I read all of these mystical Carmelite writings, but when God really wants to communicate a deep spiritual truth to my heart during prayer, He uses Star Wars metaphors. (I've mentioned before that I'm a Carmelite with a very little brain, right? And a child of the 1980s? )
My big insight this Lent is that the best way to fight the Devil is to "Stay on Target!" Satan can do very little to directly harm us. His big weapon is distraction. For the next few weeks of Lent, whenever I'm feeling emotionally crummy, instead of withdrawing and stewing in my emotions, I try to force myself to do something very practical and physical for my vocation as a wife and mother.
I try to be the focused Luke, determined to finish his mission to blow up the Death Star, rather than the easily distracted extra who gets killed by Darth Vader.
My little mantra for this shift is "Stay on Target."
Pretty nifty how this whole "growing in holiness" thing works out in everyday life!
