Let us Glory in Temptation
The devil does not have only one weapon. He uses many different means to defeat human beings: now with bribery, now with boredom, now with greed he attacks, inflicting mental and physical wounds equally.
The kind of temptation varies with the different kinds of victim. Avarice is the test of the rich, loss of children that of parents and everyone is exposed to pain of mind or body. What a wealth of weapons is at the devil’s disposal!
It was for this reason that the Lord chose to have nothing to lose. He came to us in poverty so that the devil could find nothing to take away from him. You see the truth of this when you hear the Lord himself saying: ‘The prince of this world is come and has found nothing in me.’ [John 14:30] The devil could only test him with bodily pain, but this too was useless because Christ despised bodily suffering.
Job was tested by his own goods, whereas Christ was tempted, during the experience of the wilderness, by the goods of all. In fact, the devil robbed Job of his riches and offered Christ the kingdom of the whole world. Job was tested by vexations, Christ by prizes. Job the faithful servant replied: ‘The Lord has given and the Lord has taken away.’ [Job 1:21] Christ, being conscious of his Own divine nature, scorned the devil’s offering of what already belonged to him.
So let us not be afraid of temptations. Rather, let us glory in them saying: ‘When I am weak, then am I strong.’ [2 Cor. 12:10]
Ambrose
On the Gospel of St Luke, 4, 39 (PLI5, 1625)
Tackle your Fears Head-On
Fear is a childish feeling of the adult but empty soul. Fear is really a lack of faith that becomes obvious when we think of what unforeseen things might happen. It is lack of trust in God.
The proud soul is a slave to fear precisely because it trusts in itself and so shudders at any noise or any shadow. Those who are contrite for their sins have no fear.
So if there are places where you are normally afraid to go, do not hesitate to frequent them even at dead of night, armed with prayer. Your fear is a childish and ridiculous thing, but if you give way to it only a little, it will take root in your heart and stay with you. So arm yourself with prayer and when you reach the spot lambast the enemy in the name of Jesus. There is no stronger weapon in earth or heaven than that.
And when you are cured of your fear, sing the praises of the One who has freed you. If you thank him, he will always protect you.
Sometimes only the body is afraid and the fear has not spread to the soul, then you are nearly cured.
The one who serves God, fears his Lord and no other. The one who does not fear his Lord is scared even of his own shadow.
John Climacus
Stairway to Paradise, 21 (PG88, 945)
~ Thomas Spidlik, Drinking from the Hidden Fountain, A Patristic Breviary: Ancient Wisdom for Today’s World
