Oblates of St. Francis de Sales

New DeSales World Newsletter - Summer Edition

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time (September 26, 2004)

Suggested Emphasis

"Fight the good fight of faith."

Salesian Perspective

Both the reading from the prophet Amos and the parable from the Gospel of Luke warn us against being complacent which is defined as being "contented to a fault; self-satisfied and unconcerned." The first and third readings suggest that those who are complacent are those most in danger of experiencing personal disaster.

Few people decide to become "contented to a fault" all at once. It usually occurs slowly and subtly. We allow good times and experiences to lull us into a false sense of security. We begin to believe that we are somehow above the trials and tribulations of other people. We get the feeling that we have somehow "arrived" despite the fact that life's journey - with its responsibilities, demands and challenges - is far from over.

St. Paul certainly recognized the temptation to become "contented to a fault" His remedy? "Fight the good fight of faith. Seek after integrity, piety, faith, love, steadfastness and a gentle spirit."

Integrity - a steadfast adherence to a moral or ethical code
Piety - a religious devotion and reverence to God and to others
Faith - a confident belief in the truth, value, or trustworthiness of a person, idea or a thing
Love - a deep, tender, ineffable emotion of affection and solicitude toward others; a sense of underlying oneness
Steadfast - firmly loyal or constant; unswerving
Gentle - considerate or kindly; not harsh or severe

Fighting the good fight requires constant effort. It requires energy. It requires vigilance. It is an ongoing concern. We hear echoes of this in St. Francis de Sales' understanding of devotion: "Doing what is good carefully, frequently and promptly."

Simply put, the spiritual life is a life-long process. Regardless of how much progress we might be making at any given point along the journey we must avoid becoming complacent, of becoming "contented to a fault." No matter how much we have accomplished individually and collectively in the love of God and neighbor, there is always more good that sill must be accomplished.

Carefully, frequently and promptly.

Michael S. Murray, OSFS, is the Executive Director of the De Sales Spirituality Center