Conflict, Contrition & Peace

Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum.

Therefore let him who desires peace get ready for war.

Ephesians 6:12

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Psalm 43 Judica me, Deus.

The Prayers of Preparation (said in the sacristy or at the foot of the altar), from Divine Worship.

Priest: Give sentence with me, O God, and defend my cause against the ungodly people; O deliver me from the deceitful and wicked man.

Ministers: For thou art the God of my strength; why hast thou put me from thee? and why go I so heavily, while the enemy oppresseth me?

Priest: O send out thy light and thy truth, that they may lead me, and bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy dwelling.

Ministers: And that I may go unto the altar of God, even unto the God of my joy and gladness; and upon the harp will I give thanks unto thee, O God, my God.

Commentary

To be a Christian is not to be released from the hardness of life this side of heaven. Communion with Jesus and His Church enables man to transform hardship, to be loosed from the burden of despair, and allows each person to participate in the mystery of man's redemption. Let's not lose sight of the fact that there is a serious cost to being Christian.

CCC618 The cross is the unique sacrifice of Christ, the "one mediator between God and men". But because in his incarnate divine person he has in some way united himself to every man, "the possibility of being made partners, in a way known to God, in the paschal mystery" is offered to all men. He calls his disciples to "take up [their] cross and follow [him]", for "Christ also suffered for [us], leaving [us] an example so that [we] should follow in his steps." In fact Jesus desires to associate with his redeeming sacrifice those who were to be its first beneficiaries. This is achieved supremely in the case of his mother, who was associated more intimately than any other person in the mystery of his redemptive suffering.

The human heart grafted to Jesus's own heart receives the peace only God can give, the peace of Jesus living in us that enables us to worship God in spirit and in truth, to battle the forces of evil, to forgive others, and to draw others to Jesus and His Church.

CCC931 Already dedicated to him through Baptism, the person who surrenders himself to the God he loves above all else thereby consecrates himself more intimately to God's service and to the good of the Church. By this state of life consecrated to God, the Church manifests Christ and shows us how the Holy Spirit acts so wonderfully in her.

John 14:27

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

A great and abiding peace can be known by praying the Prayers of Preparation during Divine Worship, by making the responses along with the altar servers. At times when unjust worldly pressures have been near crushing intensity, those words - defend my cause against the ungodly people - have brought this blogger to a greater confidence in God, to really trust that God cares for me and protects me from harmful actions imposed by other people.

Perhaps it is more accurate to say that through the words of Psalm 43 God has spoken His confidence to me, allowing me to humbly drink strength and consolation from that wellspring of grace. God's protection has manifested as peace of mind, support from unexpected allies, an unexpected (miraculous) end to persecution and an alleviation of other undeserved pressures. Coupled with intercessory prayers offered by friends, the goodness and mercy of God has been generously manifest, and during the course of trials what was learned was perseverance, patience and hope.

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

If we take seriously the Christian vocation, and if we hope to enjoy the refuge of God's embrace, we have an obligation to cooperate with God's will.

To fear attack from badly behaving people (i.e., the ungodly, those who have clothed themselves in darkness and have aligned themselves - knowingly or unknowingly - with the devil) and to then seek God's protection because we are weak and fearful (of a loss of control, of a loss of power, of a loss of prestige...) is an imperfect expression of one's love for God.

1 Peter 1:3

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead(.)

Even when we are weak and unfaithful, however, we should never hesitate to ask God for help. God certainly knows all our weaknesses and He blesses us when we hasten to His side to seek renewal and restoration. We, without God, are no match for demons.

O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of heaven, and the pains of hell; 

Contrition is imperfect when we seek forgiveness merely to avoid hell and just run to Him when we are in trouble or get ourselves in trouble.

"In perfect contrition the sinner detests sin more than any other evil, because it offends God, who is supremely good and deserving of all human love."

but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, Who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. Amen.

We (should) love God because He is love. God loves us and we are made by God for love.

Q. And when we love not, what then?
A. Pray and persevere and love by expressing perfect contrition!

Acting Contritely

To err is human; but contrition felt for the crime distinguishes the virtuous from the wicked.

Vittorio Alfieri

Five Rs

Rewind the Day

• When did we manufacture and/or participate in unloving and untruthful circumstances?

Review Intent

• Why did I think/do those things?

Repent of Sin

• All grave sin must be confessed in the Sacrament of Penance (Confession).

Renew Intention

• Pray the Our Father and be especially mindful of the phrase ...and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
• Matthew 6:14-15 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
• 1 John 4:20 If a man say, “I love God,” and hateth his brother, he is a liar. For he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

Remember... go to confession!

To reside in the Sacred Heart of Jesus is to know peace even when facing seemingly overwhelming odds.

O sacred heart of Jesus, Thou art my refuge and strength. Pour into my heart Thy light and peace so that I may live with perfect charity to share Thy holy Gospel with others most in need of God's mercy. Devastated by the lies and malicious acts of men, I place my heart within Thine own. I humbly beseech Thee, vouchsafe to grant me the strength to overcome adversity with a serenity and love, confident in a just outcome after these trials. Amen.