What to Do When Facing Temptation

Have you ever stopped to ponder the line “lead us not into temptation” while praying the Lord’s Prayer? We all experience different types of temptations daily, but it is our response to that temptation that matters. Dr. Edward Sri brings inspiration from St. Thomas Aquinas on why God allows us to be tempted and ways in which we can use our everyday temptations for good in our soul.

Snippet from the Show

We will never be tempted beyond our strength if we learn to rely on God.

James 1:13

No one experiencing temptation should say, “I am being tempted by God”; for God is not subject to temptation to evil, and he himself tempts no one.

Catechism of the Catholic Church, Paragraph 2846

This petition goes to the root of the preceding one, for our sins result from our consenting to temptation; we therefore ask our Father not to "lead" us into temptation. It is difficult to translate the Greek verb used by a single English word: the Greek means both "do not allow us to enter into temptation" and "do not let us yield to temptation." “God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one"; on the contrary, he wants to set us free from evil. We ask him not to allow us to take the way that leads to sin. We are engaged in the battle "between flesh and spirit"; this petition implores the Spirit of discernment and strength.

The Three Main Ways we are Tempted

• Flesh
• World
• Devil

God Uses Moments of Temptation for Good in Our Soul

• To Grow in Humility
• To Love Our Neighbor Better
• To Grow in Virtue

Catechism of the Catholic Church, Paragraph 2847

The Holy Spirit makes us discern between trials, which are necessary for the growth of the inner man, and temptation, which leads to sin and death. We must also discern between being tempted and consenting to temptation. Finally, discernment unmasks the lie of temptation, whose object appears to be good, a "delight to the eyes" and desirable, when in reality its fruit is death. God does not want to impose the good, but wants free beings.... There is a certain usefulness to temptation. No one but God knows what our soul has received from him, not even we ourselves. But temptation reveals it in order to teach us to know ourselves, and in this way we discover our evil inclinations and are obliged to give thanks for the goods that temptation has revealed to us.

St. Thomas Aquinas Quote

In this way God tempted Abraham and Job also, and it is thus that he often sends trials to the righteous so that, by putting up with trials patiently, they will make manifest their virtue, and also make progress themselves in virtue: The Lord your God tests you so that it may appear whether or not you love him (Deutr 13.3). Thus God tempts us by inciting us to good deeds

Pope Benedict XVI Quote

When we pray , we are saying to God: ‘I know that I need trials so that my nature can be purified. When you decide to send me these trials… then please remember that my strength goes only so far. Don’t overestimate my capacity. Don’t set too wide the boundaries within which I may be tempted, and be close to me with your protecting hand when it becomes too much for me.’

Upcoming Events List

• Oct 3: Diocese of Harrisburg Annual Priest Workshop – Hunt Valley MD
• Oct 5: McHenry County Catholic Prayer Breakfast – Chicago IL
• Nov 16: Women of Christ 16th Annual Conference – Brookfield, WI
• Feb 8: St. Rose Philippine Duchesne – Anthem AZ
• Feb 19: FORGE – Des Moines IA
• Feb 22: Marriage Enrichment – Celina OH
• Mar 26-27: Holy Family Parish Mission – Wayzata MN
• April 4-5: Parish of the Resurrection – Nashua NH
• Apr 9-10: St. Ann’s Parish Mission – Sherman TX

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