“nothing is more effectual in prevailing with God than that a man should judge himself and never cease from asking pardon, knowing that he is never without fault. For human nature has this flaw … from the corruptible body springs that which may corrupt the soul also. Hence although the inner man be now reborn in Christ and rescued from the bonds of captivity, it has unceasing conflicts with the flesh, and has to endure resistance…” – Pope Leo the Great (sermon 90. I)
“Goodness has only once found a perfect incarnation in a human body and never will again, but evil can always find a home there. Human nature
is not black and white but black and grey.” – Graham Greene (in charity, let’s presume he forgot, rather than denied, the case of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
The Salve Regina prayer has a line that this title is derived from. It describes human life as consisting of: “mourning and weeping in this vale of tears”. St. James wrote that friendship with the world was hatred with God (Jms 4:4). St. Peter said that the world was reserved for destruction by fire (2 Pet 3:10). St. John proclaimed that anyone who loves the world does not have the Father’s love (1 Jn 2:15). And St. Paul wrote that all who wished to live a godly life in Christ Jesus, must be persecuted (2 Tim 3:12). While some have tried to construct a model where God blesses his children especially on this earth be they Thomists, Pentecostals, or Joel Osteen, I have to agree with the old Archbishop of Paris who wrote: “There is a set of religious, or rather moral, writings which teach that virtue is the certain road to happiness, and vice to misery in this world. A very wholesome and comfortable doctrine, and to which we have but one objection, namely, that it is not true.” – Abp. Francois Fenelon
In the sacrament of Holy Baptism, God places his name upon us and gives us salvation and life. This communion with God is taken by the world, the flesh, and the devil (the unholy trinity) as a proverbial target on our backs. Perhaps most reject this great gift, pledging their souls once again to these other masters whose kingdom they had by flesh been born into. However, for those sustained by God’s grace to trust in His Word, there is no end to the fight as long as they breathe in this ‘body of death’ as the apostle calls it. So when you feel the sadness of this vale of tears come upon you, mark yourself with the cross, trust in the crucified with whom you suffer, and remember that it is the devil who takes care of his own in this life.