HOW TO OVERCOME TEMPTATIONS – 2
Not many of us, however, can withstand the hammer blows of temptations. Many of us are so weak that we easily succumb to temptation. Often when we do so, we think that it is only once that we shall yield to temptation, to experience what it is like. Alas! Once we yield to its appeal and get to relish the pleasure, we will soon be entangled by sin and will find it difficult to come out of it. Therefore, beware! Never yield to temptation. But stand up in the strength of your soul and , in the words of Jesus, say to temptation: "Get thee behind me, Satan!"
A young man wanted to make one of his companions do something bad just once, and the companion retorted: Just once? Would you allow your head to be cut off just once?" Not many have such heroic spirit within them. They easily succumb to temptation and, to them, sin becomes a habit, until they find that they are helpless in the face of temptation. They simply cannot resist it. They cannot live without it. They realise that the consequences are dangerous, but they feel helpless and lost. They are drawn to temptation even as a frog is drawn to a snake.
Not many of us, however, can withstand the hammer blows of temptations. Many of us are so weak that we easily succumb to temptation. Often when we do so, we think that it is only once that we shall yield to temptation, to experience what it is like. Alas! Once we yield to its appeal and get to relish the pleasure, we will soon be entangled by sin and will find it difficult to come out of it. Therefore, beware! Never yield to temptation. But stand up in the strength of your soul and , in the words of Jesus, say to temptation: "Get thee behind me, Satan!"
A young man wanted to make one of his companions do something bad just once, and the companion retorted: Just once? Would you allow your head to be cut off just once?" Not many have such heroic spirit within them. They easily succumb to temptation and, to them, sin becomes a habit, until they find that they are helpless in the face of temptation. They simply cannot resist it. They cannot live without it. They realise that the consequences are dangerous, but they feel helpless and lost. They are drawn to temptation even as a frog is drawn to a snake.
When a snake looks at a frog and a frog has met its gaze, the frog feels helpless. There is a mesmeric power in the look of the serpent which the frog cannot resist and, irresistibly, the frog is drawn to the mouth of the snake, drawn to its own death.
St. Augustine, in one of his books tells of a young man names Eutimius. He lived a life of profligacy. He was sunk in vile pleasures and realised that he was losing his health, but just could not overcome his sinful habits. After contracting several diseases, he developed a serious eye infection, and the physician said to him: "the stage has arrived when either you will have to give up your evil habits or lose your sight!" Eutimius replied: "what can I do? I feel helpless. Let me lose my sight and if necessary, even my life, but I simply cannot give up my habits." Such is the force of habit. Many youths become slaves of habits with which they do not break off in time.
There was a young man. His father saw him slipping into the vice of impurity. Immediately, the father took him to a hospital ward where lay patients who had led immoral lives. There they lay in spasms of pain. At the sight of those moaning patients, young men who had become prematurely aged, emaciated, ulcerated, with an unbearable stench, the youth almost fainted. Then his father said: "These are the consequences of an immoral life, and if you continue on the road to dispassion, it would not be long before you end up in this hospital. "The father’s lesson made such an impact on the youth that he immediately straightened himself out and became an example of temperance to all his companions.
St. Augustine, in one of his books tells of a young man names Eutimius. He lived a life of profligacy. He was sunk in vile pleasures and realised that he was losing his health, but just could not overcome his sinful habits. After contracting several diseases, he developed a serious eye infection, and the physician said to him: "the stage has arrived when either you will have to give up your evil habits or lose your sight!" Eutimius replied: "what can I do? I feel helpless. Let me lose my sight and if necessary, even my life, but I simply cannot give up my habits." Such is the force of habit. Many youths become slaves of habits with which they do not break off in time.
There was a young man. His father saw him slipping into the vice of impurity. Immediately, the father took him to a hospital ward where lay patients who had led immoral lives. There they lay in spasms of pain. At the sight of those moaning patients, young men who had become prematurely aged, emaciated, ulcerated, with an unbearable stench, the youth almost fainted. Then his father said: "These are the consequences of an immoral life, and if you continue on the road to dispassion, it would not be long before you end up in this hospital. "The father’s lesson made such an impact on the youth that he immediately straightened himself out and became an example of temperance to all his companions.
(-to be continued)
(J.P. Vaswani)
