we confess that we sin in thought, word, deed and omission—not doing what we should be doing!

3. JN. 15.  THE VINE AND THE BRANCHES.  Jesus presents a well-known image of His time, as well as ours, of a vine that produces fruit, grapes that can eventually produce wine. Jesus insists on the indispensable condition of the vine and the branches—they must produce fruit, and fruit in abundance. If not, the vine branches will be pruned and some of the branches cast into the fire to be burnt and consumed. Jesus is the true Vine, and we are the branches. We must be united to Jesus if we are to produce fruit, and fruit in abundance. A classical interpretation is that the person in the state of mortal sin is cut off from Jesus. By dying in mortal sin, we are lost for all eternity. May the sap of the vine fill our veins—sanctifying grace—so that we will bring forth spiritual fruit in abundance!  In concrete, we should be filled with apostolic zeal and an ardent desire to save souls for the Heavenly Banquet.

4. MT. 5: 27-30.  SERMON ON THE MOUNT. A very poignant passage that very clearly refers to Hell is found in the Sermon on the Mount. It is related to how we use or how we abuse our body and its members. With utmost clarity, Jesus says that if we are not using our body for the proper purpose then there should be a sharp severing. In short, if the eye, the hand, or the foot is being used for the wrong purpose—being abused—then Jesus calls for a severing. Especially noteworthy today, is the abuse of the eyes. How many people today are abusing their eyes by viewing websites, material, shows, images and pictures that are highly offensive to God!!!

5. MT. 7:13-14.  THE NARROW GATE.  In unequivocal terms Jesus says that if we want to get to Heaven and avoid the fire of Hell then we must strive to enter in through the narrow Gate. The Road that leads to perdition—Hell is wide and spacious. (Read # 153 in the Diary of St. Faustina)

6. MT. 8:12—TORMENTS AND SUFFERINGS AS SUCH… “Be driven out into the darkness. Where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.” Jesus describes hell as a place of darkness, as well as the unending torture that results in the wailing cries of despair of the damned and the grinding of their teeth in utter pain and anguish.

7. MT. 13:41-42.  THE PARABLE OF THE WEEDS.  Jesus offers us the Parable of the Weeds. It is the devil who sows the weeds. The weeds are the offspring of the devil. They are those who sow evil in the hearts of men. At the end, they will be sorted out and they will be cast into the fiery furnace where there will be wailing and grinding of death. These are the people who give bad example, scandalizing and poisoning the hearts of many by their errors and sins.

8. MT. 18: 6.  THE MILLSTONE AWARD.  Jesus says that scandals will eventually enter into the world. But woe to those who cause one of the innocent ones—the children—to be scandalized. Better for them to have a millstone hung around their neck and be cast into the depths of the sea.

9. I CORINTHIANS 6: 9-10.  Saint Paul speaks very clearly on the serious sins of individuals that will prevent them from entering into heaven—implying of course the reality of eternal condemnation. This is the key and foundational passage: “Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor boy prostitutes, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor slanderers, nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God.” In other words, it is true that God is infinite in mercy, but those who do not repent of their serious sins and die in that state will lose their immortal souls.

10. REVELATION 20. THE LAKE (SEA) OF FIRE.  Those whose names were not found written in the Book of Life were cast into the sea of fire. Satan and the false prophet were cast into this lake or sea of fire. Having our names written in the Book of life should be our greatest desire. In the words of Saint Alphonsus Liguori: “The grace of all graces is to die in the state of grace.” This would be to have our names written forever in the Book of Life.

In conclusion, we must accept the totality of the Deposit of Faith and not fall into the modern phenomenon of Cafeteria Catholicism. By this term is meant that we pick and choose only what is agreeable to our spiritual palate or taste buds. Even though it is not a pleasant and consoling concept, Hell truly exists, and it is a possibility for all of us because we can abuse our free will, commit mortal sin, willingly stay in mortal sin, and die in that terrible state. Never forget, death comes like a thief in the night, we know not the hour, nor the day. Don’t play Russian roulette with your salvation! Keenly aware of this serious reality let us pray, practice penance, have recourse to frequent Confession, receive the Holy Eucharist with great love, and have an overflowing and tender love for Mary. If we follow these steps we will avoid Hell and attain eternal life in Heaven.

MAY DEATH NOT TAKE US BY SURPRISE…

We should not put off reflecting on the LAST THINGS until the last, or if you like, until it is too late!  What then are the Last Things?  The technical theological word is that of ESCHATOLOGY—the theology of the Last Things.  Categorically, they can be listed as the following: death, judgment (particular and general), Heaven, Hell, Purgatory. All of these sober, serious truths are enveloped in the concept of Eternity—that means, forever and ever and ever, no end!!!  

The saints, most especially Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Saint Faustina Kowalska, and Saint Ignatius of Loyola insist on the paramount importance of meditating upon these eternal truths as a powerful means of arriving at conversion of life and aiming and striving for the eternal salvation of our immortal souls.

DEATH.  So let’s start with the reality of death and how we can derive abundant spiritual fruit on the reality of death. How ironic the fact that on an everyday basis death comes at us on the news, radio, internet, locally, nationally and internationally. However, how easy it is for us to sidestep and avoid meditating upon the stark reality of death.  The following are a few ideas to motivate us to be prepared for the reality of our own death which will come sooner or later whether we like it, dislike it, or enter into denial of its reality.  Let’s start with the basics.

1. DEFINE IT.  A short, pithy definition of death is simply the following: “Death is the separation of the soul from the body.” In concrete, when the soul actually leaves and departs from the body, then theologically we can call the person dead.  As to the exact moment that the soul leaves the body, only God knows the precise moment.

2. REINCARNATION.  As followers of Jesus, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, we cannot accept the posture or the assertion of REINCARNATION. (Aristotle called it the transmigration of souls.) Reincarnation postulates that death is not the last word, but rather the soul returns and is reincarnated in another being in the next life—insect, animal or another human being.  The Christian belief denies this; rather, we have one life, death, and then judgment.

3. REASON FOR REALITY OF DEATH?  Sin!  As a result of the sin of our first parents, Adam and Eve, and the commission of Original Sin—death entered into the world of plant, animal and human existence. In a very real sense, death is the wages of sin, in the words of St. Paul.

4. FROM DEATH TO LIFE.  Saint Augustine encourages us with this brilliant theological concept: God allows evil to happen so He can bring greater good from that evil. No doubt the sin of Adam and Eve, the Original Sin, wreaked and continues to wreak havoc in the world. I would like to present it as a moral tsunami, almost like an atomic bomb, that has repercussions in the world until the very end of time. Or if you like, hurling a huge stone into a small lake and the concentric circles reverberating and spreading out from shore to shore. So it is with Original Sin, it wreaked havoc and brought suffering and death to all of the cosmos—then, now and until the end of time. However, as a consequence of Original Sin, God sent His only Son, Jesus the Lord to save us.  Jesus died and rose so that after we die physically, if we die in the state of grace, we can live forever with the Lord in Heaven. We move from physical death to eternal life with the Lord.

5. PASCHAL MYSTERY: PASSION, DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS. The Paschal mystery of Jesus the Lord gives meaning to our life, suffering and death. If we are inserted in the Life of Jesus, as the branches are united to the vine (John 15), our physical death results in our insertion in the Paschal Mystery of Christ. Our death blossoms into eternal life—life in the Risen Lord Jesus.

6. DYING DAILY.  Saint Paul encourages us to die to the flesh so as to live in the spirit; this is a daily battle. With the help of God’s grace we are called to die on a daily basis to our greed, lust, gluttony, laziness, anger, envy, egotism, impatience, and of course, pride. In dying daily to our sinful tendencies, we experience already in this life the freedom of the sons and daughters of God, freedom in the spirit.

7. MORTAL SIN: DEATH OF THE SOUL.  When we decide to commit a mortal sin, we experience a true death of the soul. There are three conditions for a mortal sin: 1) grave matter, 2) full knowledge, and 3) full consent of the will.  An action committed with these three conditions results in a mortal sin and the death of the soul in that moment. But the Good News is that there is hope….

8. SACRAMENTAL DYING AND RISING. The great Saint Augustine, who struggled into his early 30’s to conquer his slavery to the sin of lust, once converted became a great saint.  He wrote about another and powerful way of dying and rising from the dead; he actually called it a LAZARUS EXPERIENCE. How? Through preparing for, and receiving with a good disposition, the Sacrament of Confession. How true! In Confession we leave behind the scales, the dirt, and the putrid presence of spiritual death that we call sin, and we break forth from the confessional alive with new life—like Lazarus. He was a man dead and buried for four days when Jesus called him back to life. He passed from death to life. So it is with a good confession; we pass from spiritual death to the life of grace, to life in the realm of the spirit.

9. JESUS’ TEACHING ON THE REALITY OF DEATH.  With great constancy and insistence, Jesus teaches us that we must be ready with our lamps lighted. We must not be caught with the oil in our lamps depleted. Time and time again Jesus says that we must be vigilant, alert, eyes wide open and prepared for His coming. One of the most obvious interpretations of this clarion call for vigilance is the idea of the thief coming in the night. Common sense tells us that the thief will seek the time, the place, and the opportunity to break into the house to steal when the coast is clear and nobody is home. We must be prepared for the day, the hour, and the moment when Jesus will knock at the door of our heart and call us from this life to the next, to be judged on all that we have done or failed to do.

10. MATTHEW 25.   Beyond a shadow of a doubt, Matthew chapter 25 can serve as a most efficacious meditation so that we are not taken off guard for the specific day, hour and minute that the Lord Jesus will call us from this life to the next. Read and meditate on the three Parable’s that can prepare us for our death and eventual Judgment:

1) The Parable of the wise and foolish virgins awaiting the coming of the groom. May our lamps be filled and our torches shining bright. (Mt 25: 1-13) Meaning, may our souls be full of sanctifying grace through frequent confession and Holy Communion.

2) The Parable of the Talents. (Mt 25: 14-28)  May we invest our talents and when the Master returns from his journey be ready to give him our hard work with interest and gain. Meaning, may we use our talents and abilities for the honor and glory of God.

3) The Parable of the Last Judgment. (Mt 25: 31-46) The goats and the sheep. May we be among the sheep on the right of the Good Shepherd ready to enter into the house of the Master. “Well done faithful servant: you gave me to eat, to drink, clothes, a warm welcome, and attention when I was sick and in prison.”

The following are a few ideas to help us reflect seriously on the reality of death.  The great poet John Donne coined it in these few but poignant words: “The bell will toll. Do not ask for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.” The tolling of the bell is the moment that God will knock at the door of our hearts and ask to enter, the very moment of our death. May Our Lady grant us a proper preparation for that most important moment of our earthly existence. In a future essay we will give concrete steps to take so as to be prepared for our own departure from this life to the next.

One of the many titles that Jesus attributed to Himself was LIGHT. He declared:  “I am the LIGHT of the world.” (Jn. 8:12) He also stated, referring to us: “You are the Light of the world.” (Mt. 5:14) Judas left Jesus at the Last Supper and entered into darkness. It should be our most ardent desire and longing to enter into the light, be enamored by light, and have an ardent desire to transmit light in a world where so much darkness reigns. The Christopher movement coined a short, pithy saying worthy of our topic: “It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.”

One of the most prominent ways to absorb light is to meditate upon the Life of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and the Gospel message. Thanks be to God and His divine and providential care that the great Pope, Saint Pope John Paul II wrote a relatively short but powerful message (An Apostolic Letter) on the most Holy Rosary, with the title “The Blessed Virgin Mary and the Rosary.” (October 2002)

In this encouraging spiritual masterpiece, this Pope created a new series in the scheme of the Rosary—the Luminous Mysteries, also known as the Mysteries of Light. If taken seriously and contemplated, these five mysteries, spiritual gems, can serve as a spiritual trampoline to catapult us into a different realm of light in our spiritual lives. They can help us dispel the dark corners in our interior castle and let the light shine.

We will present these contemplative gems and offer a few ideas to help us, with the aid of God’s grace, to plumb the depths of these Mysteries of life. These five mysteries are splendid and enlightening scenes in the short Public Life of Jesus, the Light of the world. Indeed, His Words are light, spirit, and truth.

The Five Mysteries of Light—the Luminous Mysteries of Jesus, the Light of the World:

1. BAPTISM OF JESUS IN THE JORDAN RIVER.

2. THE WEDDING FEAST OF CANA.

3. THE PROCLAMATION OF THE KINGDOM/CALL TO CONVERSION.

4. THE TRANSFIGURATION OF JESUS

5. THE INSTITUTION OF THE EUCHARIST AND THE PRIESTHOOD

FRUITS/BLESSINGS FROM EACH OF THE FIVE MYSTERIES.

Each one of these five Luminous Mysteries is indeed a goldmine of spiritual gems and diamonds. Once we come in contact with Jesus, the Light of the World and the Way, Truth, and Life, we enter into an immense depth of holiness and knowledge that goes beyond both human experience and human expression. At the same time, the love that one has for Jesus has to be expressed in the most noble words that can be crafted. May the Holy Spirit come to our assistance in our striving to plumb the depths of the Mystery of Jesus and the Light that the Holy Spirit so ardently desires to communicate to each and every one of us. Come, Holy Spirit, and enlighten our mind’s eye to penetrate your truth.

1. THE BAPTISM OF JESUS. (Jn. 1: 29-34)  Among the many sublime messages that emanate from the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River at the age of 30, from His cousin, Saint John the Baptist, are the following:

(a) THE TRINITY. A Trinitarian Epiphany becomes evident. The voice of the Father can be heard from the heavens. Jesus, the Second Person of the Trinity, descends into the waters. The Holy Spirit descends on Jesus in the form of a dove.

(b) OUR OWN BAPTISM. The Baptism of Jesus sanctified all of the waters that would be used to baptize going forward, and it is a constant reminder of our own baptism and our commitment to renounce sin and pursue a life of holiness.

(c) APOSTOLIC COMMITMENT. Before ascending into heaven, Jesus told His disciples (and that includes us) to teach and to baptize all! Millions upon millions do not know Jesus and are not baptized. Our mission is upon us. Let us accept the challenge.

2. THE WEDDING AT CANA. (Jn. 2: 1-12)  Jesus accomplishes His first public miracle, turning water into wine, due to the request made by His Mother at the Wedding Feast of Cana. The disciples saw and believed in Jesus.

(a) JESUS’ PRESENCE. By His Presence at this Wedding Banquet, Jesus was and still is blessing couples, husbands and wives, who marry in the context of the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony. May Jesus bless us and our families.

(b) MARY AS MEDIATRIX OF ALL GRACES. Mary interceded in this Wedding Banquet. Mary’s power of intercession is almost infinite in power. All graces come to us from God, but through the channel of Mary. Indeed, she is the Mediatrix of all graces.

(c) MARY’S ADVICE—BEST ADVICE IN THE WORLD. The last recorded words of Mary in Sacred Scripture are found in the context of the Wedding Feast of Cana. Her words? “Do whatever He tells you.” (Jn. 2:5) What excellent advice! If the world would simply obey these words, there would be no wars, only peace, joy, harmony and salvation.

3. PROCLAMATION OF THE KINGDOM / CALL TO CONVERSION. (Mk. 1:15/Mt. Chapters 5 thru 7). In the Public life of Jesus, that lasted about three short years, He carried out three basic activities. 1) Miracles to prove that He was God. 2) Preaching and teaching in abundance (Mt. Chapters 5 thru 7—the Sermon on the Mount). 3) Exorcisms—casting out demons.

(a) HUNGER FOR THE WORD OF GOD.  We should cultivate within the depths of our hearts an ardent yearning and longing for the Word of God. May the words of the Psalmist resonate in the depths of our soul in our longing for His Word: “As the deer yearns for the running streams, so may I long for you, O Lord my God.” (Psalm 41:1)

(b) CONVERSION. Jesus calls all of us to be converted until we pass from this life to the next. “Be converted because the Kingdom of God is at hand.”  (Mk. 1:15)

(c) CONFESSION AND CONVERSION. Pope Saint John Paul II in the Apostolic Letter on the Rosary (BVMR) relates our conversion to the reception of the Sacrament of Confession—this is indeed the most efficacious tool at our disposal for true and ongoing conversion.

4. THE TRANSFIGURATION OF JESUS.  (Mt. 17). Jesus ascends the mountain of Tabor. He invites three to accompany Him—Peter, James and John. They climb with Jesus and then witness Jesus being transfigured in light—His clothes as bright as the sun. This experience prepared them for the scandal of the cross.

(a) FRIENDSHIP WITH JESUS. Jesus chose friends to be with Him in His short stay on earth. These were the 12 Apostles. But there was an inner circle of His best Friends. They were Peter, James and John.

(b) YOU ARE CALLED TO BE HIS FRIEND.  At the Last Supper, Jesus called the Apostles His Friends. By extension, you were meant to be there at the Last Supper and Jesus wants you to be among His Best Friends. Do you long for this? What is your major obstacle? How can you grow in Friendship with Jesus? Why not start now?

(c) LISTEN TO HIM.  The voice of God the Father could be heard—listen to Him. Let us open our ears to listen attentively to Jesus when He speaks to us. How does He speak to you? Do you respond?

5. THE INSTITUTION OF THE EUCHARIST AND THE PRIESTHOOD.  In the context of the Last Supper, Jesus instituted two Sacraments simultaneously: the Eucharist and the Priesthood. What two sublime Gifts from the Sacred Heart of Jesus. How grateful we should really be!

(1) AN ATTITUDE OF PROFOUND GRATITUDE.  Let us never weary in expressing our heartfelt gratitude to Jesus for His numerous Gifts to all of humanity, as well as to you and me. But most especially may we praise and thank Jesus for the Gift of the Eucharist. Actually, EUCHARIST means thanksgiving. May the words of the Psalmist echo the desires of our hearts: “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His mercy endures forever.” (Ps. 136:1)

(2) DAILY MASS AND HOLY COMMUNION. May we accept the challenge to attend frequent Mass and Holy Communion as often as it is possible within the context of our vocation. In fact, one Holy Communion is worth more than the whole created universe!

(3) THE HOLY PRIESTHOOD.  Let us pray for priests; offer Masses, prayers and sacrifices for these minsters of God. Let us pray for vocations to the priesthood because in the words of Jesus, the Supreme and High priest, “The harvest is rich, but the laborers are few.” (Lk. 10: 2) May God send us many priests and holy priests to reap an abundant harvest of souls for all eternity.

Jesus is truly the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Also, the Lord Jesus is the true LIGHT OF THE WORLD. He desires to cast fire on the earth and He is not at peace until this fire be enkindled. By contemplating the Mysteries of Light may we be ignited with both Light and Fire to set the world ablaze with the love of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. May we be a fiery arrow in the hands of Christ the King, Christ the Light of the World.

Our life on earth is a constant battle until the day we die! Our spiritual battle consists in conquering three basic enemies: the devil, the flesh, and the world.  The devil is known as the father of lies; the flesh rebels against the spirit; the world tries to seduce us into believing that we can discover true happiness in this world and all that it has to offer.

THE DEVIL AND HOW TO CONQUER HIS ATTACKS.  Jesus states that the devil is both a liar and a murderer from the beginning. (cf Jn 8: 44) Until our last breath the devil is out there to tempt us. Saint Peter states that the devil can be compared to a roaring lion that seeks to devour us and we must resist him. (cf 1 Pt. 5:8) Let us now set up our spiritual combat and strategy to conquer the devil and his wily, crafty, and astute attacks. We will offer five spiritual weapons.

1. VIGILANCE.  Jesus states that we must be constantly on guard and vigilant against the attacks of the enemy. He will come like a thief in the night, at the moment you least expect it.

2. PRAYER.  Prayer is a powerful weapon that we can wield and utilize in any time, place, and circumstance. Saint Alphonsus states that there are no strong or weak persons, but rather those who pray and those who do not pray. The strong person—the prayer-warrior; the weakling, the person who prays little or not at all!

3. PENANCE.  Jesus stated unequivocally that some devils can be cast out only by prayer and penance. The devil fears the person who prays, but even more so, the devil is terrified when the person adds to prayer a life of fasting, self-denial and penance.

4. CONFESSION.  No doubt a most powerful weapon to conquer the devil on many occasions is to have recourse to the Sacrament of God’s mercy and forgiveness, the Sacrament of Confession. In Confession, the most Precious Blood of Jesus washes us clean, but also the Precious Blood of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ serves as a powerful shield to protect us against the fiery darts of the enemy, the devil and his minions!

5. OUR LADY.  In Mexico, there is an expression for Our Lady, “La General del ejercito”—the General of the Army! The devil has a mortal fear of Our Lady. The Protoevangelium states that the serpent’s head will be crushed by the woman. (Gen. 3:15) That woman is the Blessed Virgin Mary. Most powerful is the weapon of the most holy Rosary. As David conquered his enemy Goliath with his slingshot, so our spiritual slingshot to conquer the devil is the most Holy Rosary.

In conclusion, let us conquer the devil by the practice of vigilance, fervent prayer, the practice of penance, having recourse to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and by placing ourselves under the protection of Mary and wielding her weapon—the most Holy Rosary. Long live Jesus the Lord! Long live Mary most Holy!

The three enemies of our spiritual life.

The classical spiritual writers highlight the three principal enemies to the salvation of our immortal souls: the devil, the flesh, and the world. Ignorance of these three chief enemies can prove catastrophic and disastrous related to our progress in holiness and virtue, and perhaps a real threat jeopardizing our salvation.

WHAT ARE THESE ENEMIES?  Jesus describes the devil as the father of lies, a liar and a murder from the beginning. (cf Jn. 8: 44) The flesh is our fallen human nature that seeks ease, comfort, and pleasure, often over carrying out God’s will in our lives. The world in which we live tries to convince us that true happiness can be found in the things the world offers us over our eternal destiny which is Heaven.

TRUE DEVOTION TO MARY: ST. LOUIS DE MONTFORT.  The classic on consecration to Mary is that of True Devotion to Mary by St. Louis de Montfort. In this rather lengthy process of preparation for consecration to Mary, the saint insists that we spend the length of close to 11 days meditating upon the world and its enticements. Saint Louis invites us to meditate upon the Sermon on the Mount (Mt. Chapters 5 thru 7), and also, various chapters from the classic The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a. Kempis.

The focus and thrust of this article is to present how Jesus Christ, His teachings and doctrine, are not only at odds, but are diametrically opposed to most of the worldly values. The problem is that we live in the world. However, Jesus says that while we live in the world, we should not let ourselves be part of the world.

How easy it is to allow the world and its values to insinuate and seep into our lives. It can be compared to dust slipping into the house, sliding under the door without our even being aware of it. For that reason, dusting and sweeping is a constant chore. So it is in our spiritual lives; we must be constantly dusting and sweeping the dust from our minds, hearts and souls.

WORLDLY VALUES IN CONTRAST TO THE VALUES OF CHRIST AND THE GOSPEL

Perhaps one of the best means to make this marked contrast between the values of the world and the values and ideals of Christ is the meditation at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, the Beatitudes. These Eight Beatitudes are diametrically opposed to all that the world falsely offers us. Unless we refer our lives to the Gospel and the Beatitudes, we can easily become engulfed in the world, enamored with the world, and live our lives totally dependent on what the world offers us.

THE BEATITUDES OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST (MT. 5:1-12)

1. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
2. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”
3. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”
4. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”   
5. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.”
6. “Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.”
7. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”
8. “Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all  kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad for your reward is great in heaven, for men persecuted the prophets who were before you.” 

How easy it is for us to be enveloped, absorbed, mesmerized and eventually blinded by the world and worldly values. Then our thought processes, our decisions, and our actions are motivated more by worldly standards, while the standards of Christ and the Gospel are relegated to a second place, or worse yet, are totally obliterated from our thoughts and actions.

THE BEATITUDES: SURE PLAN TO REMEDY A WORLDLY LIFESTYLE.  If we can read, meditate on, understand and start to live out the Beatitudes as the rock foundation of our spiritual life, worldliness can be conquered.

Off the bat, if we decide to pattern our lives on the Eight Beatitudes, we will be seen by many as fanatics; we will have to go against the grain; we will have to be counter-cultural; and we will be subject to attacks, at least in the verbal arena.

The saints were those who lived a radically different life by embracing the Beatitudes and living them out. Let us take a saint for every Beatitude and see how these lovers of Christ and the Gospel, going against worldly values, lived out these attitudes of the Heart of Jesus. May the example of the saints inspire us to do great things for God with Christ as our Model. Indeed, Jesus is THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE.

1. BLESSED ARE THE POOR.  Perhaps the most famous saint outside the Bible is Saint Francis of Assisi. Leaving a life of ease, pleasure, comfort and sensuality, Francis embraced Lady Poverty as his spouse. His father was a merchant who sold expensive and elegant clothes. Francis wore them, danced and sang and lived the party life. Once converted, Francis gave up all he had materially to follow the poor Christ. Contrast the poverty of Francis to the modern materialistic world. Beg for the grace to be detached from the world of having things, and desire instead to possess Christ as the pearl of infinite price. He who has Christ has everything; he who does not have Christ (though he be a multi-billionaire) is really poor and miserable!

2. BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO MOURN.  A saint that we can take who exemplifies this Beatitude of mourning is Saint Monica, the mother of Saint Augustine. Her wayward and spiritually lost son, Augustine, was immersed in the pleasures of the world. In fact, he had an addiction, as many do today, and that was to his sexual appetite. He would pray: “Lord, give me chastity, but not yet.” Monica wept profuse tears, and as predicted by Saint Ambrose, in the classic “The Confessions” written by Augustine, we see how he was converted and became a great saint. In the world, people weep many tears at the loss of money, pleasure, power, and material possessions. This Beatitude teaches us to weep for individuals, perhaps our children and relatives, who have exchanged the love of God for the love of pleasure and sin.

3. BLESSED ARE THE MEEK.  Only once in the Gospels do we have Jesus explaining and describing His Heart: “…learn from me, for I am meek and humble in heart…” (Mt 11: 29) Contrary to what the world thinks, meekness is not weakness, but powerful emotions under control. Let us take as a model for this virtue the great Saint Frances de Sales. By nature, young Frances was irascible, impatient, and prone to anger. He finally dominated these bad inclinations, but it took time. There was an incident in the latter part of his life when he was talking with a friend and a rude man barged into his room and insulted the mother of the saint. Frances allowed the man’s insults and did not respond. Afterwards, he told his friend that he did not want to lose in one minute what took him close to 40 years to acquire—a meek, patient and well-controlled emotional life. Let us learn from the saints. The world attacks and seeks revenge; but “the meek are slow to anger and rich in mercy.” (Psalm 86: 15)

4. BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HUNGER FOR HOLINESS.  The Venerable Lucia de los Santos, the oldest of the visionaries of Fatima, when she made her first Communion, receiving the Lord Jesus into her heart for the first-time, begged Jesus to make her a great saint. Her two little cousins, Francisco and Jacinta, who died at ages 10 and 9, are already canonized saints. In general, the saints have a great longing—to become the saint that God has called them to be. Leo Bloy stated the following: “The biggest tragedy that could befall any of us is to fail to become the saint that God has called us to be.” In general, the worldly person could care less about becoming a saint, caring more to be exceedingly known, applauded and honored, and have statues made of them even in life.

5. BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL. The saints are merciful, having the merciful Heart of Jesus as their model. To exemplify this Beatitude let us take the modern saint Pope Saint John Paul II. He wrote a superb Encyclical, “God Rich in Mercy”, and he lived what he preached. One of the clearest manifestations of his mercy was related to the attack on his life. On May 13, 1981, he was shot and almost died. That same year, on Christmas Eve, the saintly Pope went into the prison cell of the would-be assassin and forgave the attacker. Those immersed in the world have as their motto: “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth—the law of revenge”. Those who embrace the Beatitude of the merciful are ready to forgive even the gravest of offenses, calling to mind the words of Jesus as he hung on the cross: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing.” (Lk. 23: 34)

6. BLESSED THE PURE OF HEART.  What a challenging attitude of heart in a world immersed in sensuality, impurity and the modern drug—porn. Let us take as our model the little girl who died at 11 years—Saint Maria Goretti. Rather than give into the sexual passions of Alessandro Serenelli, the little girl preferred to be stabbed to death—14 times in total. She valued her immortal soul and her great love for God over the safety of her body. Now she is a great saint and patron for all, but especially for the young and the teens. So many today are slaves of the world and the sexual pleasures the world has to offer. However, if we want to see God in time and in eternity, we must live out the Beatitude: “Blessed are the pure of heart, for they will see God.”

7. BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS.  In a world where wars are constantly raging and perhaps will be until the end of time, Jesus preached the importance of trying to be a Peacemaker. Let us take another young saint—Dominic Savio. There was an episode in his life where two teens grew to hate each other. They planned a rock-duel with the intention of hurting the other, even to the point of death. Aware of this, Savio placed himself between these two enemies (risking his own life), lifted on high the cross, and then invited the two who were bent on murder to throw the first stone. Totally embarrassed, they dropped their stones, and at the command of Savio, both shook hands and went off to make their peace by making a good confession. How often the worldly seek fights, quarrels, and attacks over the smallest offense. On the contrary, the peacemakers seek both harmony and peace in social relationships.

8. BLESSED ARE THE PERSECUTED.  There is a clear category of saints who lived out to perfection this Beatitude of being persecuted; this would be the MARTYRS. There are many, and of course Jesus is the King of Martyrs. Perhaps one of the most famous and relatively modern martyrs is the person of Saint Maximilian Kolbe. As a child, he had a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary offering him the choice of two crowns—a white one and a red one; he chose both. The white crown symbolized purity which he lived his whole life. The red crown, martyrdom. Kolbe offered his life for the salvation of a married man in the concentration camp of Auschwitz. He was left in a bunker to die by dehydration and starvation. After two weeks passed and he still was not dying, the executioner injected him with carbolic acid and then incinerated his body, so that he would be seen no more, as Kolbe had predicted. The world flees from suffering in all forms. The martyrs understand suffering to such a degree that they are willing to die for love of Christ and the salvation of immortal souls.

In conclusion, there are three principal enemies or obstacles to our growth in the spiritual life: the devil, the flesh, and the world. We have presented clear and concise means how to think, decide and act against the worldly values that can so easily blind and enslave us, through meditating on the Eight Beatitudes, and the manner in which the saints lived out these simple but sublime attitudes of the Heart of Christ. Pope Saint John Paul II stated that if we desire to have a window into the Heart of Christ, then we have to meditate upon the Beatitudes.