What cannot be, cannot be

During the course of the Monaco Grand Prix in 1955, ALBERTO ASCARI's car fell into the sea, and he had to be taken to hospital.

He didn't suffer more than a broken nose so, on leaving hospital he went to Monza, where he was due in a race on Sunday.

He decided to try out some laps while the circuit was empty... and no one knew anything about him until later, when skid marks made by a car braking were noticed, and Alberto's overturned car was found with Alberto lifeless, inside.

A mechanic had crossed the track not realising that someone was out there driving, causing the accident which killed him.

Psychologists say that people enjoy doing things that are forbidden. If we are told we are not allowed to do a certain thing, it is enough to make us want to do it without fail.

The taste for adventure, wrongly applied, leads to rebellion and disobedience. Within each of us there seems to be some force that pushes us to do things we know we shouldn't... and often it is stronger than our own will.

It is curious that even in some murder trials, this inner compulsion is used as justification for the action. I myself have heard these arguments various times: "I couldn't help it, it was too strong for me" and "I was not responsible for my actions."

We should recognise that we are experts at inventing excuses. It is true that our wickedness is often greater than our strength for good. But it is also certain that the only ones to blame for this evil are ourselves.

Everyone of us has allowed this inward compunction to grow, by feeding, watering and even encouraging it, and it leads us into evil, which the Bible simply calls sin.

There is no need to go over the matter again. What can't (or shouldn't) be, mustn't be allowed, and what's more it should be impossible.

We cannot blame others, or even our own interior condition, for something that is exclusively our problem.

For this reason many are ignorant (or would like to be) of the dangers of abusing their own bodies. I am sure you have listened to their arguments: "my body needs...", "I am really desperate for..., I couldn't do anything about it..."

Whenever we are talking about situations such as sex, pleasure, violence or addiction to certain substances, people try to make excuses for themselves, without recognising that the fault is theirs.

What I have just said is really serious. We are all responsible for ourselves and our bodies. If we use our bodies in a way that is contrary to the laws of God, we are going to suffer the consequences.

It would be better to think carefully about all this before we confront death in the face.

It is better to look after our physical and spiritual bodies...before we get into real trouble.