Sun April 28th chat: Struggling with temptation? Let St Francis de Sales help!How does St. Francis’s suggestions expand your capacity to love God and ignore temptation? : http://visitationspirit.org/2013/04/struggling-with-temptation-let-st-francis-de-sales-help/
Car: How did St Francis deal with temptation?
It can be hard to figure out how to speak about temptation in general without revealing our personal foibles
Sister : In short, he said to ignore it, brush it away lightley, let it buzz around, and turn to the Lord and kiss him and show your love
Apr 28 2013, 7:50 PM
Car: So if you don’t acknowledge it, it just goes away?
Sister: Either goes away or stays there in an annoying but not threatening way
Car: like the thorns that St Paul spoke of?
Sister : Similar to that- its our disposition that counts
Sister : Live with the annoyance but demonstrate your love to God- and that drives the evil away
Car: and each of us is given a thorn or two or three, to remind us how we need God in everything, but we are also given the means to overcome
Sister : The trouble is that while it’s true, the timing may not be to our liking, in our overcoming
Some people struggle for years before they can get clear
Car: Oh, I agree with that wholeheartedly. I think we don’t get to totally overcome until He takes us to heaven and perfects us
and sometimes it’s a lifelong cross
Sister : yes that is true so what St Francis said may not be helpful nough for a life long cross
Car: So, the lifelong cross/thorn is what I find most tempting to give in to
Apr 28 2013, 7:56 PM
Sister : And it may not be a simple buzzing but more vehement
Sr Ma: Is that the thing you find yourself confessing over and over again when you go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation?!
Sister : Hmnn- yes- the challenge that never seems to go away and that you can’t seem to grow in
Sister : St Francis says:If you will take my advice, you will not toil on obstinately in resisting them by exercising the contrary virtue, for that would become a sort of struggle with the foe;—but, after making an act of this directly contrary virtue (always supposing you have time to recognise what the definite temptation is), simply turn with your whole heart towards Jesus Christ Crucified, and lovingly kiss His Sacred Feet. This is the best way to conquer the Enemy, whether in small or great temptations; for ina
Apr 28 2013, 7:58 PM
Sr Ma: As SFdS said in a letter to SJFdC: “the duration of the cross gives it its value, for no pain is hard to bear save that which lasts.”
Sister : The value of a cross is the same as a temptation- there is value then in a temptation?
Sr Ma: Is that why the sisters used to kiss the Superior’s feet, since she stands in the place of Christ to them?
Apr 28 2013, 8:00 PM
Sister : Yes, maybe that’s why. It was a form of penance too
Sr Ma: Value in resisting it with the help of God’s grace, I guess