The Great Enemy of Jesus in You

Mary

My child, knowing the thoughts of Jesus is not sufficient to make you immediately begin to live His life. You must at the same time fight and conquer the enemies who are opposed to the life of Jesus in you. Now, the most dangerous of these enemies is yourself. You would like to live only for Jesus and at the same time you would like to follow the tendencies of your depraved nature. Do not deceive yourself. “You cannot serve two masters.” As long as your evil tendencies rule, Jesus cannot rule over you. There must be no truce, no respite, no quarter in the war against your natural tendencies until they leave the stronghold to Jesus.

2. These are hard conditions, but you cannot escape them.
What a large number of my children I have seen who were once pious and generous, prepared to become saints and to exercise about them a compelling influence for good! Alas, because they were not able to recognize and combat their corrupt nature, they remained mediocre and failed to realize even a hundredth part of the good they were called to do, if, indeed, they were not miserably lost, dragging along in their fall a multitude of other souls.

3. Learn, therefore, to know the perverted tendencies of your nature. They are legion, for your body and soul in all their activities have been vitiated by original sin and weakened by the evil habits you have personally contracted or inherited from your ancestors. Still, do not be embarrassed by the multiplicity of your enemies. They all obey a leader, and once he is conquered, all the others will, by the very fact, be crushed or reduced to relative impotence. It is your ruling passion which you must know above all. What is it?

4. Vanity? Are you in love with compliments, happy to receive them even if they are unmerited? Do you catch yourself dreaming about marvelous deeds calculated to attract the applause of men?

5. Pride? Have you an exaggerated idea of your worth and do you at times despise others? Do you treat others with haughtiness, harshness, or anger, especially those who do not bow to your superiority?

6. Touchiness? Do you become irritated at real or supposed criticism? At a lack of consideration, though it be involuntary? Are you easily offended? Do you find it hard to pardon? Are you tempted to give up a good work because someone has crossed you?

7. Ambition? Do you seek to put yourself forward? Is it your own glory or the glory of Christ that you seek? Are you one of those who devote themselves to a good cause only when they can be leaders in it, but who retire as soon as they must serve in the ranks?

8. Envy? Can you not stand having others succeed as well as you? Do you rejoice when they have failed?

9. Inconstancy? Are you the plaything of your feelings: at times enthusiastically ready for any sacrifice, then again depressed to the extent of being indifferent to everything? Do you start a multitude of enterprises without ever finishing any of them?

10. Light-mindedness? Do you give yourself too easily to exterior things? Do you find it difficult to recollect yourself and to give to serious matters the attention they merit?

11. Sensuality? Do you flatter your body? Are you always preoccupied about giving it all the satisfaction it craves in food, drink, repose, and, perhaps, in its still lower tendencies?

12. Laziness? Are you afraid of making an effort? Do you neglect your work? Do you retreat before the least sacrifice?

13. Egoism? Do you think only of yourself? Do you realize that others also have rights and that, if need be, you should suffer rather than have others suffer?

14. On examining yourself in this way, you will discover indications of a great number of these inordinate tendencies. No doubt you have the germs of all evil tendencies, but not all of them are predominant. Which seems strongest and most pernicious? Which is the most ordinary cause of your disappointments, of your preoccupations, of your bad humor, of your joys? When you catch yourself dreaming, is it a thought of vanity, vengeance, or sensuality that is occupying you? Whence come the distractions that please you most, or that are the most difficult to banish? With what have you been reproached by your parents, teachers, friends, or persons you have irritated? About which of your tendencies would you say, “If I were not this way or that, I would get along much better with God and with men?”

15. Be very sincere in your examination and pray for light from heaven, for it is easy to make a mistake in this matter and to take for the predominant fault one which is more apparent but less deep-seated, or one which is rather easy to give up. Men are strongly attached to their predominant fault, because it is a companion who was born and reared with them, who has always lived with them, and who has constantly procured them satisfaction. Sometimes they even mistake it for their predominant good quality. Doubtless, everyone loves himself a great deal, but we must have the courage to love Jesus more. Dare to recognize in all simplicity how much of yourself you must sacrifice for Him. Do not fear. By renouncing a vain idol, you will possess the true God; by dying to your corrupt nature, you will live the life of Jesus.

The Faithful Soul:
May Jesus reign, no matter how much it costs me! “He must increase, I must decrease.”