Pope Francis said, “Christian life demands constant struggle: the Christian struggle to preserve the faith, to enrich the gifts of faith in us. It is no coincidence that the first anointing that every Christian receives in the sacrament of baptism — the catechumenal anointing — is without any aroma and symbolically announces that life is a struggle.”
We should identify the areas of spiritual struggle. Isaac the Syrian said, “He who knows his own sin is higher than the man who resurrects the dead by his prayer. He who has been granted the gift of seeing himself is superior to the man who sees angels.”
Daily examination of conscience is an important spiritual habit. Father John O’Brien, SJ, wrote, “If you find it easier, you can reduce the examen to this three-step prayer:
1. Gratitude for the day’s blessings. Consider a few of them: life, breath, family, friends, work, food, the conversations that were meaningful, moments of grace, consolation, etc.
2. Sorrow for the missteps. Ask the Spirit to bring to your mind one or two of them for the purpose of identifying causes. Perhaps fatigue or other natural causes are at the root. Perhaps it’s something more spiritual such as neglecting prayer, staying up too late, etc. Seek illumination.
3. Resolve how you will act tomorrow and ask for the graces that you desire.”
During the day, we can also pause and examine our intentions and motives. St. Faustina recounted her own practice: “Before each important action, I will stop to consider for a moment what relationship it has to eternal life and what may be the main reason for my undertaking it: is it for the glory of God, or for the good of my own soul, or for the good of the souls of others? If my heart says yes, then I will not swerve from carrying out the given action, un-mindful of either obstacles or sacrifices. I will not be frightened into abandoning my intention. It is enough for me to know that it is pleasing to God. On the other hand, if I learn that the action has nothing in common with what I have just mentioned, I will try to elevate it to a loftier sphere by means of a good intention. And if I learn that something flows from my self-love, I will cancel it out right from the start.”
In our spiritual struggle, silence is a very important weapon. St. Faustina wrote, “Silence is a sword in the spiritual struggle. A talkative soul will never attain sanctity. The sword of silence will cut off everything that would like to cling to the soul. We are sensitive to words and quickly want to answer back, without taking any regard as to whether it is God’s will that we should speak. A silent soul is strong; no adversities will harm it if it perseveres in silence. The silent soul is capable of attaining the closest union with God. It lives almost always under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. God works in a silent soul without hindrance.”
Cardinal Robert Sarah lamented: “Our world no longer hears God because it is constantly speaking, at a devastating speed and volume, in order to say nothing. Modern civilization does not know how to be quiet. It holds forth in an unending monologue ... Postmodernity is an ongoing offence and aggression against the divine silence. From morning to evening, from evening to morning, silence no longer has any place at all; the noise tries to prevent God himself from speaking. In this hell of noise, man disintegrates and is lost; he is broken up into countless worries, fantasies, and fears. In order to get out of these depressing tunnels, he desperately awaits noise so that it will bring him a few consolations. Noise is a deceptive, addictive, and false tranquilizer. The tragedy of our world is never better summed up than in the fury of senseless noise that stubbornly hates silence. This age detests the things that silence brings us to: encounter, wonder, and kneeling before God.”
St. Titus Brandsma said, “To recover recollection of spirit has ever been the first step of all reform.”
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「生命是一場鬥爭」
教宗方濟各說: 「基督徒的生活需要不斷的鬥爭：基督徒鬥爭是為了保衛信仰，豐富我們信德的恩寵。這並非巧合，每位基督徒在聖洗聖事中接受的第一次傅油 – 慕道者的傅油 – 是沒有任何香味的，象徵宣告人生是一場鬥爭。」
我們應該識別靈修鬥爭的領域。敘利亞的聖依撒格說: 「認識自己罪過的人，比通過祈禱使死人復活的人更高尚。被賜予自知之明的人，比見到天使的人更優越。」
每日的良心反省是一項重要的靈修習慣。耶穌會士John O’Brien神父寫道：「如果你覺得這樣比較容易，可以將反省簡化為以下三步祈禱：1. 謝恩獲得今天的祝福。思考其中的一些：生命、呼吸、家庭、朋友、工作、食物、有意義的談話、恩寵的時刻、安慰等。2. 為過錯感到悲傷。請聖神讓你想起其中一、兩件事情，以識別原因。也許是疲勞或其他自然原因，也許是一些靈修的事情，如忽略祈禱、熬夜等；並尋求啟示。3. 決定明天如何行動，並祈求你所渴望的恩寵。」
在日間，我們也可以暫停片刻，查看我們的意向和動機。聖傅天娜描述了她自己的做法：「在每項重要的行動之前，我會停下來思考一下這與永生有何關係，以及我要做這件事的主要原因是什麼：是為了光榮天主，還是為了我自己的靈魂好，或者為了他人的靈魂好？如果我的心說「是」，那麼我就會不顧障礙或犧牲，堅持完成這項行動。我不會因恐懼而放棄我的意向。對我來說，知道這是取悅天主就足夠了。另一方面，如果我得知這個行動與我剛才提到的無關，我會試圖通過一個良好的意向將它昇華。而如果我發現某件事是出於自愛，我會從一開始就停止。」
在我們的靈修鬥爭中，沉默是一種非常重要的武器。聖傅天娜寫道：「沉默是一把在靈修鬥爭中的利劍。多話的靈魂永遠無法達到聖潔。沉默的利劍將斬斷所有纏繞著在靈魂的東西。我們對話語很敏感，會很快想要回應，而不考慮這是否是天主的旨意。一個沉默的靈魂是強大的；任何困難都無法傷害堅持沉默的靈魂。沉默的靈魂能夠達到與天主最親密的結合。幾乎總是生活在聖神的啟發下而存在。天主無阻礙地在一個沉默的靈魂中工作。」
樞機主教Robert Sarah痛惜地說：「我們的世界不再聽見天主，因為世界不斷地在以毀滅性的速度和音量說話，卻沒有內容。現代文明不知道如何保持安靜。在無休止的獨白中持續發聲 … 後現代主義是不斷的冒犯和對神聖沉默的攻擊。從早到晚，從晚到早，沉默完全沒有位置；噪音試圖阻止天主親自說話。在這噪音的地獄中，人類崩潰並迷失；人類被無數的憂慮、幻想和恐懼所分裂。為了擺脫這些令人沮喪的隧道，他迫切地等待噪音，期望能帶來一些安慰。噪音是一種欺騙性、上癮性和虛假的鎮靜劑。我們這個世界的悲劇從未像在無理智噪音的狂怒中被如此充分地概括過，這種噪音固執地憎恨沉默。這個時代厭惡沉默帶給我們的東西：與主相遇、奇跡和在天主前屈膝跪拜。」
聖弟鐸·布斯瑪說過：「恢復心靈的反醒一直是所有改革的第一步。」
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