“I am the resistance against sin within your heart” (Interior Word).
It is said that St. Catherine of Siena suffered terrible temptations against purity at one stage of her life. She then spoke to Jesus and asked Him where He had been while she was going through these attacks, which she found unbearable. Jesus answered that He had worked the repugnance to such impurity in her heart.
Today’s sentence reminds us of this battle that each one of us must face in different areas. Even if we do not always succeed in rejecting and overcoming every sin—that is, emerging victorious from the battle—we must know that our Father never abandons us. He strengthens us in the struggle against sin and sustains us so that we can resist. It is His Spirit that does not tolerate sin and awakens in us a repugnance for it. Even when we fall, it is His Spirit that leads us to repentance.
This reminds us that our Father is always with us, especially in the hours of strong temptation. Precisely in these moments He does not leave us alone, but struggles within us.
It is good to internalize this certainty. We human beings are weak, and no one knows this better than our Father. But how does He respond to our weakness? He takes care of us even more. When sin tempts us and tries to confuse our minds and weaken our will, He is present in the depths of our souls, sustaining us.
In our Father’s school of love, we should learn this attitude in dealing with others. If they are weak, we should support them. If they are in danger, we warn them with love and pray for them. If they have fallen, we should remind them of God’s mercy. In this way, in imitation of the Lord, we too become a resistance to the apparent omnipotence of sin.