We are called to continual conversion and given the grace we need to persevere in the work
By Fr. James Farfaglia, 5/21/2011: Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)
We need not be discouraged, shocked or worried
CORPUS CHRISTI, TX (Catholic Online) – Frequently we are bombarded by the media with sordid stories about high-profile men that go down the tubes with appalling sex scandals. I wonder if men, in general, are discouraged when they are confronted with these on-going public meltdowns. Interestingly, these public disasters usually involve clergy, politicians, businessmen, sports personalities and movie stars.
The possibility of discouragement was one of the reasons why I wrote my first book for men. In Man to Man: A Real Priest Speaks to Real Men about Marriage, Sexuality and Family Life I describe lust with these words: “Lust is a very powerful sin and it destroys human freedom. Lust is a real problem for most men. Lust is more powerful than an addiction to drugs or to alcohol.” I also quoted the Catechism of the Catholic when it defines the capital sin of lust in this way: “Lust is the disordered desire for or inordinate enjoyment of sexual pleasure. Sexual pleasure is morally disordered when sought for itself, isolated from its procreative and unitive purposes” (Catechism of the Catholic Church #2351).
When we witness the on-going meltdowns of famous men, we need to remember that everyone does struggle. Chastity is not an easy virtue to live in an immoral, pornographic culture.
Sexual sin is not the only sin, but it is certainly the battle of our times.
Because of original sin, our weakened wills and darkened intellects will always move us in the wrong direction. Continual effort is necessary to control the inner movement of our ego and allow the presence of grace to take control of our thoughts, desires, and actions.
The battle of the spiritual life might be compared to walking in a river against the current. If we do not continue walking or reaching out toward a rock for support, then the current will most assuredly carry us in the opposite direction.
The Catechism tells us, “Because man is a composite being, spirit and body, there already exists a certain tension in him; a certain struggle of tendencies between spirit and flesh develops. But in fact this struggle belongs to the heritage of sin. It is a consequence of sin and at the same time a confirmation of it. It is part of the daily experience of the spiritual battle” (CCC #2516).
If the spiritual life is a continual struggle because of original sin, the present circumstances of our contemporary culture make this struggle even more difficult. We have all grown up in a culture that denies us nothing. Everything is permissible. We tend to view discipline, self-control, and virtue with distaste. The producers and writers of television programs, films, music, and other aspects of pop culture knowing exactly what buttons to push, gently ease us into accepting a more permissive attitude toward interests and activities that we ought to shun. Our decadent world is thus made more attractive to our fallen human nature. We find it easier and easier to succumb to any of the seven deadly sins.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church calls self-mastery a training in human freedom. “The alternative is clear: either man governs his passions and finds peace, or he lets himself be dominated by them and becomes unhappy” (#2339). The Catechism goes on to say that “self-mastery is a long and exacting work. One can never consider it acquired once and for all. It presupposes renewed effort at all stages of life” (#2342).
It is quite possible that when we consider the demands of our spiritual life and the impact on us of the continuous bombardment we receive from the prevailing culture, we may simply throw up our hands in despair and give in. Without a doubt, authentic Christianity is difficult to live and demands radical decisions on our part. We must never be afraid of the struggle. Remember, Babe Ruth struck out 1,330 times, but he also hit 714 home runs.
Although developing and strengthening our spiritual life requires an intense effort on our part, all our efforts will only be successful with the help of God’s grace. A daily disciplined regimen of prayer, scripture reading, and sacramental life helps to develop those channels of grace through which the Holy Spirit gives us the ability to control ourselves and conquer our baser tendencies.
Recently, I published my second book which appeals to both men and women. In Get Serious! A Survival Guide for Serious Catholics, I map out with motivational clarity how a serious Catholic can live a serious spiritual life in a crazy world.
It is possible to be faithful. It is possible to live a mature and authentic life. It is possible to be happy although everything may be collapsing around us.
—–Visit Father James Farfaglia, the Happy Priest, on the web at http://www.fatherjames.org and find out more about his new book, Get Serious! – A Survival Guide of Serious Catholics.
