AGAINST TEMPTATION

Do not fear. Jesus ...

Do not fear. Jesus is more powerful than all Hell. At the invocation of his Name every knee in Heaven, on earth and in hell must bend before Jesus; this is the consolation of the good and terror of the evil ones.

Stop entertaining those vain ...

Stop entertaining those vain fears. Remember it is not feeling which constitutes guilt but the consent to such feelings. Only the free will is capable of good or evil. But when the will sighs under the trial of the tempter and does not will what is presented to it, there is not only no fault but there is virtue.

Despise your temptations and ...

Despise your temptations and do not dwell on them. Imagine you have Jesus Christ crucified in your arms and on your breast and, kissing his side, say: "Behold my hope, behold the living source of my happiness. I will hold You close, o my Jesus, and I will not leave You until You have put me in a place of safety".

Walk amid wind and ...

Walk amid wind and waves, but with Jesus. If fear strongly grips you, exclaim with St. Peter: "O Lord, save me!" He will extend his hand to you. Seize it firmly and walk cheerfully. Let the world turn topsy turvy, everything be in darkness and Mount Sinai all aflame, covered with lightning, thunder: God is with you. But if God lives in the darkness and Mount Sinai all aflame, covered with lightning, thunder, and noise, will we not be safe near Him? 
The best means of guarding yourself against temptation are the following: watch your senses to save them from dangerous temptation, avoid vanity, do not let your heart become exalted, convince yourself of the evil of complacency, flee away from hate, pray whenever possible.

At a certain stage ...

At a certain stage or whenever reflection takes precedence over imagination, it is better to reject the persuasion of your foolishness and baseness.

There can be no ...

There can be no guilt except in that which the soul wills, or, not having willed it, approves it and does not make an effort to remove it.

If the soul would ...

If the soul would know the merit which one acquires in temptations suffered in patience and conquered, it would be tempted to say: "Lord, send me temptations".

It is not a ...

It is not a sin merely to have impure thoughts. Dispelling them is an exercise in virtue.

The devil is like ...

The devil is like a rabid dog tied to a chain; beyond the length of the chain he cannot seize anyone. And you: keep at a distance. If you approach too near, you let yourself be caught. Remember that the devil has only one door by which to enter the soul: the will.

There are no secret ...

There are no secret or hidden doors.

Temptations, discouragement and unrest ...

Temptations, discouragement and unrest are the wares offered by the enemy. Remember this: if the devil makes noise it is a sign that he is still outside and not yet within. That which must terrify us is his peace and concord with the human soul.

Your temptations are from ...

Your temptations are from the devil and from Hell; but your sufferings and afflictions are from God and Heaven. The mothers are from Babylon but the daughters are from Jerusalem. Despise temptations and embrace tribulations. No, my child, let the wind blow and do not think that the noise of the leaves is the clash of arms.

The field of battle ...

The field of battle between God and Satan is the human soul. It is in the soul that the battle rages every moment of life. The soul must give free access to the Lord so that it be fortified by Him in every respect and with all kinds of weapons; that his light may enlighten it to combat the darkness of error; that it be clothed with Jesus Christ, with his justice, truth, the shield of faith, the word of God, in order to conquer such powerful enemies. To be clothed with Jesus Christ it is necessary to die to oneself.

Blasphemy calls down malediction ...

Blasphemy calls down malediction on your home; and, as the proverb says, it destroys even the ashes in the fireplace.

It is necessary to ...

It is necessary to be strong, in order to become great: that is our duty. Life is a struggle, which we cannot avoid. We must triumph!

That which comes from ...

That which comes from Satan begins with calmness and ends in storm, indifference and apathy.

But, if it does ...

But, if it does not please Him to do this, be ready to say with Jesus, "Fiat!".