“Blessed
is he who perseveres in temptation, for when he has been proven he will
receive the crown of life that he promised to those who love him.”
Each
of us face temptation every day.
Whether it is a temptation of the mind, body or tongue concupiscence—the
tendency to sin—rears its ugly head.
When
a temptation comes, we must react in two ways. First, we must remember that God walks with us through any
inkling to sin: “When I say, ‘My foot is
slipping,’
your
mercy, O LORD,
sustains me…” Offering
the temptation itself to God is a powerful prayer because He knows what is
happening and is near us in that moment.
Second,
Mother Teresa frequently cited a line from St. Theresa of Avila: “The devil
hates resolute souls.” We must be
resolute of soul in our battle against sin. We must immediately say, “I don’t want this” when an evil
desire comes and make a choice for God.
Being
resolute of soul requires resolution of our whole person. Our will is stronger when we are
healthy—getting enough sleep, eating well, exercising regularly and living
balanced lives.
We
pray for the grace to trust in God’s presence in whatever temptation comes our
way today and to remain resolute in choosing Him.
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