Episode 106 -- Spiritual Combat c65 -- Remedies for Temptations to Vainglory at the End of Life

If the devil cannot make us despair at the end, what else will he try?

Chapter 65 of The Spiritual Combat goes along with chapter 64. If the devil cannot make us despair of our sins, he wants to make us rest in our good deeds. The third tactic of the devil at the end of our lives is to make us puffed up with our own importance and presume that we have done great things on our power. Fr Scupoli has sound advice on how to counter this temptation.

We saw last episode how the devil’s second tactic can be turned against him. When our remembrance of our past sins causes us despondency and discouragement, let us humble ourselves all the more. Let us remember that as soon as we turn to Christ for forgiveness, we should have great confidence in his infinite mercy. Our trust in not in ourselves and our own unaided power, but in the power of His precious Blood. From our side of things, eternal damnation would be just. But the Lord’s infinite mercy must be our hope. Even if we feel or imagine that God has rejected us, our faith and hope and love lead us to trust in His merciful Love. Despair comes from focusing on ourselves. Hope comes from knowing His Power.