Thought for the Day – 30 December – Dissipation

Thought for the Day – 30 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Dissipation

“Dissipation leads to tepedity and tepidity leads to sin.
Why are we dissipated?
So much beauty and goodness surrounds us, created by God for our benefit.
It often happens, that when we gaze on worldly beauty, we become inordinately attached to it.
We see worldly goods and desire too ardently to possess them.
We forget, that the beauty of the earth, is only a fleeting reflection of the eternal beauty of God and that, the good things of creation, are gifts from God.
Everything which is good and beautiful in this world, therefore, should raise our minds and hearts towards God and prompt us to love Him Who created it.
Unfortunately, we often stop halfway, forget God and begin to seek, in creatures, the perfect satisfaction, which they are incapable of giving us.

Dissipation is the neglect of spiritual things and the inordinate attachment to creatures.
It causes us to lead worldly lives and to think only of material interests, money, pleasure and sometimes, sin.
If we find that we have fallen into this wretched state, let us act at once.
Let us remember, that we were not created like the animals, for the satisfaction of the senses but, were made for everlasting spiritual happiness.
Only God can satisfy our immortal souls, whereas created things, loved for their own sake, eventually leaves us bitter and disillusioned.
“What does it profit a man,” asks Sacred Scripture, “if he gain the whole world but suffer the loss of his own soul?” (Mt 16:26).”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci