Vigilate et Orate

It's funny when you think about the similarities between the spiritual and the physical realities. They really parallel each other. For example, as the germs in the air are always present to us, so too are the snares of the devil. Yet by God's divine providence and great mercy we have our inner immune systems to help fight off the onset of physical sickness along with the help of the sacraments and the intercession of the Saints in Heaven to protect us from falling into the pits of sin. However, because of the fall of our first parents, man will never be free from the attack of either of these enemies. Germs for example never stop "germ"inating. They keep regenerating into new forms. They are perpetually generating new unknown means of infiltrating into our bodies much like the devils forever seek to infiltrate our souls. Regardless of our precautionary efforts, these enemies will forever seek to creep into us; in one sense it's how they keep themselves alive. They are always ready and watching. But are we?
While we're on the topic of disease and its attack on the body, I thought I might mention this bird flu everyone is talking about. My geography professor recently stated that he heard scientists say it's not a matter of if but when the flu will become a universal air born pandemic. Is this not a what a wake up call to mankind? Now before we join the rest of society in readying ourselves for assisted suicide, we must try and see this through the eyes of the soul. First, remember that all things happen for a reason. God does not permit or will anything unless it is for some good. Second, every man must one day die. There shall come a day of judgment for each and every one of us, where we will face God and give an accounting for our life. We may find death in bed, at the hand of an illness, by bloodshed, fire, water, shark, poison, etc. etc. There are a hundred ways we might find death and the bird flu is just one of many. But death, though terrifying, should not be as frightening as we make it out to be. The Saints longed for death. St. Francis called death "Sister Death." That was how familiar he wanted to be with it. It was a friend to him because he believed that death was the portal through which he would meet the One Whom he desired to see. This being the Holy Trinity. The reason why so many people are afraid of this flu is because they are afraid to die and they are afraid to die because they do not know God. So many people live morally sinful lifestyles which they tell themselves is acceptable but which I believe they know to be bad. Subconsciously they know they are wrong because for one thing, they are not happy people, and when confronted with the thought of death, their consciences are so pricked that they have to fight to hide themselves by either running to a pill or bottle or paying some psychiatrist to tell them everything will be fine. But none of these band-aids are ever going to give these people what they seek. Only Christ can offer them that gift of peace which He alone owns. And how stupid we are to not go to Him for it. He is so generous with His gifts and yet we refuse Him when He extends them to us. But why are we so obtuse? Because we don't want to suffer the loss of who we think we are and become a new man, a happier man, a holier man. We are happy in our misery though we really aren't.
Our God is an awesome God. He is so creative (that's a major understatement). Because He is so creative and because He knows His creatures so well, being that He made them, He best knows what would motivate them into returning to Him. Only God could set up a situation where all of mankind was at such a risk of death. Now I cannot say whether this flu is God's absolute or permissive will, it doesn't really matter, but what I can say is that God knows what is best for us. Regardless, God wants to use it to bring us back to our senses and to bring us back to Him. Because God loves us, He will allow something that man cannot cure to threaten the whole of humanity. But this is for good reason. If man is scared enough by the thought of death then perhaps he will return his prayers, begin going to mass, make a good sacramental confession and amend his life so that he will always be ready for death whenever and however it might meet him.
In a way I hope this flu does spread so it slaps people hard enough in the face to humble them before God before they lose their souls forever in hell. Though this might sound hateful, I can assure you it is not. Real love (or charity; no I'm not a modernist) wants what's best for the a person's soul more than his body. But note, this doesn't deny a man's wanting the health and happiness of another man's body. It only means it isn't the priority of the two parts. Take for example when you say "I you love." You do not mean you love only their body, you love both their body and their soul. The two are essential in making that person who they are. So because there are two elements involved in the existence of man, body and soul, we must want what is best for both but more importantly the soul over the body since the body will die but the soul will go on to eternity where the body will become the food for worms until the Last Judgment. If a person has to get sick in order to learn that he needs to change his life and make reparation for his sins, then may everyone get sick. Do you see my point? The body is the temple God gave us to assist us in getting to Heaven and the soul is the ruler of this body. It is therefore in the soul that our very person exists. Thus the soul's health takes precedence over the body's since it is in the soul that the body is lead. If you saw a very holy sick person sitting next to a very evil healthy people, who would you say was healthier? I would say the former because the importance lies within not without.
It's time to wake up humanity. It's time to destroy the false idols of self which we've carved into our beings. It's time to smash the lies of false religion and moral relativism which are infecting our world far worse than the bird flu. Let us begin by returning to the practice of Catholicism which means the practicing of the sacraments. We are in a battle both spiritual and germinal (not a real word). Let us not put our heads in the sand by ignoring these truths that threaten us, but instead, may we me ready for them by being holy and by doing our moral and religious duties. And if one day one of these enemies should find us, may God come to our assistance for He surely will to those who have sought His Love. Remember.... Watch ye and pray, for you know not when the lord of the house cometh (Mark 13:33-35)