Diary of the Ghetto Priest | Lent and the Beast!

There is a "world soul", according to Plato. There are principalities and powers, according to St. Paul. There is a destructive power larger than you and I, and even, the world of nations that has cast its shadow of darkness over all of the world.

By the grace of God, we still live in light. There is the hope - Jesus in His heavenly kingdom. He is the light of the world, from His Kingdom, He sheds light and there is no darkness, no shadow in His home to which we ultimately belong.

We will one day live in light with Him. All tears, all sadness, all fears, all anxieties will disappear. Oh God, what a day that will be, what a place that will be. We look forward to it with all our heart and mind, with all our soul and being!

SIMPLE PEOPLE

In the meanwhile, we live here on earth; and, "the deceiver of the whole world", "the accuser of the brethren" will seek to confuse us. So, the "father of lies" will blind us, and we will fall; we who are just simple people, easily confused and deceived, who cannot see beyond appearances, and have so much emotions and desires that blind us.

For a moment of madness, for the sake of curiosity and pleasure we are driven over the edge that takes us into

sin, whether it be pleasure, anger, hatred, vexation, self-righteousness. Just that moment of self-indulgence and we fall over the precipice into the chasm of evil. Satan's trap has worked! God help us!

HE KNOWS OUR HUMAN WEAKNESS

But thank God for Jesus Christ! The beast has won for a moment because we are sinners. We have that drive, concupiscence, which inclines us to falling. We are men and women in the flesh, with the urge to self-deception as Adam and Eve have passed on to us.

But Jesus sees and knows our human weakness. He has such pity and sympathy for us poor sinners. He sees how weak and pitiable we are. We live in the flesh, and are driven in the flesh.

But there is the soul! That's the principle and reality which inclines towards heaven, towards what is good and true.

He died for us! He understands our longing to be like Him; when we struggle on earth and try our best,He takes us to Himself and makes us like unto Him. And, light comes into our lives and the power of God brushes aside all the wrongs we have done. Light overcomes darkness; the father of lies is defeated.

The world soul filled with sin are censored, forgiveness and mercy take over, and Jesus - the tremendous lover - redeems us.

During Lent we join Jesus in his suffering. We fast, we abstain, we weep for our wrongs and the wrongs of theworld. We practice self-control, we know we must battle throughout life against the appetites of our flesh - which makes us a victim of the beast.

But we take on the struggle, and submit to the cross, especially during Lent.

Rev. 11:15: "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever."