In the adversities that I experience, I remind myself that the time for doing battle has not yet come to an end. I arm myself with patience, and in this way I defeat my assailant. —Faustina’s diary 509
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In dealing with life patience is very important. Many do not understand how one-sided we can be in dealing with the world. It is easy to react but that will often cause more problems than actually helping. We can be more driven by our past than we realize, some to such an extent that they become puppets ruled by their unresolved issues.
Understanding how steep a climb it is to becoming more unencumbered by our past and therefore becoming freer is necessary, because there will always be set backs. It is a battle of sorts. While it is true that we may need to battle assailants in our lives on many levels with patience and endurance, the real assailant can be our own subjective take on things.
Sleepwalking is more common than supposed. Being in a bad mood, or angry, or filled with fear is a form of dreaming while walking around pretending to be awake. When dreaming at night, we react to the craziest events as though they are normal. The same when off center and the further off we are the less we may know it. It is then when personality disorders can be a serious problem for everyone.
In seeking a loving relationship with God, or in seeking ones true center, can be a beacon that calls us out of our subjective hells. It points to another way that calls for a death to a smaller self towards a life that becomes more grounded, healthy and life giving for self and others.
Br. Mark Dohle, OCSO
Holy Spirit Monastery
