Keep
your eyes open!...
January 30, 2026
(Rom 12:14-19) Bless
them that persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that
rejoice: weep with them that weep. Being of one mind one towards
another. Not minding high things, but consenting to the humble. Be not
wise in your own conceits. To no man rendering evil for evil. Providing
good things, not only in the sight of God but also in the sight of all
men. If it be possible, as much as is in you, have peace with all men.
Revenge not yourselves, my dearly beloved; but give place unto wrath,
for it is written: Revenge is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord.
ACN: ACN and Faith & Reason Institute launch “Faith Under Siege” podcast
WESTERN JOURNAL: Here Are the Worst Countries on Earth for Christian Persecution
The newly released World Watch List
from the Christian nonprofit Open Doors revealed which nations in the
world are the least friendly to believers seeking to follow Jesus
Christ and advance His gospel. The most recent version of the analysis
concluded that one in every seven Christians are persecuted worldwide.
That includes one in every five Christians in Africa, as well as two in
every five Christians in Asia.
Each nation on the list is scored with a point system tracking
“violence and pressure,” which encompasses the number of physical
threats toward believers and the various social and legal obstacles
they may face for following Jesus. Specific ideologies and religions —
such as Islam, communism, and nationalistic Hinduism — are responsible
for the greatest and most severe worldwide Christian persecution.
The worst country in the world for Christians is indeed communist North
Korea. “If someone is discovered to be a Christian, the consequences
are unimaginably stark: either imprisonment in one of its notorious
labour camps, with little hope of release, or immediate
execution. The same fate is likely to await other family
members,” Open Doors noted. The Kim regime ensures that neighbors and
family members are incentivized to report Christians, such that “even
the slightest hint of worshipping Jesus can have devastating
consequences.” But even still, believers seek to gather “in utmost
secrecy and at enormous risk.” The other nine countries in the highest
10 nations on the World Watch List are all Islamic — from Iran and
Sudan to Nigeria and Pakistan.
In Somalia, which ranks second on the list after North Korea, “openly
following Jesus is impossible.” Beyond an outright ban on conversion to
Christianity under Sharia law, “conversion to a different religion is
seen as betrayal and a dishonouring of country, clan and family.” The
Islamic terrorist group Al-Shabaab meanwhile “wishes to eradicate
Christianity and openly executes anyone suspected of being a
Christian.” Nigeria, which is seventh on the list, rose by one spot as
violent Islamic groups terrorize Christian communities in the north and
central parts of the country.
But the most severe uptick in persecution for countries in the top 10
came from Syria. “Since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024 —
after ruling Syria for more than 50 years — the country has been mostly
controlled by forces led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham,” Open Doors said.
“This is an Islamic extremist group with roots in Al Qaeda. The
group has made overtures towards moderation and held talks with
representatives of Syria’s traditional Christian communities, but it is
too soon to know what will come of the new leadership.” Open Doors
encourages believers around the world to pray for their brothers and
sisters facing extreme persecution.
“You don’t have to feel helpless watching persecution from a distance,”
their website reminds supporters. “Your faithful prayers are already
making an eternal difference.”
CRISIS MAGAZINE: A Miraculous Story of Answered Prayers
ACTION ALERT: End the Mass Slaughter of Christians in Nigeria. Pressure your Government to intervene
ANALYSIS: Turkey’s Christians Face the Future with Reasons for Hope, Caution
ZENIT NEWS REPORTS:
New Mass Kidnapping of Christians in Nigeria
Nicaraguan regime bans urban and rural “door-to-door” missions in the country’s dioceses
Jewish settlers attack Christian family in the West Bank, and the Israeli army arrests… the Christians!
Ladder
of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 6- "On remembrance of death"
1. Every word is preceded by thought. And the remembrance
of death and sins precedes weeping and mourning. Therefore, this subject
comes in its proper place in this chapter.
January 28, 2026
(Rev 17:17) For
God hath given into their hearts to do that which pleaseth him: that
they give their kingdom to the beast, till the words of God be
fulfilled.
NEWS REPORT: Anthropic CEO warns AI could become biggest threat humanity has ever faced
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has released a new essay
warning that powerful AI could pose serious risks to humanity,
economies, and democracy. He calls for transparency, responsible
safeguards, and realistic regulation as AI capabilities continue to
grow rapidly. Near the end of the essay, Amodei writes, “Humanity
needs to wake up.” He adds that stopping AI development is unrealistic,
but slowing dangerous paths and building safeguards is possible.
The overall message is not that disaster is guaranteed, but that
inaction carries real risk. Amodei frames this moment as a test
of maturity for humanity itself. He issues a
stark warning about the existential risks posed by advanced AI,
describing the technology as being in a phase of "technological
adolescence" that could test humanity’s survival as a species.He advocates for a democratic
“entente” strategy to ensure that free nations lead in AI development
while sharing benefits, countering the rise of authoritarian control.
For readers, policymakers, and business leaders, the essay lands as a
clear signal that AI’s future is no longer just a tech story. It
is becoming a telecom, business, security, and governance story all at
once.
BACKGROUND:
Dario Amodei is the co-founder and CEO of Anthropic, the artificial
intelligence company behind the large language model series "Claude".
He is a prominent AI researcher and entrepreneur who previously served
as Vice President of Research at OpenAI, where he led the development
of GPT-2 and GPT-3 and co-invented "reinforcement learning from human
feedback".
**Dario Amodei – Quick facts:**
- **Born**: 1983 (age 42–43) in _San Francisco, California, U.S._
- **Education**: BS in Physics from _Stanford University_; MS and PhD in Biophysics from _Princeton University_
- **Key roles**: Co-founder and CEO of _Anthropic_; Vice President of Research at _OpenAI_
- **Notable achievements**: Named to _Time 100_ (2025); recognized as
one of the “Architects of AI” for Time’s Person of the Year
- **Recent focus**: Warned of AI risks including autonomy misalignment,
misuse for weapons, authoritarian surveillance, economic disruption,
and existential threats to human purpose
EXCERPT: MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE LEO XIV FOR THE 60TH WORLD DAY OF SOCIAL COMMUNICATIONS (24 January 2026)
From the moment of creation, God wanted man and woman to be
his interlocutors, and, as Saint Gregory of Nyssa explained: “The fact
of being created in the image of God means that, from the moment of his
creation, man has been imprinted with a regal character [...].
God is love and the fount of love: the Fashioner of our nature has made
this to be our feature too, so that through love — a reflection of
divine love — human beings may recognize and manifest the dignity of
their nature and their likeness to their Creator” (cf. Saint
Gregory of Nyssa, On the Making of Man: PG 44, 137).
He imprinted on our faces a reflection of divine love, so that we may
fully live our humanity through love. Preserving human faces and
voices, therefore, means preserving this mark, this indelible
reflection of God’s love. We are not a species composed of
predefined biochemical formulas. Each of us possesses an
irreplaceable and inimitable vocation, that originates from our own
lived experience and becomes manifest through interaction with others.
If we fail in this task of preservation, digital technology threatens
to alter radically some of the fundamental pillars of human
civilization that at times are taken for granted. By simulating
human voices and faces, wisdom and knowledge, consciousness and
responsibility, empathy and friendship, the systems known as artificial
intelligence not only interfere with information ecosystems, but also
encroach upon the deepest level of communication, that of human
relationships.
The challenge, therefore, is not technological, but
anthropological. Safeguarding faces and voices ultimately means
safeguarding ourselves. Embracing the opportunities offered by
digital technology and artificial intelligence with courage,
determination and discernment does not mean turning a blind eye to
critical issues, complexities and risks.
X via Alex Berenson: I'm a professional writer. A good one, I can write non-fiction AND novels better than you, or almost anyone.
I can easily suss ChatGPT's junk. This
is different. This is the first time I've seen what the coders
mean when they say AI scares them. This... feels alive.
RELATED RESOURCES
Ladder
of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 5- "On painstaking and true repentance"
39. In the case of cowardly and slothful people,
the falls that occur after our call are hard to bear; they crush the hope
of dispassion and persuade us to regard our having barely risen form the
pit of sin as a state of blessedness. Look, look! For certainly we do not
return by the way we went astray, but by another shorter route.
January 26, 2026
(Psa 97:1-2) The LORD reigns, may the
earth rejoice; May the many islands be joyful. Clouds and thick
darkness surround Him; Righteousness and justice are the foundation of
His throne.
THE CATHOLIC THING: Are All Welcome?
EXCERPT HIRAETH IN EXILE BLOG: “Only Say the Word”
The Kingdom Still Reigns Even When the Courts Are Corrupt
The Introit begins where every Catholic recovery begins: not with the
headlines, not with the latest episcopal press release, not with the
latest “prudential” retreat from truth, not with Leo’s newest
appointment, not with the nervous hush of the professional Catholics
who built careers warning about Francis and now speak in murmurs as the
same revolution keeps marching.
The Lord is King.
That line is an anchor. When the visible machinery of the Church
looks captured, when the public face of authority feels like a
permanent fog machine, the liturgy drags our chin upward and forces our
eyes onto the throne.
Sion hears and is glad. Juda rejoices. Why, when the world
gives so many reasons to grimace? Because the King’s reign does
not depend on the applause of courtiers, nor on the loyalty of hired
commentators, nor on whether the men in charge decide to act like
fathers or like HR managers. He reigns through storms and through
mutinies, through faithful bishops and through cowardly bishops,
through saints and through scandal.
This is the first kind of hope the Mass gives today: the hope of
reality. Christ reigns even when the earthly offices look
compromised. Heaven does not change its constitution because Rome
has become theatrical.
“Adore God, all you His angels.” Notice the order. We adore
first. We explain later. We worship first. We
strategize later. In times of chaos, everyone wants to become a
pundit. The liturgy makes us become Catholics again.
“Look With Favor Upon Our Weakness”
The Collect is brief, blunt, and perfectly timed.
“Almighty and everlasting God, look with favor upon our weakness, and
stretch forth the right hand of Your majesty to help and defend us.” No
romantic language, denial, or fake confidence. Weakness is
admitted openly. The prayer does not pretend that the faithful
are strong, well led, well fed, well protected. It simply asks
God to do what men refuse to do: defend.
That “right hand” returns in the Offertory: “The right hand of the Lord
has struck with power… I shall not die, but live.” The liturgy is
teaching you how to interpret the crisis. The Church is not a
self-sustaining brand. The Church survives because God defends
her, even when a significant portion of her visible leadership behaves
like a bureaucratic class managing decline.
If you feel tired, outnumbered, and constantly told to calm down, to
stop noticing, to stop speaking, to stop “being divisive,” the Collect
hands you a sentence you can pray without pretending.
Lord, look with favor upon our weakness.
Not our strength. Not our cleverness. Not our access. Our weakness.
That is a mercy, because weakness is what most Catholics possess right
now: weak communities, weak preaching, weak formation, weak courage
from people who are paid to have courage.
God listens anyway.
MARK MALLET BLOG: The Slow Burn
The tone mixes urgency, hope,
and personal introspection — acknowledging the Mark's own aging and
long commitment — while rejecting both despair and naive optimism.
He urges readers to:
- Avoid doubting God's presence or the prophecies.
- Stay vigilant in sanctifying grace, resist sin, and love others.
- Live faithfully in the present moment without burying their "talents" in fear.
Mallett
sees the world approaching a climactic "Great Transition" and "Valley
of Decision," but emphasizes preparation through prayer, sacraments,
and trust in Divine Mercy rather than fear. The post encourages
ongoing accompaniment via his writings and ends on a note of peace amid
coming trials.
Ladder
of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 5- "On painstaking and true repentance"
38. Nothing equals or excels God's mercies. Therefore,
he who despairs is committing suicide. A sign of true repentance is the
acknowledgment that we deserve all the afflictions, visible and invisible,
that
come upon us, and even greater ones. Moses, after seeing God in the bush,
returned again to Egypt, that is, to darkness and to the brick-making of
Pharaoh, who was symbolical of the spiritual Pharaoh. But he went back
again to the bush, and not only to the bush, but also up the mountain.
Whoever has known divine vision will never despair of himself. Job became
a beggar, but he became twice as rich again.
January 23, 2026
(Psa 139:13-14)
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s
womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
SAINT POPE JOHN PAUL II: “A nation that kills its own children is a nation without hope”.
THE CATHOLIC WEEKLY: March for Life 2026 challenges abortion with message ‘Life Is a Gift’
LIFEFEST: Watch the 2026 livestream here!
EWTN NEWS: How to watch the March for Life 2026: EWTN’s live coverage
THE CATHOLIC HERALD: Vance and Johnson to address March for Life
U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance
and House Speaker Mike Johnson are expected to speak at this year’s
March for Life in Washington, D.C., marking a significant show of
support from the highest levels of government for the country’s largest
annual pro-life gathering.
The 2026 march, set to take place on Friday, 23 January, will bring
tens of thousands to the streets of the capital to reaffirm the dignity
of unborn life and advocate for continued protections in law and
culture. While the event has always drawn a strong turnout from
grassroots activists, religious leaders, and students, this year’s
edition carries particular weight as it comes amid renewed national
debates over abortion legislation and state-level protections following
the 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade.
Vice President Vance, a Catholic and long-time advocate for family
policy, is due to give remarks that highlight the moral and social case
for defending life in the womb. Speaker Johnson, who has
frequently cited his Christian faith in defence of pro-life
legislation, is also expected to address the rally and signal the
continued commitment of congressional leadership to opposing efforts to
expand abortion access federally.
While President Donald Trump will not be attending the 2026 March for Life in person, he told EWTN News’ White House correspondent Owen Jensen on Jan. 16 he will address the crowd through a “beautiful” prerecorded message.
USCCB: Nationwide Prayer Vigil for Life to Take Place January 22-23
Catholics across the country are
encouraged to observe a nationwide prayer vigil from Thursday, January
22 to Friday, January 23, 2026, to pray for an end to abortion and a
greater respect for all human life in post-Roe America.
“Together, we must pray to change hearts and build a culture of life as
we advocate for the most vulnerable. I look forward to opening
our Vigil with Holy Mass together with many other bishops, hundreds of
priests, consecrated religious, seminarians, and many thousands of
pilgrims,” said Bishop Daniel E. Thomas of Toledo, chairman of
the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on
Pro-Life Activities.
The National Prayer Vigil for Life
is hosted each January by the U.S. Conference of Catholic
Bishops’ (USCCB) Pro-Life Secretariat, the Basilica of the National
Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., and The
Catholic University of America’s Office of Campus Ministry. This
year, the opening of the National Prayer Vigil for Life will take place
on January 22, the anniversary date of the Roe v. Wade decision
that legalized abortion nationwide in 1973.
In 2022, the Supreme Court of the
United States issued its decision Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s
Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade. Since
the Dobbs decision, abortion policy is now determined at the state and
federal levels. Some states have increased access to abortion and
others are working to ensure stronger policies to protect preborn
children and their mothers.
The Opening Mass of the National
Prayer Vigil for Life will take place at 5:00 p.m. in the Great
Upper Church of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate
Conception in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, January 22.
Bishop Thomas will be the principal celebrant and homilist for the
Opening Mass. At 7:00 p.m., following the Opening Mass, a
National Holy Hour for Life will take place in the Crypt Church (lower
level) of the Basilica, which will include Recitation of the Rosary and
Benediction. The nationwide vigil concludes on Friday, January 23
in the Great Upper Church with the 8:00 AM Closing Mass celebrated by
Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley, OFM, Cap., archbishop emeritus of
Boston.
VATICAN.VA: IOANNES PAULUS PP. II EVANGELIUM VITAE
To the Bishops Priests and Deacons Men and Women religious lay Faithful
and all People of Good Will on the Value and Inviolability of Human Life
Ladder
of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 5- "On painstaking and true repentance"
37. We must carefully consider whether our conscience
has ceased to accuse us, not as a result of purity, but because it is immersed
in evil. A sign of deliverance from our falls is the continual reckoning
of ourselves as debtors.
January 21, 2026
(Eph 4:1-6) I
therefore, a prisoner in the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of
the vocation in which you are called: With all humility and mildness,
with patience, supporting one another in charity. Careful to keep the
unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. One body and one Spirit: as
you are called in one hope of your calling. One Lord, one faith, one
baptism. One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all,
and in us all.
POPE LEO XIV: “I
therefore invite all Catholic communities to intensify their prayer
during these days for the full, visible unity of all Christians.”
CATHOLIC STANDARD: For Pope Leo XIV, Christian unity is not just an ideal, but an imperative
VATICAN.VA: CONGREGATION
FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH DECLARATION "DOMINUS IESUS" ON THE
UNICITY AND SALVIFIC UNIVERSALITY OF JESUS CHRIST AND THE CHURCH
CATHOLIC WORLD NEWS: Background: Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2026
REVIEW: Chair of Unity Octave- Jan.18-25
Every year, from January 18 through 25 the Church observes a
special period of prayer for the return of our separated brethren to
full communion with the Catholic Church. Called the Chair of
Unity of Octave or the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, it extends
from the traditional Feast of the Chair of St. Peter at Rome
(January 18) until the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul
(January 25).
It began on October 3, 1899, the eve of the feast of St. Francis
of Assisi, when the Rev. Lewis Thomas Wattson, an Episcopal
clergyman, later known as the Very Rev. Paul James Francis, S.S.,
arrived at Graymoor New York to establish a community of Episcopal
Franciscans called the Friars of the Atonement. The previous
year, Miss Lurana White, a devout young woman, had founded a community
of Episcopal nuns known as the Sisters of the Atonement in the same
place. For ten years, the two communities were jointly known as
the Society of the Atonement and lived the monastic life as members of
the Protestant Episcopal Church.
Looking about him on a largely irreligious world, Father Paul grieved
most because Christians seemed divided into warring sects and
factions. Because he began to preach corporate reunion of the
Episcopal Church with the Roman Catholic Church, he was banned from the
pulpits of the Episcopal Church, so in his brown robe and sandals, he
took his message to the streets and parks of New York.
Father Paul James Francis was determined to carry on a vigorous
apostolate for the return of all separated Christians to communion with
the Holy See. To further this aim, he inaugurated the Chair of
Unity Octave in 1908. One year later, the members of the Society
themselves received the grace of conversion and on October 30, 1909
they entered the Catholic Church in a body. It astonished no one
when he took his own advice and brought his community with him into the
Catholic Church. With the blessing of Pope St. Pius X, they
were permitted to continue as a religious society in the Catholic
Church and were commissioned to carry on the apostolate of Christian
unity as their community aim.
In an Apostolic Brief in the year 1916, Pope Benedict XV also approved
the Chair of Unity Octave as a Catholic devotion and in 1921, at their
annual meeting in Washington, the Catholic hierarchy of the United
States unanimously adopted the Octave for all the dioceses in the
country. Under the patronage of St. Peter, the first Vicar
of Christ, Bishop of Rome, and St. Paul, the Apostle of the
Gentiles, the Chair of Unity Octave has flourished and grown. It
is now observed in many parts of the world.
LINK: Resources for THE WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY and throughout the year 2026
RELATED WORLD NEWS
Ladder
of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 5- "On blessed and ever-memorable obedience"
35. Those living in the world, and they only, are
strangers to these two assurances, and especially the first. But through
almsgiving, some so run the race that they know at their departure what
their gain has been.
January 19, 2026
(Joh 15:18-20) If
the world hate you, know ye that it hath hated me before you. If you
had been of the world, the world would love its own: but because you
are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore
the world hateth you. Remember my word that I said to you: The servant
is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted me, they will
also persecute you. If they have kept my word, they will keep yours
also.
WORLD WATCH LIST 2026: The World Watch List
is Open Doors' annual ranking of the 50 countries where Christians face
the most extreme persecution. Explore each country profile and
download the data and stories for in-depth information about following
Jesus in the most dangerous places. You'll learn more about
Christian persecution and discover how to stand with your brothers and
sisters in prayer and action.
ACN: In Memoriam: 17 missionaries and pastoral workers worldwide suffered violent deaths in 2025
DETROIT CATHOLIC: US commission hearing focuses on persecution of Christians around globe
Although individual accounts are by now familiar to many,
the purpose of the hearing, said Vicky Hartzler, a former congresswoman
from Missouri and an evangelical Christian who is currently chair of
the commission, was to draw attention to what she called "a dark
picture for religious freedom" with persecution of all faiths by
official government policy.
She called China, where the government has targeted Catholics, "a stark
illustration of just how far governments will go to restrict religion
or belief."
Myanmar, a country also known as Burma, prohibits all religious
gatherings, she observed, and more than 200 churches there have been
destroyed, with 85 clergy members killed.
Rep. Mary Miller, R-Ill., praised President Donald Trump's
administration for its decision in November to officially return
Nigeria to the classification of Country of Particular Concern for
religious freedom violations there. The CPC designation comes
from the International Religious Freedom Act and allows the imposition
of economic sanctions. Trump first imposed the designation in
2021 during his first administration, but President Joe Biden's
administration revoked it the following year.
On Christmas Day, Trump announced that the United States had bombed
Islamist State militants in Nigeria. In a Truth Social post, he
said the airstrikes responded to attacks which "have been targeting and
viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians" in Northern Nigeria
and the country's Middle Belt region.
"It's evident that human rights abuses in Nigeria" have only one
purpose, and that is to extend the sectarian fighting there, said
Rep. John Rose, R-Tenn. "And the United States is no longer
turning a blind eye to this violence."
ANTONIO CARDINAL BACCI: The Blessedness of Those Who Suffer Persecution
1. It would seem impossible that suffering and persecution could
bring us happiness. Yet we have our Lord's assurance for
it. “Blessed are they who suffer persecution for justice' sake,”
He says, “for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you
when men reproach you, and persecute you, and, speaking falsely, say
all manner of evil against you, for my sake. Rejoice and exult,
because your reward is great in heaven.”( Mt.5:9-12)
Not only is this true of persecution borne in defence of the faith and
of the Church, but it is equally true of any kind of trouble and
suffering as long as it is endured for the love of God.
“Rejoice,” writes St. Peter, “in so far as you are partakers of
the sufferings of Christ, that you may also rejoice with exultation in
the revelation of his glory.” (1 Peter 4:13)
"It is good for us now and then," ‘The Imitation of Christ’ assures us,
"to have some troubles and adversities; for oftentimes they make a man
enter into himself, that he may know that he is an exile, and place not
his hopes in anything of the world. It is good for us sometimes
to suffer contradictions, and to allow people to think ill and
slightingly of us, even when we do and mean well. These are often
helps to humility, and rid us of vain glory. For then we more
earnestly seek God to be witness of what passes within us, when
outwardly we are slighted by men, and incur their discredit." (Bk.1,
c. 12)
This is a repetition of the teaching of Jesus Christ, Who said: “If
anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his
cross daily, and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)
The happiness which our Lord promises us is that which results from our
own self-renewal and from the acceptance of our cross. This
happiness is not easy to acquire, because our selfish and sensual
impulses, as well as the insults of others, seem to be forever stirring
up a nest of vipers inside us. Too often our hearts are
overflowing, not with happiness, but with rebellion. How can we
remedy this? There is only one way. We must love God so
much that we are prepared to endure everything willingly for love of
Him. Those who suffer are blessed, therefore, only on one
condition, namely, on condition that they suffer for love of God.
2. Why did God will to grant us happiness only on this condition
that we deny ourselves and carry the cross with resignation? The
reason is that we should no longer be ourselves, but should belong
entirely to God, and should no longer live our own lives, as St.
Paul expresses it, but should live the life of Jesus Christ. We
ought to become like Him, the Man of sorrows Who redeemed us at the
price of His Precious Blood and forgave His executioners from the
Cross. We must suffer, moreover, so that by our suffering we may
expiate our sins, purify our souls, detach ourselves from the world,
and begin to lead a heavenly life even on this earth.
We should not imagine that this will make our lives sad and
dreary. On the contrary, it will fill them with the lasting joy
which God sends from on high. Let us acquire the peace which is
founded on complete control of the passions, on absolute dedication to
God, and on the power of charity, which can overcome all
obstacles. Before we can acquire it, of course, we must be
enlightened and strengthened by the Holy Spirit. It was not until
after Pentecost that the Apostles achieved this happiness, so that
“they departed from the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they
had been counted worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus.
(Acts 5:41)
3. Let us implore the Holy Spirit to enlighten us and to grant us
this serene joy, which is a reflection of the happiness of Heaven.
Ladder
of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 5- "On painstaking and true repentance"
34. Let no one who laments expect assurance at
his departure. For the unknown is not sure. Spare me, through assurance,
that I be refreshed before I go hence unassured (of salvation). Where the
Spirit of the Lord is, the bond is loosed. Where there is profound humility,
the bond is loosed. But let those who are without these two assurances
make no mistake: they are bound. 
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