Episode 20 -- Spiritual Combat c13.1 -- A Tactic for Training Our Emotions

How are we to deal with our sensuality, our lower powers of the soul?

In our last episode, we saw some important distinctions:

1. The human mind experiences two tensions!

• God’s will …
• The human mind…higher powers (understanding and will)
• Human sensuality/passion … lower power

The human mind (understanding and will) are pulled in two directions. God’s will summons us. But our passions, our lower sensuality, pulls us downwards. Our mission is to follow God’s will!

But we have to remember that a stable remaining in a state of grace, the overcoming of our main vice (bad habit) is not the end of the spiritual combat. The Lord wants to lead us to the heights!

2. Basic Christian conquering of main vice….versus …. full perfection

→ There are many hidden motivations that keep us from reaching the holiness God intends.

→ we cling to our own will … too great a love for ourselves

• we give us illegal things….but we still keep trying to aggrandize ourselves
• we fast...but then we eat the most exotic delicacies
• we are chaste….but we refuse to give up certain harmful amusements

→ behind so much of our activity lurks one of the followings:

• Slothfulness
• Vanity
• Human respect
• Hidden imperfections
• Conceit
• A desire for notice and approval
• Too great a love for ourselves

God knows how best to transform us and our inclinations. He wants to bring our desires into line with His Son. Let us not run from his wishes for us!

In this episode, we turn to some practices that we can do to train our emotions outside of the time of temptation!