Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle. AP FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — As the Christian world observes the Lenten season, Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle urged believers to resist temptations and find some quiet time with God.
Speaking at an international conference of single Catholics, Tagle urged his audience to strive to deepen their spiritual life, describing the devil as wily enough to present temptation as the most “logical” and “sensible” thing to do, according to a report on the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) website.
“The Gospel (that day was) about the temptations of Jesus. And these temptations are not unique to Jesus. If we look at the way we are tempted in daily life, the story of Jesus is repeated over and over,” Tagle said at the Singles for Christ (SFC) international conference in Pasay City on Saturday.
“The Devil knows how to present a justifiable and even reasonable plan,” he added.
To keep out of the Devil’s reach, the cardinal urged the Catholic youth present to keep God close to their hearts.
“It is hard to hurt someone who is always in your heart and mind,” Tagle said, adding that the faithful should fill their minds and hearts with “memories of God” and the blessings they had received.
But the cardinal also reminded those present that the path God would provide could be challenging in order to purify the believer.
“God chooses the way of humility, of being alone, of thirst, of being abandoned by friends, of crucifixion,” Tagle said, adding that the devil would usually offer the easy way out.
The CBCP report said 8,200 SFC members attended the conference from the Philippines and other countries like the United Arab Emirates, Brunei, Indonesia, Canada, and Australia.
Originally posted at 10:26 pm | Tuesday, February 19, 2013