Resisting Temptation: The Spiritual Struggles and Ascetic Practices of Monks

As we are drawn more deeply into the spiritual warfare of the Desert fathers and learn from their stories of how the demons will provoke a soul and lure it into sin, we begin to see how important it is to put on the mind of Christ; that is, to embrace fully the mindset of the person of faith and the life that we are meant to embody. One of the beautiful aspects of the Evergetinos is that it does not simply present us with teachings but also with the concrete struggle of the fathers and the nature and subtlely of demonic provocation. 

We begin to understand that there is no room for pride in the spiritual life. In particular with the passion of fornication, it is the coward who is the victor; that is, he who flees. Our strength is found only in the Lord and clinging to him. We must have no illusion about the strength of our virtue, no matter how long we have engaged in the spiritual life or how virtuous we may seem to be. “Pride rideth before the fall”. 

We also see in these stories how the demons sing out to the soul in order to present the temptation as the most attractive and beautiful of things. They can draw even the most seasoned of ascetics into a kind of crazed frenzy or mania. Therefore, we are taught that we must turn immediately to the Lord, raising our hands to the heavens and falling on our knees, begging for his protection. 

The demons will show no mercy. In fact, their goal is not simply to draw an individual into sin, but also to draw them into despair where repentance is stymied. After a fall, they become the soul’s accuser and will even use scripture to mock her in such a way as to drive her into greater darkness. Their desire is to make us lose confidence in the mercy and compassion of God.

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Text of chat during the group:

00:05:21 Bob Cihak: P. 212 # 8

00:13:45 Bob Cihak: P. 212 # 8

00:20:40 Wayne: What page?

00:20:53 Nypaver Clan: 213

00:21:00 Nypaver Clan: top

00:21:05 Wayne: thanks

00:28:27 Fr Marty, AZ 480-292-3381: It's interesting to consider that we can till the soil for this temptation by giving into other passions. Just reminds me to be vigilant, especially in how I consider others. And in fleeing too. Valuable insight to help me realize that I'm not as blindsided as I thought but I'd been opening doors to weaken me in temptation.

00:32:14 Anthony: Sometimes it takes getting sick and tired of the situation to develop a contempt for it.

00:35:04 Fr Marty, AZ 480-292-3381: Did you say the mindset is called phronema?

00:35:48 Kate : The mindset you describe is like nothing I have ever heard or experienced being a Latin Rite Catholic.

00:39:49 Anthony: The West co.es by it honestly...having to know by size, weight a day number, which medieval texts extrapolate I think from Sirach.  I prefer St Ephrem's poem on the Hidden Pearl taken as a unity.

00:40:12 Anthony: Comes

00:42:19 Nina and Sparky: Phil 2:2 πληρώσατέ μου τὴν χαρὰν ἵνα τὸ αὐτὸ φρονῆτε     "fill up my cup of happiness by thinking with the same mind"  See the last greek word phronete. In modern writing, I have heard the phrase "according to the mind of the church"

00:42:25 Myles Davidson: The word “re-enchantment” is being used more amongst some Catholic circles. The need to return to a more poetic pre-Cartesian worldview

00:44:00 Anthony: Reacted to The word “re-enchant... with "👍"

00:44:11 Nina and Sparky: Sorry, it is me, Forrest Cavalier.

00:51:36 Myles Davidson: The Jesus Prayer is the fastest way to shake off unwanted thoughts, in my experience.

01:04:33 Anthony: But if we can trust what demons say (something I really don't like) their mockery gave a clue of the problem....Exaltation by arrogance.  So, do the opposite.

01:08:20 Fr Marty, AZ 480-292-3381: This seems to reveal that the devil's plan is more than just sin, from which we can again stand and receive forgiveness, but the devil, through sin stirred by pride, attempts  to poison our mind into despair or to forget God and his love for us and our vocation.

01:09:56 Anthony: The devil made himself a bastard in relation to the Creator and wants to bastardize and neuter us.

01:14:26 ANDREW ADAMS: Thanks be to God! Thank you, Father!

01:14:28 Rebecca Thérèse: Thank you🙂

01:14:34 Bob Cihak: Bless you, Father.

01:14:55 Bob Cihak: I forgive you.