A Novena in Honor of Ven. Bruno Lanteri Day 6 – Seminar/Retreat Novena

Day 6 – Protecting against Sin and Vice “Through joyfulness one avoids sins and easily triumphs over temptation. It is proper to temptations to begin to instill despondency and sadness. And in these troubled waters the devil begins to fish. The joyful man has great regard for and always enjoys the spiritual goods he hopes for and possesses. When these are compared to the apparent goods temptations offer, he quickly decides the question with the exclamation of St. Philip, "Paradise, Paradise." Therefore, he sins less and gains much more merit... With joyfulness, one drives out the sloth which impedes the practice of virtue. With joyfulness one easily acquires holiness and perfects oneself through virtuous actions. "God loves a joyful giver" (2 Corinthians 9: 7). Joyful giving is done not as a burden, but by good grace, with love. If one thinks too much about a good action that is to be performed [and thus hesitates], the merit of that action will be diminished... So act promptly... The one who gives promptly, gives double. Compare a sad person with a joyful one in their daily activities. The despondent one behaves like an old lazy man, who is sleepy, cold, frozen.... The joyful one behaves like a young man who carries himself well, is graceful, robust, and energetic. In fact, if one prays, if one meditates with joy, if one approaches the sacraments joyfully, if one converses with his neighbor with joy, how many sins against God and neighbor will be avoided! With joyfulness one's perseverance in good is more easily assured, because doing things with sadness and against one's will constitutes a violent state that cannot last. In such a case, if great difficulties are encountered, how much more easily is everything abandoned. The joyful man, on the other hand, is resolute, generous, energetic, and so he easily overcomes the difficulty of perseverance.” The post A Novena in Honor of Ven. Bruno Lanteri Day 6 – Seminar/Retreat Novena appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.