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After reflecting on fasting, vigils, the desert and silence, let us continue to listen to the other suggestions of the Desert Fathers in order to protect ourselves from the wiles of the devil and to progress more quickly on the path of perfection. Another piece of advice they proposed was this: give priority to works […]

In the last two meditations we have considered the advice of the Desert Fathers to practise fasting and night vigils in order to reach union with God more quickly with an agile spirit. This guideline, applied with due moderation, is excellent advice for growing in the spiritual life and for effectively resisting the powers of

In yesterday’s meditation we had begun to reflect on fasting and vigils as spiritual means of becoming more united to God, or as the Desert Fathers around St. Anthony used to say, “to unite ourselves more quickly to God with an agile spirit”. A more intimate union with the Lord is an essential help to

Having talked about prayer and having looked at three very effective forms of spiritual combat – the prayer of the heart, the Holy Rosary and Eucharistic adoration – we now return to that little meeting of some of the Desert Fathers around St Anthony Abbot with which we began our Lenten meditations. It was from

The following topic is also very important in preparing for spiritual warfare: Eucharistic adoration and inner healing. Indeed, if we have many inner wounds, blockages and barriers, which we may not even be aware of, it will be more difficult for us to fight the battle. Let us not forget that healing the sick was

As we have often recalled, the aim of our Lenten meditations is to strive to be better disciples of the Lord. This call is addressed to us in difficult times, both in the Church and in the world, as we have noted at length in the light of the discernment of spirits. Therefore, spiritual warfare

In keeping with the Solemnity of the Annunciation that we celebrate today, I would like to speak about another ‘great prayer’ that should be included in our daily prayer routine. Certainly many already know and practise it. This prayer is a real treasure in the life of the faithful, whether it is prayed in community

Download PDF “Pray always in the Spirit” (Eph 6:18). We are coming to the end of St Paul’s advice for spiritual warfare. Surely all believers know how essential prayer is, without which there can be no spiritual life. If we neglect prayer, we are always in danger that temptations will overcome us more easily, that

“Besides all these, taking the shield of faith, with which you can quench all the flaming darts of the evil one.” (Eph 6:16). The Lord’s training of His faithful to be able to resist in battle continues today with the allusion to the shield of faith. It is important that we immediately and swiftly repel

Download PDF Before entering into the theme, let us briefly review the Lenten meditations: the spirit of discernment (discretio) urges us to enter consciously into a spiritual battle. Those who follow Christ know this struggle well. There are, however, two particular circumstances that we must always keep in mind, so that we “do not box