Universal Call to Holiness

February 23

The pride is an enemy that lurks especially souls who are consecrated to the Lord and who have surrendered to the spiritual life; and, therefore, may be called, rightly, ringworm of the soul that tends to perfection. It has been rightly called the saints rottenness of holiness.Our Lord, to show how greatly the pride is contrary to perfection, what makes this rebuke did the apostles, when he saw them full of complacency and pride, because demons obeyed the orders they gave them " However, do not rejoice that the spirits are subject. "And to eradicate completely from their minds the sad effects of this cursed vice, often get insinuate itself into the hearts, frightens putting before him the example of Lucifer, precipitate from above by the vain complacency in which he lost to greatness to which God had exalted him, "I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning."This vice be feared even more because there is a contrary virtue to combat it. Indeed, every vice has its remedy and the opposite virtue; banishes anger with gentleness; envy with charity; pride with humility; etc. Only vainglory no anti virtue to be fought. She creeps into the holiest acts; and, even in the same humility, if you are not careful, she stands with pride his shop.

(August 2, 1913, Father Augustine of San Marcos in Lamis - Ep. I, p 396.)

The Second Vatican Council reminds us of something that is apparently new, yet it is the most genuine, most exquisite, the most essential of every Christian Holiness. We are all called to open ourselves to God's grace and exercise ourselves in the way of holiness. All, like the shepherds, the souls entrusted to them. The universal call to holiness comes as a reminder that we are children of God. We do not own anything we have not received, that all that belongs to us are our vices and sins and the only thing we should be rejoicing in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is easy to say and hard to live because you risk the danger of wrapping under a halo of virtue the meanest intentions of the heart, where if you are not careful, alert to the conscientiousness and we're leaving alagar by others, and thinking we are the best, and everything we do, even the name of the Gospel we do well, and no one can do better than "I" ... How dangerous is it. A deep examination of conscience is needed. An urgent conversion is necessary. To discover that God is the one who will performing his work of salvation in ourselves and in others. Therefore, in this holy season of Lent we are able to find ourselves, with our inner demons, take them out, let God eject and open to the grace of a new life.