Tuesday 11th November – Memorial of St Martin of Tours, Bishop

Reflection: Titus 2: 1-8, 11-14

SELF CONTROL

Many are the inclinations and desires of our hearts. The human flesh relentlessly craves comfort and pleasure. Hence the question: do all our heart and bodily cravings serve our ultimately good? Certainly not! He who lacks self-restraint will always exceed in talking, eat without measure, sleep without regulation, spend without reasoning etc. He cannot bring himself up to act in accordance with the conviction of his heart; as such, he is at the mercy of his mortal cravings and desires. Beloved, this is nothing but a life of servitude and slavery. It breeds mediocrity, lack of fulfilment and regret.

Dear friends, this is not the desire of God for us. Independently as humans, we cannot fully exercise the needed self-control and discipline which meaningful existence demands from us. This, St Paul clearly attests to (Romans 7: 14-20). We need the help of God – the enablement of the Holy Spirit which our loving Father readily gives us when we freely yield the ownership and control of our lives to him. This is the true freedom which gives enduring joy. It is only through divine grace and our readiness to cooperate with the Holy Spirit that we can live in sustainable self-discipline.

PRAYER: Oh Lord, please do not let my passions and mortal cravings ruin me! I submit ALL to you. Please help me to lead a life of self-control in accordance with the dictates of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

KNOW YOUR FAITH: CCC 1832 – The fruits of the Spirit are perfections that the Holy Spirit forms in us as the first fruits of eternal glory. The tradition of the Church lists twelve of them: “charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, chastity.”

HIDE ATREASURE: “A man without self-control is like a city broken  into and left without walls” Proverbs 25:28 RSV-CE

Readings for Today: Titus 2: 1-8, 11-14; Psalm  36: 3-4, 18,  23, 27, 29; Luke 17: 7-10