Do you take the Lord’s name in vain when things go badly? Satan brings you troubles just to hear you blaspheme, says St. John Chrysostom. But he’s like a begging dog: if you don’t throw him any treats, he’ll stop hanging around. There are some who, if they meet with any reverse, or are slandered by anyone, or if they fall into any bodily malady, any pain in the foot or head, or any other disease, immediately blaspheme. In this... Read more
The devil makes use of temptation—the word means “testing”—to lure us to hell. But God tests us, says Dionysius, to train us for heaven. In general it seems true that it’s not possible for anyone to keep from experiencing evil completely. As someone says, “the whole world is in the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19), and again, “their span is but toil and trouble” (Psalm 90:10). But, you might ask, what’s the difference between being tempted and... Read more
Whenever Satan attacks us, says St. Cyril of Alexandria, he does it at our weakest point. Whatever temptation we’re most likely to give in to, that’s where Satan musters all his forces. By searching the inspired Scripture thoroughly, we shall find this to be a usual habit, as we may say, of the evil one. At the beginning, he opens his attack by trying the hearts of those who worship God, first of all sowing the seed of evil questionings,... Read more
Whatever tempts or interests you the most, says St. Leo the Great, that’s where you can expect the devil to attack you. We Christians have to be very careful, or we’ll be caught in the devil’s wiles, and go back to being tangled up in the errors we renounced. For the old enemy never stops transforming himself into an “angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). Everywhere he spreads his web of deceptions, and he makes every effort to corrupt the... Read more
Surely we can stand just a little evil. Not so, says St. Cyril of Alexandria. Judas began simply by tolerating a few whispered suggestions from Satan; he ended up with Satan as master of his whole heart. This is why Judas the traitor was not dismayed at rebukes spoken as yet quietly and secretly, nor did he even regard the invincible might of love, nor honor and glory and grace, nor the gift that he received from Christ. But hurrying... Read more
Temptations and trials do us good, says St. Ephrem the Syrian. Easy living makes us forget God, but difficulties strengthen us. To those who are just and upright, temptations become helps. Job, a man of discernment, was victorious in temptations. Sickness came on him, and he did not complain; disease afflicted him and he did not murmur; his body failed and his strength departed, but his will was not weakened. He proved perfect in all by sufferings, because temptations did... Read more
This week Scott Hahn shares insight into two of his most recent books. The Fourth Cup: Unveiling the Mystery of the Last Supper and the Cross takes a look at the often obscure and unknown rituals of the Passover and how the Last Supper foreshadowed the passion of Jesus Christ. Scott also weaves in how research into this impacted his journey to the Catholic faith. In The First Society: The Sacrament of Matrimony and the Restoration of the Social Order Scott explores how the sacrament... Read more
No temptation is irresistible, says Origen. No matter what the allurement, your will can resist it—if you strengthen it by exercising virtue. If anyone says that the outward world is made in such a way that one cannot resist it, let him study his own feelings and movements, and see whether there are not some plausible motives to account for his approval and assent, and the inclination of his reason to a particular object. To take an illustration, suppose a... Read more
St. John Cassian shares the wise advice of Abbot Serapion in Egypt: sometimes you can make use of one of your vices to combat a worse one. If you’re vain, think how much people will admire you for overcoming lust! But in one matter we find vanity to be a useful thing for beginners—by which I mean those who are still troubled by carnal sins. If (for example) they are troubled by the spirit of fornication, they could form an... Read more
No matter how strong your defenses against the worst vices, says St. John Cassian, opening the gate for one lets them all in. It is impossible that the fiery motions of the body can be extinguished before the incentives of the other chief vices are utterly rooted out. For you will never feel sure that someone can strive against the opposition of a stronger enemy, if you have seen him overcome by weaker ones in a higher conflict. The nature... Read more
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