10th August

Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. John 6, 68

The sorrows of those will increase who run after other gods. Psalm 16, 4

The magic flute

The devil is like this legend magician, he is clever to delight the youth. Young people are easily influenced for good when they have good examples in front of them but also for evil. Collective craze which is caused by "idols" of songs, rock music, absence of morality and sometimes drugs is a form of collective anaesthesia. Satan knows the springiness of the human heart; his magic flute influences the fashion and the troop passively follows the one who leads to perdition. Yet, the bigger the troop of the followers is, the less it is conscient of the danger it runs into.

Another instructive legend is the one of Ulysse and his companions who swim through a sea covered with reefs where fearsome sirens ring. The hero commands his seamen to put their fingers into their ears. In a way this illustrates carefulness which people of this century can use when they are in front of danger. These are only legends, however they are not devoided of human wisdom. On the contrary the devil's power is a reality at every moment.