There is one thing that all these men, women, and children had in common, says the book of Revelation: These are the ones that have come out of the great tribulation (Rev. 7:14). What is the great tribulation? Life in this valley of tears, life where there is rape, alcoholism, satanism, the peer pressure of youth, dysfunctional parents, sexual addiction, physical deformity, but none of these things had the power to defeat the Saints once they admitted their powerlessness over them and surrendered to a Power greater than themselves. God's power is the power of love, and love desires the freedom of the beloved. If we surrender ourselves to that Power, we too, will find the freedom that the Saints enjoyed in this life and perfect happiness in the life to come.

But we have to be realistic. We are wounded. St. Paul perceived that in the depths of man's being, man is not at home with himself, that there's a struggle going on in man's soul.

Man Divided Against Himself

St. Paul realized that man is divided against himself. Though animals may have many external enemies to combat, they have no opposition from within themselves, as man has. Man cannot be sure of self-loyalty. This struggle in man is not simply a matter of the flesh against the spirit, but rather in the very depths of man's being, man is not at one with himself. The executive branch and the legislative branch of the soul are in open conflict: What the mind knows to be right and good the will refuses to carry out, and in direct opposition to the well-being of the person. The alcoholic, for example, knows that he is killing himself