Dec 27 Fri
How can I have a sporting spirit in my interior struggle?
The interior struggle requires many continuous battles. And as St. Josemaría taught, it should be undertaken with a tenacious, cheerful sporting spirit. “My child, try to be faithful throughout your life. And when you sense you're not, ask God for help. Strive eagerly and cheerfully, with a sporting spirit, to progress in your supernatural struggle, and you'll conquer. Lay all your wretchedness, all the obstacles that block your way, at Christ's feet. Then, He will be raised on high and triumph, and you will go with him. Never get discouraged. Rectify your intention, begin again, and keep trying. In the end, if you can't do it, our Lord will help you to leap over the rampart, the rampart of holiness."
We need a sporting spirit in our struggle, being ready to begin again and again whenever necessary, with cheerful, supernatural stubbornness.
Consequently, our love will grow stronger in the interior struggle.
St. Josemaría wrote: “I have noticed at times how an athlete's eyes light up at the sight of the obstacles to be overcome, what a victory is in store! See how he conquers the difficulties! God our Lord looks at us that way. He loves our struggle: we will win through always because he will never deny us his all-powerful grace. Thus, it doesn't matter if we have to fight, because He does not abandon us."
St Cyprian wrote: “This is the difference between us and those who don't know God, the latter complain in adversity, whereas hardships only strengthen our virtue."
St. Josemaría taught us that the best strategy for victory in the supernatural Olympics is to struggle in little things. A good athlete takes care of the smallest details. One need only recall the gymnast's precise movements, and the runner's exact pace, the jockey's measured rhythm. In the end, the best athletes are usually those who prepare with the most determination and look after all the details.
Besides, we are not fighting for a perishable crown, a momentary triumph: we're fighting for the victory of Christ, to identify ourselves with Christ.
Sometimes in our interior life, “as in sports, one has to know how to lose a game to win the next one. Thus, we draw new strength from our errors and defeats.
Whoever gives up because he misses one goal, has missed the point of his effort. We know we're going to lose sometimes. We may fail, but God doesn't lose battles."
Learning how to lose is another virtue of a good sportsman. We are inevitably going to lose some skirmishes in our daily struggle. But “learn to draw from your falls a new impulse: from death, life.” If we struggle, if we have a spirit of examination and contrition, then our daily mistakes, our unfulfilled resolutions, our lack of love, and our insensitivity, will be turned to good advantage.
God counts on our defects and gives us his grace to fight against them. Our small daily defeats should help us to trust more in God and less in ourselves. They help to make us more humble.
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