War

“In times of spiritual coldness and laziness, imagine in your heart those times in the past when you were full of zeal and solicitude in all things, even the smallest.” (Saint Isaak of Syria).

The Prodigal Son (Unknown)

I have always loved learning about history.  When I was a school girl, I studied a lot of history – both Modern and Ancient – and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it.

One of the very interesting things that I learned about in history was the causes of World War II.  The Second World War followed on the back of the First World War (with a distance of only less than thirty years between them).  This meant that men who had fought in the First World War were also, very often, fighting in the Second World War.

Prior to the Second World War, nobody really wanted to go to war – with the exception of Hitler, who started it.  And because nobody wanted to go to war, the other nations in Europe (and Britain) tried to ignore all the little things that Hitler started doing to cause problems in the area.  After the loss of the First World War, which had been started by the Germans, the nations in Europe (and particularly France, which had been so significantly impacted by the War) wanted to make Germany pay reparations (like a type of fine) for causing the problem in the first place.  And these reparations were one of the things that caused the Germans to feel resentment and allowed Hitler to prey on the minds of ordinary people to promote his evil regime.

And so, while all of this was happening, the nations in the rest of the world tried to ignore Hitler a bit.  When Germany stopped paying the reparations, not much happened, when Germany began making moves into its neighbouring countries, they tried to ignore things.  Finally, when Poland was invaded, Britain and Europe declared war on Germany and the Second World War started.

And I have been thinking about this history in light of spiritual warfare.  You see, just as vengeance caused only more problems in the world, so too does an attitude that precludes us from forgiveness cause more problems in our spiritual life.  And just as ignoring Hitler’s small wrongs allowed him to become strong enough to create really big wrongs, so too does ignoring the small mistakes and sins in our life allow us to build into really big sins…

Saint Isaak of Syria said, “In times of spiritual coldness and laziness, imagine in your heart those times in the past when you were full of zeal and solicitude in all things, even the smallest. Remember your past efforts and the energy with which you opposed those who wanted to obstruct your progress. These recollections will reawaken your soul from its deep sleep, will invest it once more with the fire of zeal, will raise it, as it were, from the dead, and will make it engage in an ardent struggle against the Devil and sin, thus being restored to its former height.”

And today, as I consider the Wars of the World and the Wars of the Spirit, I am moved to pray for the Grace to ask God to remove the obstructions to my progress to sanctity – for this is the only thing that I really need…

For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.