Episode 41 -- Spiritual Combat c25.1 -- Why Peace in the Midst of Trials is Important

How can I keep my soul in peace even when mighty trials afflict me?

Why does God allow such trials to come upon the world and upon souls? In this episode's reading, Fr Scupoli gives two main reasons. His purpose in writing chapter 25, however, is to show us how we are to keep our souls in peace even when terrible things happen to us. Why does peace of soul matter so much? Why does the devil so try to disturb our peace?

Last episode, we looked at one of the powers in the human person that must be guarded if we want peace of soul: our power of speech.

• Fr Scupoli thinks there is a time to talk and a time to be silent.

• Talking just to talk leads to many other sins.

• One of the worst things that can happen when we talk too much is that we talk about ourselves in the wrong way. Like Fr Scupoli, St Philip urged people not to make a display of self without good reason. “The words, ‘I said,’ and ‘I did’ should rarely be in our mouth,” St Philip used to say.

• Let us ask the Lord, “what would you have me to say?”

• Fr Scupoli wants us to value silence, stillness, being with God. He wants to practice frequent speaking with the angels and saints. Let us ask our favourite saints to help us learn how to use the great gift of speech.

• We do not want to talk in loud and dictatorial tones; we do not want to bore people; we do not want to waste valuable time.