In my city I have seen billboards that say “Have fun there’s probably no God.  Now stop worrying and enjoy your life”.  These marketing campaigns are funded by Satan.  The devil is everywhere luring people into meaningless lives and empty relationships.  But we don’t have to fall into the devil’s evil traps!  In fact if we strive to avoid them, then indeed we can stop worrying and enjoy our life because it will be a life of dignity and honour that gives glory to God.

I believe that each of us have a sacred place within us that only God can fill and alcohol, sex, drugs, money, power, toys…nothing will fill the yearning for God. Unfortunately we may not recognize that the need we feel within us is one that only God can fill, and if we don’t recognize this truth we can make a real mess of our life as we pursue sensual avenues that don’t lead to God. Our Lord Jesus is merciful and He knows that without a relationship with Him, we will be Satan’s victim.

My conversion and determination to not fall into temptation is not caused by my fear of God, it’s caused by my desire for the Holy One, Jesus Christ, that was crucified for me. I am privileged to work out of my home, so every day at 3 o’clock (the time Jesus died) I take a sacred walk with my Master to the place of His crucifixion and my resolve to lead a good life and to honor God increases as I see how He suffered for me.

Easter has passed now, but I urge you to keep meditating on the Passion of Our Lord each and every day.  St. Padre Pio who bore the stigmata was known to say, “Never let a day go by without meditating on the Passion of Christ.”

Why meditate on His Passion daily?  Because Jesus deserves to be remembered and by remembering His suffering and death on the Cross, we fall ever more deeply in love with Our Saviour who endured so much to create a place for us in Paradise.

Jesus warned the Apostles in the Garden of Gethsemane:  “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Matthew 26:41

Temptation ends when we fall in love. When we fall in love, we only have eyes for the one we love.  When we fall deeply and truly in love with Jesus Christ we begin to see the world with new eyes and the deepest yearning in our heart will be for Our Redeemer, Jesus.  Then the only real source of real pleasure in our life is the joy we experience loving God and loving one another.

I love You Jesus above all things and above all people and I love You within all things and within all people. I see You everywhere and I want to honor You. Please forgive us and help us to forgive one another. Please lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen