Thought for the Day – 28 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Other Ways of Resisting Temptation
“The third method, is to avoid the occasions of sin.
Anyone who places himself without grave reasons, in the proximate occasions of sin is certain to fall.
“He who loves danger,” the Holy Spirit warns us, “will perish in it” (Ecclus 3:27).
It is useless for a man to pray, when he is exposing himself needlessly and voluntarily to the danger of sinning.
He cannot expect God to hear his prayers, for this is presumption!, not confidence in God.
On the other hand, a man may be obliged to expose himself to the risk of temptation, in the course of his work, or for some other strong reason.
In this case, he can be sure of God’s assistance but, he should fortify himself by fervent prayer and by taking all the precautions necessary to minimise the danger.
Where temptations against holy purity are involved, it is especially necessary to avoid, even the slightest occasion of sin, when that is possible.
As St Francis de Sales was accustomed to say, there are certain battles which can only be won by soldiers, who are prepared to retreat!”
Antonio Cardinal Bacci
PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/04/02/thought-for-the-day-2-april-other-ways-of-resisting-temptation/
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