"When we look critically at the many thoughts and feelings that fill our minds and hearts, we may come to the horrifying discovery that we often choose death instead of life, curse instead of blessing. Jealousy, envy, anger, resentment, greed, lust, vindictiveness, revenge, hatred ... they all float in that large reservoir of our inner life. Often we take them for granted and allow them to be there and do their destructive work. But God asks us to choose life and to choose blessing. This choice requires an immense inner discipline. It requires a great attentiveness to the death-forces within us and a great commitment to let the forces of life come to dominate our thoughts and feelings. We cannot always do this alone; often we need a caring guide or a loving community to support us. But it is important that we both make the inner effort and seek the support we need from others to help us choose life." (Henri Nouwen) As Jesus has said, the road to life is narrow and the road to death is wide. What narrows the road for us is the filtering and purification of our thoughts. How do we do this? By grace, yes, but by our response to that grace. What does that look like? St. Paul says: Do not conform to this age (all that leads to death, the wide road), but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, choosing in all things the will of God, what is good, pleasing and perfect. In this way, we narrow the road so that we can enter the narrow gate.