Spirit of the World: Day One

Image by Denis Doukhan from Pixabay

In the twelve preliminary days, we're asked to examine our consciences, to pray, to practice renouncement of our wills, and to practice mortification and attain purity of heart ("This purity is the indispensable condition for contemplating God in heaven, to see Him on earth and to know Him by the light of faith.") The spirit of the world is contrasted with the spirit of God and the spirit of Christ (which is also that of Mary; that is, Mary has so conformed her will to the will of God, that her soul is united with the spirit of Christ). And so we're to cast off the spirit of the world and oppose our fallen desires.

Day one at Fish Eaters.

Day one at The Catholic Company.

Appropriately, the first reading is about the Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount. At the end of the sermon (chapters 5 through 7), Matthew reports, "And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching" (Mt 7:28). The Beatitudes seem opposed to our natures (indeed, they are fallen). I can imagine some thinking, "What? Blessed are they who mourn? The meek shall inherit the earth?" Jesus is going beyond telling us to avoid evil, he's telling us to be a positive force of good in the world: a light before all men for the glory of God! This is what God intends us to be.