No person is above temptation. The holiest saints all passed through temptation. Jesus Christ Himself allowed temptation to come his way. However, we will never be tempted past what we can endure. But we must always have recourse to prayer. It is through temptaions that we discover who we are...
Pray constantly. Never become discouraged in the midst of temptation. Trust in God. Renew your confidence in Him. Increase your faith and you will live in peace even during the most trying times of temptation.
In Christ,
Fr. Jeff Fasching
Prayers at the Foot of the Altar
Showing posts with label patience. Show all posts
Showing posts with label patience. Show all posts
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Monday, August 8, 2011
Pray for your Priests
Pray that your priests will not endanger their fervor under the pretext of zeal. If they are not watchful, that may be preaching to others and losing their own souls at the same time! Pray that your priests will not expose themselves to dangers without necessity or without proper precautions. Pray that they will always guard their hearts and their eyes. Pray that your priests will learn patience and await the success of their labors. We may cast the seed, but it is Christ Who will give, in His own time, the increase. Priests cannot become discouraged when they meet with lack of success. They must humble themselves before God. This humility will have more value in God’s eyes than any success.
A priest is a soldier of Christ. The good soldier does not allow himself to become absorbed in the things of this world. He seeks to please the leader under whose banner he fights. The weapon which God places in the priest’s hands is prayer. With it he is invincible. Sadly, many priests do not use this weapon. You have seen the results firsthand. Pray for souls consecrated to God’s service, but above all pray for Christ’s priests, that at the last judgment they may not be a reproach before the whole universe.
In Christ,
Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching
A priest is a soldier of Christ. The good soldier does not allow himself to become absorbed in the things of this world. He seeks to please the leader under whose banner he fights. The weapon which God places in the priest’s hands is prayer. With it he is invincible. Sadly, many priests do not use this weapon. You have seen the results firsthand. Pray for souls consecrated to God’s service, but above all pray for Christ’s priests, that at the last judgment they may not be a reproach before the whole universe.
In Christ,
Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Jesus Christ, perfectus Deus, perfectus homo
Jesus Christ in His humanity often grew physically tired from His travels and all His apostolic work. The same happens to us many times. We become worn out, we become hungry. We become thirsty. Christ experienced the very same things we experience.
Whenever we get tired from our own work or apostolic endeavours, we must always focus on Christ. He shows us that He is just like us in everything but sin. We should be consoled with the fact that together with Christ we can conquer all things! Neither weariness, hunger, thirst or anything else matters because Christ also experienced all these things. What matters is that we focus on fulfilling the will of God. God is always with us.
In Christ,
Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching
Whenever we get tired from our own work or apostolic endeavours, we must always focus on Christ. He shows us that He is just like us in everything but sin. We should be consoled with the fact that together with Christ we can conquer all things! Neither weariness, hunger, thirst or anything else matters because Christ also experienced all these things. What matters is that we focus on fulfilling the will of God. God is always with us.
In Christ,
Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Suffering II
Saint Paul endured much suffering. He was beaten, flogged, stoned and left for dead. He suffered every kind of persecution imaginable. All this happened to him repeatedly. Never once did Saint Paul complain. He was never saddened! He never begged God to deliver him from his sufferings. Saint Paul knew their true value unlike many of us who many times want no part of suffering. Paul always blessed God in the midst of his sufferings. He looked upon them as a reward and honor! He considered himself privileged to be able to suffer for the sake of Christ!
There is no better way to share in Christ's glory than to share also in suffering. This is the same lesson the disciples came to learn. It is the narrow way that leads to true life. We should pray that God give us the grace to embrace hardship and suffering.
Sincerely in Christ,
Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching
There is no better way to share in Christ's glory than to share also in suffering. This is the same lesson the disciples came to learn. It is the narrow way that leads to true life. We should pray that God give us the grace to embrace hardship and suffering.
Sincerely in Christ,
Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Christ had to Suffer
It was absolutely necessary for Christ to suffer. His passion was unavoidable. Christ always knew the reason He was born was to die on the Cross. He never avoided His destiny. The Cross is Christ's glorification. We too are called to glory in our own sufferings. Listen to the words of Saint Peter: "When a man can suffer injustice and endure hardship through his awareness of God's presence, this is the work of grace in him. It was for this you were called, since Christ suffered for you in just this way and left you an example, to have you follow in His footsteps. He did no wrong; no deceit was found in His mouth. When He was insulted, He returned no insult. When He was made to suffer, He did not counter with threats. Instead, He delivered Himself up to the One who judges justly. In His own body He brought your sins to the Cross, so that all of us, dead to sin, could live in accord with God's will. By His wounds you were healed. At one time you were straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd, the guardian of you souls."
In Christ,
Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching
In Christ,
Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Suffering
Christ laid down His life for us. We should therefore lay down our lives for ourselves and for those who will be helped by our example. Now is the acceptable time. Now is the day of salvation. The Scriptures remind us that we should in fact rejoice in our sufferings. Suffering teaches us to endure with patience. Patience pleases God.
The more we share in the sufferings of Christ, the more we share in His consolation. We should always be anxious to share in Christ's sufferings if we desire His consolation. In fact, sharing in His consolation will be directly proportional to our sharing in His suffering.
In Christ,
Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching
The more we share in the sufferings of Christ, the more we share in His consolation. We should always be anxious to share in Christ's sufferings if we desire His consolation. In fact, sharing in His consolation will be directly proportional to our sharing in His suffering.
In Christ,
Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching
Friday, April 1, 2011
Obtaining What we Want
It is not forbidden to ask for money, material well-being or whatever is necessary to maintain us in our position in life, but we must ask for these things in their proper order. If we want our desires to be met in this respect without fail we must first ask for the larger things. These larger things include the amendment of our lives, the gift of Christian patience, detachment from things of the world and true contrition for our sins. Then afterwards we should pray for health or success. Until we have received these first graces, anything else will likely be harmful to us.
Sincerely in Christ,
Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching
Sincerely in Christ,
Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching
Saturday, March 12, 2011
More on Temptation
Job says: “Man’s life on earth is a temptation.” No one is too perfect and holy as sometimes not to have temptations. Nevertheless, temptations can be very profitable, difficult though they may be. Christ Himself was tempted precisely to show us how we can gain victory over temptations. In fact, temptation is necessary for us because it teaches us to know ourselves. Satan has asked to put us through the crucible of temptation, but Christ has prayed for us. Saint Paul reminds us that “God is faithful, Who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able, but will make also with temptation issue, that you may be able to bear it.”
Satan knows his time is limited. His goal is to tax your patience, to discourage you, and at last to drag you into hell. He will tempt you with desire for gain. He will induce you to accumulate worldly goods. He will tempt you with the devil of pride and the demon of pleasure. We must therefore watch over ourselves. We must work out our salvation with fear and trembling. We may be standing now, but we must pray and watch lest we fall.
Sincerely in Christ,
Re. Jeffery A. Fasching
Satan knows his time is limited. His goal is to tax your patience, to discourage you, and at last to drag you into hell. He will tempt you with desire for gain. He will induce you to accumulate worldly goods. He will tempt you with the devil of pride and the demon of pleasure. We must therefore watch over ourselves. We must work out our salvation with fear and trembling. We may be standing now, but we must pray and watch lest we fall.
Sincerely in Christ,
Re. Jeffery A. Fasching
Monday, March 7, 2011
Self Accusation
We must always find fault with ourselves. It is so very easy to be impatient with everyone else, and yet so very difficult to blame ourselves for our own faults. We have enough to be concerned with when it comes to a knowledge of ourselves. It would be good to beg God on a regular basis for the grace to see ourselves as we really are. The only way to constant peace in our lives is to constantly find fault with ourselves.
Sincerely in Christ,
Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching
Sincerely in Christ,
Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching
Friday, February 11, 2011
Patience
Saint Paul repeatedly commanded his followers to exercise patience amongst themselves. True Christian character is seen in authentic patience. In the New Testament, Saint Paul instructed the Ephesians to "walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." (Eph.4:1-3)
Patience is both a command and a gift from God. It is one of the fruits of the Holy Ghost. We demonstrate patience by our absolute trust in God and His ability to brings all things to completion. We live in patience by cooperating with the grace of God. As a genuine virtue, patience is only found in those who have been redeemed in Christ and have an understanding of themselves as sinners. We must be aware of our own weaknesses and faults. This is how we are humbly able to deal patiently with the faults of others.
Furthermore, we must patiently understand that God may very well be at work within those who may be our opponents. Saint Paul instructed young Timothy to be kind to everyone and to be patient in correcting opponents because "God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will." (2 Tim. 2:24-26). We must realize that God may be at work within those with whom we experience disagreement or conflict.
When we meditate upon the Sorrowful Carrying of the Cross, we acknowledge the long-suffering patience of Christ. Today let us pray for the heroic patience of a saint in all things. Let us pray for the patience of Christ Himself.
Sincerley in Christ,
Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching
Patience is both a command and a gift from God. It is one of the fruits of the Holy Ghost. We demonstrate patience by our absolute trust in God and His ability to brings all things to completion. We live in patience by cooperating with the grace of God. As a genuine virtue, patience is only found in those who have been redeemed in Christ and have an understanding of themselves as sinners. We must be aware of our own weaknesses and faults. This is how we are humbly able to deal patiently with the faults of others.
Furthermore, we must patiently understand that God may very well be at work within those who may be our opponents. Saint Paul instructed young Timothy to be kind to everyone and to be patient in correcting opponents because "God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will." (2 Tim. 2:24-26). We must realize that God may be at work within those with whom we experience disagreement or conflict.
When we meditate upon the Sorrowful Carrying of the Cross, we acknowledge the long-suffering patience of Christ. Today let us pray for the heroic patience of a saint in all things. Let us pray for the patience of Christ Himself.
Sincerley in Christ,
Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Following the Lord
The prophet says: "The Lord is my light and my salvation." Those who are privileged to know this light cease to sin or offend God in any way. If we truly walk in the light of Christ as spiritual creatures we possess the courage to withstand all things. We are able to bear trials and sufferings because we find our strength in God. We are capable of enduring all things with patience and humility.
The spiritual person, when faced with temptation, acknowledges that Christ is his light. Temptation may come upon him, but he can always overcome it. Evil desires may come over him, but he is never conquered by them. God is his strength.
Let us pray today that we may give ourselves more completely to God. He is our strength and our salvation.
Sincerely in Christ,
Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching
The spiritual person, when faced with temptation, acknowledges that Christ is his light. Temptation may come upon him, but he can always overcome it. Evil desires may come over him, but he is never conquered by them. God is his strength.
Let us pray today that we may give ourselves more completely to God. He is our strength and our salvation.
Sincerely in Christ,
Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching
Friday, December 31, 2010
Holiness
If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me. To many, the Lord's command seems difficult and painful. But to those who experience the wisdom of Christ His command is not really difficult or painful because Christ Himself helps us to do what He commands. Christ says "my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Love makes easy whatever may be difficult with respect to His commands.
To take up one's cross means we must endure many things that are painful. When we decide to follow Christ and embrace His teachings we will inevitably be contradicted. People will try to stop us. Even those who call themselves disciples of Christ will sometimes do so. Many people call themselves Christians, but few are truly friends of Christ because few are truly willing to suffer for His sake. If we wish to follow Christ we must use any obstacle and unite it to the cross. We must endure all hardships for the sake of Christ. "If anyone wishes to follow me, let him deny himself."
This is a command to all people; virgins, brides, widows, married women, monks, married men, clergy and laity. It is a command the whole Church must embrace. All members have their place in the Church. All must follow Christ in their own particular way of life. We must deny ourselves. We must rely on not our own strength, but on the strength of Christ Himself. We must take up our cross by enduring whatever pain the world brings our way.
Let us learn to love Christ more completely. He can neither deceive nor be deceived. He will never fail us. His promises are all true. Often people's faith fails because Christ does not offer an immediate reward. However, if we hold out and endure with patience we have carried our cross.
In Christ,
Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching
To take up one's cross means we must endure many things that are painful. When we decide to follow Christ and embrace His teachings we will inevitably be contradicted. People will try to stop us. Even those who call themselves disciples of Christ will sometimes do so. Many people call themselves Christians, but few are truly friends of Christ because few are truly willing to suffer for His sake. If we wish to follow Christ we must use any obstacle and unite it to the cross. We must endure all hardships for the sake of Christ. "If anyone wishes to follow me, let him deny himself."
This is a command to all people; virgins, brides, widows, married women, monks, married men, clergy and laity. It is a command the whole Church must embrace. All members have their place in the Church. All must follow Christ in their own particular way of life. We must deny ourselves. We must rely on not our own strength, but on the strength of Christ Himself. We must take up our cross by enduring whatever pain the world brings our way.
Let us learn to love Christ more completely. He can neither deceive nor be deceived. He will never fail us. His promises are all true. Often people's faith fails because Christ does not offer an immediate reward. However, if we hold out and endure with patience we have carried our cross.
In Christ,
Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Judgment and Punishment for Sins
From the Imitation of Christ; Chapter 24
Keep your goal always before you and, remember, you shall stand before a strict Judge, who knows all things, who accepts no bribes, allows no excuses, and always passes a just judgment.
O foolish, wretched sinner! You sometimes become terrified when you see the face of an angry man, but what answer will you give to God, who knows your every wicked deed? Prepare yourself for Judgment Day, for when it comes you will not have a defense attorney to make excuses for you, but you will have to answer for yourself. Right now your efforts can bear profit, and your tears find acceptance; your sighs can be heard, and your sorrow find cleansing forgiveness.
The man who habitually exercises patience goes through a wholesome purgatory while still alive. He suffers injuries at the hands of others, but he is more concerned about their malice than his hurt. He willingly prays for those who harm him, wholeheartedly forgives offenses committed against him, and never puts off asking another's pardon. In fact, he more readily gives in to compassion than to anger. Too, he does not pamper his body, but by penances strives to bring it into complete subjection to his spirit.
It is better to purge our sins and root out our vices now than to keep them for some future purgation. We certainly deceive ourselves by the obsessive love we have for our bodies!
What else does this fire have to feed on but your sins? The more lenient you are on yourself and the more you yield to your flesh, the greater will be your future suffering, for you are only storing up fuel for the fire.
There, a man will be punished according to the types of sins he has committed. Those who are lazy will be pricked with red-hot spurs, and the glutton will be tormented by acute hunger and thirst. Those filled with lust and who have indulged their senses will howl in pain like mad dogs.
There is no vice that will not have its own special torment. The proud will be filled with disgrace and humiliation, and the miserly will suffer all kinds of privations. One hour of suffering there will be more fierce than a hundred years spent performing the hardest penances. For the damned there is neither rest nor comfort, but we here do enjoy a break from our toil and do find comfort in our friends.
Therefore, take care and be sorry for your sins, so that on Judgment Day you may be safe and numbered among the blessed. Then the righteous man will stand in great confidence in the presence of those who have afflicted him. The man who now humbly submits to other men's judgments will then rise to judge; the poor and humble will be wrapped in assurance, while the proud will be enveloped in fear.
He who learned to be a fool for Christ and was despised by men will then be revealed as truly wise. All trials patiently endured will prove a delight, while the throats of the wicked will be choked in sorrow. All the devout will rejoice and all the wicked weep.
Mortified flesh will then exult more than if it had been brought up on the choicest of foods. Rough garments will take on brilliance, while silks and stains will lose their sheen. The humble hut will be esteemed more than any gold-encrusted palace. Steadfast patience will prove more valuable than all the world's power, and simple obedience will be more honored than worldly wisdom.
A good and pure conscience will then give you more joy than all the philosophy you have ever learned. The contempt for riches will weigh more than all the treasures in this world, and fervent prayer will bring you more happiness than a multi-course banquet.
The silence you kept will then be more exhilarating than the telling of long tales, and holy deeds will be of greater value than nice-sounding words. And a strict life with hard penances will then bring you more pleasure than worldly delight.
Remember, the sufferings you now bear are somewhat slight, but they will free you from greater sufferings in the future. Try and endure, here and now, what you will have to suffer later on! If now you can only put up with so little, how will you bear a punishment that is eternal? If a modicum of suffering now makes you uneasy, what will hell's fire do to you?
It is impossible for you to enjoy a double paradise: one here, based on the delights of this world, and the other reigning with Christ in His kingdom.
If, up to now, you have always lived amid honors and pleasures, what good would all this do you if you were to die this instant? All is vanity, therefore, except loving God and serving only Him. If you love God with your whole heart, you will fear neither death nor punishment, neither judgment nor hell. Perfect love opens up an unerring way to God. If, however, you still find delight in sin, then it is no wonder that you fear death and judgment.
If love cannot draw you away from evil then, at least, let the fear of hell pull you away. If you put off fearing God you cannot long persevere in goodness, but all too quickly, you will fall into the devil's snares.
In Christ,
Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching
Keep your goal always before you and, remember, you shall stand before a strict Judge, who knows all things, who accepts no bribes, allows no excuses, and always passes a just judgment.
O foolish, wretched sinner! You sometimes become terrified when you see the face of an angry man, but what answer will you give to God, who knows your every wicked deed? Prepare yourself for Judgment Day, for when it comes you will not have a defense attorney to make excuses for you, but you will have to answer for yourself. Right now your efforts can bear profit, and your tears find acceptance; your sighs can be heard, and your sorrow find cleansing forgiveness.
The man who habitually exercises patience goes through a wholesome purgatory while still alive. He suffers injuries at the hands of others, but he is more concerned about their malice than his hurt. He willingly prays for those who harm him, wholeheartedly forgives offenses committed against him, and never puts off asking another's pardon. In fact, he more readily gives in to compassion than to anger. Too, he does not pamper his body, but by penances strives to bring it into complete subjection to his spirit.
It is better to purge our sins and root out our vices now than to keep them for some future purgation. We certainly deceive ourselves by the obsessive love we have for our bodies!
What else does this fire have to feed on but your sins? The more lenient you are on yourself and the more you yield to your flesh, the greater will be your future suffering, for you are only storing up fuel for the fire.
There, a man will be punished according to the types of sins he has committed. Those who are lazy will be pricked with red-hot spurs, and the glutton will be tormented by acute hunger and thirst. Those filled with lust and who have indulged their senses will howl in pain like mad dogs.
There is no vice that will not have its own special torment. The proud will be filled with disgrace and humiliation, and the miserly will suffer all kinds of privations. One hour of suffering there will be more fierce than a hundred years spent performing the hardest penances. For the damned there is neither rest nor comfort, but we here do enjoy a break from our toil and do find comfort in our friends.
Therefore, take care and be sorry for your sins, so that on Judgment Day you may be safe and numbered among the blessed. Then the righteous man will stand in great confidence in the presence of those who have afflicted him. The man who now humbly submits to other men's judgments will then rise to judge; the poor and humble will be wrapped in assurance, while the proud will be enveloped in fear.
He who learned to be a fool for Christ and was despised by men will then be revealed as truly wise. All trials patiently endured will prove a delight, while the throats of the wicked will be choked in sorrow. All the devout will rejoice and all the wicked weep.
Mortified flesh will then exult more than if it had been brought up on the choicest of foods. Rough garments will take on brilliance, while silks and stains will lose their sheen. The humble hut will be esteemed more than any gold-encrusted palace. Steadfast patience will prove more valuable than all the world's power, and simple obedience will be more honored than worldly wisdom.
A good and pure conscience will then give you more joy than all the philosophy you have ever learned. The contempt for riches will weigh more than all the treasures in this world, and fervent prayer will bring you more happiness than a multi-course banquet.
The silence you kept will then be more exhilarating than the telling of long tales, and holy deeds will be of greater value than nice-sounding words. And a strict life with hard penances will then bring you more pleasure than worldly delight.
Remember, the sufferings you now bear are somewhat slight, but they will free you from greater sufferings in the future. Try and endure, here and now, what you will have to suffer later on! If now you can only put up with so little, how will you bear a punishment that is eternal? If a modicum of suffering now makes you uneasy, what will hell's fire do to you?
It is impossible for you to enjoy a double paradise: one here, based on the delights of this world, and the other reigning with Christ in His kingdom.
If, up to now, you have always lived amid honors and pleasures, what good would all this do you if you were to die this instant? All is vanity, therefore, except loving God and serving only Him. If you love God with your whole heart, you will fear neither death nor punishment, neither judgment nor hell. Perfect love opens up an unerring way to God. If, however, you still find delight in sin, then it is no wonder that you fear death and judgment.
If love cannot draw you away from evil then, at least, let the fear of hell pull you away. If you put off fearing God you cannot long persevere in goodness, but all too quickly, you will fall into the devil's snares.
In Christ,
Rev. Jeffery A. Fasching
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