by Howard Hain

“The Decent into Limbo”, Circle of Andrea Mantegna, mid-15th Century, The Met

I have been practicing a new offense. For I am often ambushed at night, by ugly dreams and even uglier and terrifying thoughts. I awake. I arise. I calmly identify the area the sniper is attempting to exploit, the area the spy is trying to infiltrate—for by attacking he terribly weakens himself—for he reveals his position. The horizon is spanned. And with the prudent and wise counsel of the Holy Spirit the weakling is located and isolated, dispelling the smoke screen that once concealed his actual tininess. I peacefully choose my weapon: the virtue that most purifies and converts the “ugly” and “fearful” thought that has been thrown aimlessly at my fortification built on and of rock. I then rally all of God’s holy angels, saints, virtues, gifts, and glory around this single point of…