The parable of the ten virgins (cfr. Mt 25,1-13) reminds us of our need to develop an effective way of being always vigilant. This, of course, is only possible if we develop a deep, active union with God. Without his grace, we are would be easily overwhelmed by the modern-day assaults of evil, obsessions, and hidden bondages. We have a lot of sweet poisons around.
Safeguarding our souls demands a comprehensive, grounded approach that blends both supernatural faith and practical and human discipline. Because God can call us at any moment, and hidden evils continually hound us, readiness is an absolute necessity.
In fact, the ideal and realistic attitude to have is to think that everyday we can die and should be ready to face God in judgment. This is not to have a dark view of life. Rather, it would help us keep the proper priorities in life and lead a confident lifestyle. It would help us lead a life that knows what the ultimate destination is.
Today, we cannot deny that we are seeing a disturbing rise in personal obsessions, compulsive dependencies and all kinds of hidden bondages. And many of us feel utterly helpless, find that human willpower alone cannot stop them from giving in to these destructive habits and manias.
The only effective way to breaking these chains and achieving our spiritual victory lies in our true union with Christ. As St. Paul assures us, when we suffer and die with Christ, we will also rise with him. (Rom 6,8-11)
United with Christ, we can endure evil’s unavoidable attacks and find the peace and confidence needed to properly navigate the heavy dramas of this world. Effectively maintaining this union with Christ requires balancing both the supernatural and human means.
The supernatural means involve constant prayer, an abiding awareness of God’s presence and solicitous interventions in our life, and frequent reception of the sacraments—particularly Confession and the Holy Eucharist. These spiritual practices must be continually developed because God’s grace is the ultimate foundation for overcoming our deepest predicaments.
However, we must never neglect the practical human means. We must keep ourselves consistently occupied, since an idle mind and a lazy body are the easiest targets for the agents of evil. These conditions give the enemies of our soul a foothold, an opening for them to dominate us.
We know that spiritual laziness opens the door to a threefold enemy of ours: the weakness of our own flesh, worldly temptations, and the direct influence of the devil. We should be constantly guarded against them.
St. Augustine, for one, emphasized that spiritual vigilance is an essential defense against our daily trials and temptations. In his sermons, he frequently referenced the command to “watch and pray” so as not to fall into temptation. He reasoned that since we sin daily and seek daily forgiveness, we must remain constantly vigilant, actively petitioning God to guard our hearts.
Yes, we should be humble enough to realize that we need to beg God for his help. We have to accept that we are simply helpless and defenseless if we would just rely on our own human powers.
As St. Augustine once said, staying awake and vigilant spiritually is not about physical sleeplessness or constant talking. It is an uninterrupted longing of the heart for God. We should keep that longing alive. (Fr. Roy Cimagala)
