The Papal Encyclicals have changed a lot in recent centuries. They usually occupied one page; today they have a hundred or more pages. Previously, they often addressed specific international issues; today they deal mostly with our relationship with God or with the demands of Christian life. Fundamentally, the language of the Encyclicals have changed radically!
our life on earth is a sports arena and we need to train ourselves well in order to win over our competitors. But our competitors are not people around us – it’s our ego and the devil – because the devil is always waiting to catch us unawares. “Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (I Peter 5:8).