One day, many centuries ago, there was a young monk praying in a cave and he suffered from the temptation of sexual desire. When he finished praying he sought out an old and wise monk who lived near by in another cave. When the young novice arrived he approached the older monk and said, "Father, everyone knows that you are a wise and faithful monk, will you help me?"
The old monk replied, "Of coarse my son, what do you wish to know?"
The young monk asked, "When does sexual temptation end?"
The old priest looked out into the dark night and said, "From what I hear, it ends about three days after they put you in the ground."
The old monk could see that there was something else holding the young monk and he asked him, "What else is on you mind my son?"
The young novice gathered his thoughts and replied, "Father, in the future will there be priests like us. Ones that will fast, remain vigilant, and do penitent prayer all night long?"
The old monk looked somberly at his young friend and said, "No. The people of the future will be weak. So weak indeed that they will hardly even fast for one day."
The young priest asked, "How then will the Church survive?"
The old priest replied with a look of sorrow, "You see my child, they will be weak indeed, yet greater than we. For we fight satan chained, but they will fight him unchained."
My brothers and sisters in Christ,
We are engaged in the greatest of all persecutions. The adversary fights us from the inside, as well as from the outside. Remain of good faith, praying all day long for divine strength. Do not be discouraged because out of every persecution comes a greater good. Amen.
The old monk replied, "Of coarse my son, what do you wish to know?"
The young monk asked, "When does sexual temptation end?"
The old priest looked out into the dark night and said, "From what I hear, it ends about three days after they put you in the ground."
The old monk could see that there was something else holding the young monk and he asked him, "What else is on you mind my son?"
The young novice gathered his thoughts and replied, "Father, in the future will there be priests like us. Ones that will fast, remain vigilant, and do penitent prayer all night long?"
The old monk looked somberly at his young friend and said, "No. The people of the future will be weak. So weak indeed that they will hardly even fast for one day."
The young priest asked, "How then will the Church survive?"
The old priest replied with a look of sorrow, "You see my child, they will be weak indeed, yet greater than we. For we fight satan chained, but they will fight him unchained."
My brothers and sisters in Christ,
We are engaged in the greatest of all persecutions. The adversary fights us from the inside, as well as from the outside. Remain of good faith, praying all day long for divine strength. Do not be discouraged because out of every persecution comes a greater good. Amen.
