Since at this time we really want to draw closer to God, we will examine our souls in depth. There we will find the real enemies who fight relentlessly to keep us away from the Lord. In one way or another, therein lie the main obstacles to our Christian life: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life
"The concupiscence of the flesh is not only the disordered tendency of the senses in general (...), it is not reduced exclusively to the disorder of sensuality, but also to comfort, to the lack of vibration, which pushes one to seek the easiest, the most pleasurable, the apparently shortest way, even at the cost of yielding in fidelity to God (...).
"The other enemy (...) is the concupiscence of the eyes, a deep-seated greed, which leads us to value only what we can touch (...).
"The eyes of the soul are dulled; reason believes itself self-sufficient to understand everything, dispensing with God. It is a subtle temptation, which takes refuge in the dignity of intelligence, which Our Father God has given to man so that he may know and love Him freely. Dragged by this temptation, human intelligence considers itself the center of the universe, becomes enthusiastic once again about being like gods (Gen 3:5) and, being filled with love for itself, turns its back on the love of God.
"Our existence can thus be given unconditionally into the hands of the third enemy, the superbia vitae. It is not only a matter of ephemeral thoughts of vanity or self-love: it is a general conceit. Let us not deceive ourselves, for this is the worst of evils, the root of all evils "
Since the Lord is coming to us, we must prepare ourselves. When Christmas comes, the Lord must find us attentive and with a ready soul; he must also find us in our definitive encounter with him. We need to straighten the paths of our life, to turn towards this God who comes to us. Man's whole existence is a constant preparation to see the Lord, who is ever closer, but in Advent the Church helps us to ask in a special way: Lord, teach me your ways, instruct me in your paths, make me walk faithfully: teach me, for you are my God and my Savior
We will prepare for this encounter in the sacrament of Penance. As Christmas 1980 approached, Pope John Paul II was with more than two thousand children in a Roman parish. And he began the catechesis: How do you prepare for Christmas? With prayer, the children answered, shouting. Well, with prayer, the Pope told them, but also with Confession. You have to go to Confession so that you can go to Communion afterwards. Will you do it? And the thousands of children, even louder, answer: "We will! Yes, you must do it, John Paul II tells them. And in a lower voice: The Pope will also go to confession to receive the Child God with dignity.
This is how we too will do it in the weeks that remain before Christmas Eve, with more love, with more contrition each time. For we can always receive this sacrament of divine mercy with better dispositions, as a consequence of examining our soul more deeply.
Hablar con Dios