Lest You Remain

not reveal his power against them, does not aim bullets, does not chop with an ax so as to cause the tree to fall, and does not set snares. Those who live in an Order, a holy and fortified city of God, he attacks fiercely. Thus, the religious, despite their numerous mortifications, fastings and abstinence, are troubled and exposed to unusual temptations. It is so, because their common adversary from hell considers them his most implacable enemies and resorts to all the possible tricks, makes the strongest efforts so as to force them out of there, as from a camp fortified with God’s might and protection, or tries to dig his way in, defeat and annihilate them. Thus, do not think this is any new kind of trouble, cross or religious fight when you hear that even the God-Man was tempted. Nor do not despair of obtain- ing help from the One who led you out of the walled city of Babylon, into the holy desert. Remain hopeful and have trust, that you will manage to defeat the infernal enemy any time he attacks you, armed with so many disgusting thoughts, vices and wrong stimuli, as his power is much weaker than one might imagine. This dog may bark but he will not bite. While you, whenever you nourish yourself with the Holy Eucharist, acquire new strength and a new weapon. Certainly, the Eucharist is the mightiest weapon against any temptation. ( Inspectio Cordis ) 11 Undoubtedly, the evil spirit does not need a big hole to sap and to destroy the structure of the fortification of the soul; he can do it with the tiniest transgression of the religious rule. If small impurities of sins will not be removed, they would suf- fice to poison the air of the soul; it has been proven repeatedly, that small imper- fections, ignored because of their insignificance, extinguish great virtues. ( Inspectio Cordis ) 12 You have to think about the integrity of your thoughts and examine their qual- ity. How often, when the thoughts are very malicious, do they get inside your soul disguised as very beautiful thoughts? Not infrequently, when allowed in on account of devotion, they exert dishonorable results. They come in under the cover of zeal, but they reveal irritability. They come in clothed as noble love, but they bring an unhealthy love. They come under the mask of justice, but in fact they bring vindic- tiveness. They come under the cloak of discretion, but they are slothful thoughts. Fr. Founder’s Selected Thoughts on the Religious Life 135