The Fifty-Fifth Chapter
THE CORRUPTION OF NATURE AND THE EFFICACY OF DIVINE GRACE (part one)
THE DISCIPLE
O LORD, my God, Who created me to Your own image and likeness, grant me this grace which You have shown to be so great and necessary for salvation, that I may overcome my very evil nature that is drawing me to sin and perdition. For I feel in my flesh the law of sin contradicting the law of my mind and leading me captive to serve sensuality in many things. I cannot resist the passions thereof unless Your most holy grace warmly infused into my heart assist me.
There is need of Your grace, and of great grace, in order to overcome a nature prone to evil from youth. For through the first man, Adam, nature is fallen and weakened by sin, and the punishment of that stain has fallen upon all mankind. Thus nature itself, which You created good and right, is considered a symbol of vice and the weakness of corrupted nature, because when left to itself it tends toward evil and to baser things. The little strength remaining in it is like a spark hidden in ashes. That strength is natural reason which, surrounded by thick darkness, still has the power of judging good and evil, of seeing the difference between true and false, though it is not able to fulfill all that it approves and does not enjoy the full light of truth or soundness of affection.
Hence it is, my God, that according to the inward man I delight in Your law, knowing that Your command is good, just, and holy, and that it proves the necessity of shunning all evil and sin. But in the flesh I keep the law of sin, obeying sensuality rather than reason. Hence, also, it is that the will to good is present in me, but how to accomplish it I know not. Hence, too, I often propose many good things, but because the grace to help my weakness is lacking, I recoil and give up at the slightest resistance. Thus it is that I know the way of perfection and see clearly enough how I ought to act, but because I am pressed down by the weight of my own corruption I do not rise to more perfect things.
How extremely necessary to me, O Lord, Your grace is to begin any good deed, to carry it on and bring it to completion! For without grace I can do nothing, but with its strength I can do all things in You. O Grace truly heavenly, without which our merits are nothing and no gifts of nature are to be esteemed!
Oh Lord, forgive me for my downfalls. Help me be strong in time of great emotions and frustration. Help me call on the grace I need to fulfill Your holy will. Please bless the rest of my pregnancy and help me to remain calm.
Yesterday I was so grouchy and frustrated that I did something usually out of character...which made me all the more depressed...so off to confession first thing!!!
THY WILL BE DONE!!! +JMJ+
Ok, well you are not the only one, except doing bad things in a grouchy state of mind is not out of character for me- sadly it is a recurring reality.
ReplyDeleteJust remember Jesus fell on the way to Calvary too- it is a time of profound weakness, those last few days before a birth.
Bible verses for you:
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
My grace is sufficient for you.
Christ's strength is made perfect in my weakness.
I fill up in my flesh what was lacking in Christ's suffering.