Let those who must go, on these days, and mingle in the company of worldlings, be guided by St. Francis of Sales, who advises them to think, from time to time, on such considerations as these:--that while all these frivolous, and often dangerous, amusements are going on, there are countless souls being tormented in the fire of hell, on account of the sins they committed on similar occasions; --that, at that very hour of the night, there are many holy religious depriving themselves of sleep in order to sing the divine praises and implore God's mercy upon the world, and upon them that are wasting their time in its vanities;--that there are thousands in the agonies of death, while all that gaiety is going on;--that God and His angels are attentively looking upon this thoughtless group; and finally, that life is passing away, and death so much nearer each moment.
I will be taking some texts from St. Francis de Sales during this Lenten season. We will be hearing about temptation this first Sunday. We are not above Jesus, who Himself was tempted by Satan himself. We are to offer ourselves to God this season, so that we may be made more worthy to sing the great Alleluia! on Easter Sunday.
As St. Francis says: 'If we are led by the Spirit of God to the place of temptation, we should not fear, but should be assured that He will render us victorious. But we must not seek temptation not go out to allure it, however holy and generous we may think ourselves to be, for we are not more valiant than David, not than our Divine Master Himself, who did not choose to seek it. Our enemy is like a chained dog; if we do not approach, it will do us no harm, even though it tries to frighten us by barking at us.
...The great Apostle St. Paul, as soon as he had given himself to the divine service and put himself on the side of Christianity, was immediately tempted for the rest of his. While he was an enemy of God and persecuted the Christians he did not feel the attack of any temptation, or at least he has given us no testimony of it in his writings. But he did when he was converted by Our Lord.'
St. Bernard, referring to words in Psalm 90, which is telling us to have faith in God and He will deliver us. Deliver us from what? There are three kinds of terrors which we might be afraid of. The first fear is that of cowards and slothful souls; the second, that of children; and the third, that of the weak. Fear is the first temptation which the enemy presents to those who have resolved to serve God, for as soon as they are shown what perfection require of them they think, "Alas, I shall never be able to do it." ...But Our Lord does not want this kind of warrior in His army; He wants combatants and conquerors, not sluggards and cowards. He chose to be tempted, and Himself attacked in order to give us an example.
The fear of the child is that they are scared of many things when they are out of sight of mommy. The Psalmist David says, 'why do you fear, you who are encompassed with truth and armed with the strong shield of faith which teaches you that God is your 'Father Almighty.'
The third fear that is experience is that of the weak, These fear not only what can bring evil but what can is any way disturb or trouble their peace. Do you think that in this life you can have a tranquility so permanent as never to meet with disturbance. St. Jerome says: "You are deceived if you think that a Christian can live without persecution. He suffers the greatest who lives under none. Nothing is more to be feared than too long a peace. A storm puts a man upon his guard, and obliges him to exert his utmost efforts to escape shipwreck."
Our beloved Abbot tells us: We have three enemies to fight against; our soul has three dangers; for, as the beloved disciple, St. John, says, all that is in the world, is the concupiscence of the flesh, and the concupiscence of the eyes, and the pride of life! By the concupiscence of the flesh, is meant the love of sensual things, which covets whatever is agreeable to the flesh, and, when not curbed, draws the soul into unlawful pleasures. Concupiscence of the eyes expresses the love of the goods of this world, such as riches and possessions; these dazzle the eye, and then seduce the heart. Pride of life is that confidence in ourselves, which makes us forget that all we have, our life and every good gift, we have from God.
Our Tract for this Sunday explains it all:
He that dwelleth in the aid of the Most High, shall abide under the protection of the God of heaven.
He shall say to the Lord: Thou art my protector, and my refuge: my God, in Him will I trust.
For he hath delivered me from the snare of the hunters: and from the sharp word.
He will overshadow thee with his shoulders; and under his wings thou shalt trust.
His truth shall compass thee with a shield; thou shalt not be afraid of the terror of the night.
Of the arrow that flieth in the day; of the business that walketh in the dark; of ruin, or of the noonday devil.
A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
For he hath given his angels charge over thee; to keep thee in all thy ways.
In their hands they shall ear thee up; lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Thou shalt walk upon the asp and the basilisk; and thou shalt trample under foot the lion and the dragon.
Because he hoped in me, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he hath known my name.
He will cry to me, and I will hear him; I am with him in trouble.
I will deliver him and I will glorify him; I will fill him with length of days, and I will show him my salvation.
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