The Sunday Sermon Archive

Dear Friend,

Today we see Our Lord tempted by the Devil. If the Devil had the temerity to tempt Our Lord we should not wonder that we too are tempted. St. Thomas says: "The envy which the devil feels when he thinks of a creature formed of the earth occupying his place in haven and enjoying the sight of God burns him more than the sulphurous flames of Hell."

He has pursued our first parents, Christ Himself, and now us. His tactics are not new, and if we are observant enough, Christ has shown and given us the weapons which will allow us too to overcome him.

The devil pursues us in time and in eternity. In time the devil assaults us and trys to injure us in our goods and possessions, or in our bodies and lives. The devils atack and seek to destroy all that we hold dear (Job). And we see that the devil often takes possession of people's bodies. But, his main endeavor is to destroy our souls. All men, but especially the pious, are subject to these temptations of Satan.

The devil tries various plans. He endeavors to spread false maxims and errors in the world; wherefore Jesus calls him an enemy, who, while men were asleep, over sowed cockle among the wheat. (Matt. 13:25,28)He tries to take our good resolutions out of our hearts, that we may not carry them out, as Jesus assures us. (Luke 8:12) Moreover, he operates on the external senses of man, producing in him various images, motions, and inclinations, which often become the cause of violent temptations; he uses the particular circumstances and inclinations of men to tempt them and entice them to evil, He flatters the young, and paints the joys and enjoyments of the world in the most beautiful colors; he makes old people believe that they will live a long while yet, and therefore have plenty of time to work out their salvation; he entices the vain to pride, the avaricious to covetousness, the unchaste to voluptuousness, the irascible to revenge; in a word, he assaults every one to his most vulnerable spot and where he can overcome him with the least difficulty.

To combat these attacks we must pray. Christ Himself says: "Watch and pray, that you enter not into temptation." It matters not what prayers we say in time of temptation; every prayer is good, if said with humility, devotion, and confidence.

The first and most effectual prayer is the Sign of the Cross. St. Chrysostom says: "We vehemently tremble when we behold places were malefactors were executed; how terrified must the devil be when he beholds the cross, that weapon which mortally wounded him. The evil spirits scarcely get the first glimpse of this sign, when, full of fear, and trembling, they take to flight."

Secondly the invocation of the holy name of Jesus. "In my name they shall cast out devils" (Mark 16:17) Numberless Christians have been freed by the invocation of the holy name of Jesus, not only from temporal evils caused by the devil, but also from his temptations. "The power of Christ is so great that the evil spirits sink back into nothingness before it, and can not even stand before the invocation of the name of Jesus." (St. Athanasius.)

Thirdly the use of holy water. St. Teresa says: "To banish evil spirits so that they will not return, there is nothing more effectual than holy water." There msut be great virtue, then, in holy water. She adds: "It is no vain imagination; I have often experienced it."

We must resist earnestly. There is a great difference between the attacks of the devil and those of a man. A superior man may overcome us, but even though the devil is superior to us it is always in our power to overcome all his attacks.

The devil can not do us any harm if we pray as soon as we perceive a temptation within us. We must act like little children, who when they see a wild beast, run to their father and mother, or at least cry for help; therefore go to God in temptations and ask His help, grace, and mercy. Let us avoid every kind of sin but especially impurity, cursing and blaspheming; live piously, for over pious Christians the devil has no power; and at all events he cannot injure them as regards their salvation.

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