Chapter XIII
Love Endureth All Things

Chapter XIII
Love Endureth All Things

by Saint Alphonsus Liguori

Those who love Jesus Christ with a strong love do not cease to love Him when they are asked to endure all sorts of temptations and desolations.

Temptation and desolation try those who love God far more than the pains of sickness, or poverty, or persecution. At those times in our lives when we experience the loving presence of God, we feel so removed from human trials that we are even comforted by them, because they give us an opportunity for showing God some proof of our love. But when we are faced with the temptation of rejecting divine grace, or are tormented by the fear that we have already lost it, our anguish seems almost too much to bear. The same love, however, gives us the strength to endure everything with patience and to continue on the path to holiness. God permits these trials to test our love.

Temptations

Temptations are the most serious trials that can afflict those who love Jesus Christ. They can accept every other evil with resignation, because they know that such crises will bind them closer to God. But temptation to commit sin might separate them from Jesus Christ, so their torture is intense.

Why God Permits Temptation

We know that temptation to commit sin comes from the Devil or from our weak human nature; but we know that God sometimes permits the souls dearest to Him to become the most seriously tempted. He allows this so that we can discover our own weakness and recognize how much we need the help of God. When God favors us with consolations, we feel ready to conquer every enemy and to do any work for God. But when we are severely tempted and on the brink of falling, we finally begin to recognize our inability to resist the trials without the help of God.

God also permits temptation in order to detach us more completely from this life and to strengthen our desire to join Him in Heaven. We know that as long as we live on this earth, we will be faced with temptation. This is why the saints long for death, which will free them from the danger of losing God.

Almighty God also permits us to be tempted to increase our merit. We need not think, therefore, that we are abandoned when we are tempted. Rather, we have reason to hope that God loves us very much. Evil thoughts of themselves do not cause us to stop loving God; only deliberate consent to them does that. No matter how filthy or how violent the suggestions of the Devil, they cannot leave the slightest stain on our soul if we do not consent to them. They can even make the soul purer, stronger, and dearer to almighty God.

Saint Paul reminds us that God will not allow us to be tested beyond our strength:

"Let no temptation take hold on you, but such as is human. And God is faithful, Who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able: but will make also with temptation issue, that you may be able to bear it" - 1Corinthians 10:13.

God frequently lets souls dearest to Him suffer temptations to give them a further source of merit and glory. Stagnant water soon becomes putrid. Similarly, souls left without any struggle or temptation are in serious danger of being lost because of an exaggerated conception of their own virtue. They think they have already achieved perfection and so have little to fear, and consequently make only slight effort to recommend themselves to God. But when, on the contrary, they are tempted and see themselves in danger of falling into sin, they turn to God. They ask Mary to intercede for them; they renew their resolutions; they humble themselves and throw themselves into the arms of God's mercy. And thus they find renewed strength and closer union with God.

We must not seek temptation, however. On the contrary, we should beg God to deliver us from it. This is the reason for the petition of the Our Father:

"And lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil. Amen" - Matthew 6:13.

When we are tempted, then, we should be neither ashamed nor discouraged. We must place all our faith in Jesus Christ and beg Him to help us. He will never fail to give us the strength to resist.

Means of Overcoming Temptation

Spiritual writers suggest various means for overcoming temptation, but the most important one is to turn immediately to God and say with humility and confidence: "Deliver me in Thy justice, and rescue me. Incline Thy ear unto me, and save me" - Psalm 70:2. This short prayer will help us to resist all the powers of Hell, for God is infinitely more powerful than all of them.

How can we doubt the help of the Lord after all the promises made in Sacred Scripture?

"Come to Me, all you that labor, and are burdened, and I will refresh you"
- Matthew 11:28.

"And call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me"
- Psalm 49:15.

"Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall hear: thou shalt cry, and He shall say, Here I am" - Isaiah 58:9.

If all souls would turn to God whenever they are tempted to offend Him, they would never commit sin. They fall because they prefer to lose God, the highest good, rather than give up their fleeting pleasures. Experience proves that those who turn to God in temptation do not fall, and this is especially true of temptations against purity.

In temptations against faith and purity we must make it a rule never to try to fight the temptation head-on; rather, we should try to get rid if it indirectly by making an act of love for God or of sorrow for sin, and try to distract our minds with some other thought. When we first detect a temptation, we should not stop to examine it. We must shake-off the evil suggestions as quickly as we would sparks from a fire.

Like children in danger, we should cry out for help immediately. Seek the help of Jesus and Mary instantly, without considering the temptation for a moment.

Should the temptation persist, we must not become troubled or angry because of it; for this might play into the hands of the enemy. Instead, we should make an act of humble resignation to the will of God Who permits it, saying: "O Lord, I deserve to suffer these temptations in punishment for my sins, but You must help to free me from them".

As long, then, as the temptation persists, we should never cease praying and renewing our resolution to endure anything rather than offend God. And even if the temptation becomes so violent that we are on the verge of consenting to it, we must simply re-double our prayers - in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, or with a Crucifix in hand - and beg God with greater fervor to help us. God hears everyone who prays to Him, and we must trust in Him rather than in our own strength. Almighty God permits these struggles, and then He Himself compensates for our weakness, and grants us victory.

It may happen that persons who have lead a virtuous life for a considerable period of time will, on occasion, be in doubt about whether they gave consent to a grievous sin. Such persons can be perfectly assured that they have not lost divine grace. Why? Because it is morally impossible for the will - confirmed in grace for a considerable length of time - to undergo so total a change as to consent to a mortal sin without clearly knowing it. Mortal sin is so horrible a monster that if it were to enter a soul which has long held it in abhorence, that soul would be fully aware of it. No one can commit a sin without knowing it.

This thought is worth repeating: The greatest means of overcoming temptation is prayer. And we must never stop praying in the face of temptation. Almighty God frequently wills success, not to the first prayer, but to the second, third, or fourth. We must try to realize that our whole future depends on prayer, along with perfection, perseverance, and eternal salvation.

Without the help of God, we are powerless to overcome temptation. Saint Paul tell us how to prepare ourselves to meet the enemy: "And take unto you the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit (which is the word of God). By all prayer and supplication praying at all times in the Spirit; and in the same watching with all instance and supplication for all the saints" - Ephesians 6:17,18. And Our Lord warns us: "Watch ye, and pray that ye enter not into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh weak" - Matthew 26:41.

Undoubtedly, sermons, meditations, and mortifications are great aids to the spiritual life; but if we do not turn to God in prayer when we are tempted, we will fall - and this in spite of all our Meditations, Communions, Penances, and good resolutions. If we really desire salvation, then, we must pray continually to Jesus Christ, most especially when we are tempted.

Desolations

We are mistaken if we judge our devotion by the consolations which we feel. True devotion consists in a determined will to do what pleases God. This is why almighty God sometimes uses desolations (or Aridity) in order to draw His dearest souls closer to Himself. The greatest obstacle to real union with God is attachment to self-will, so when God wills to draw souls to His perfect love, He tries to detach them from created goods.

God usually begins the process by filling the souls seeking perfection with great consolation and tenderness, so that they willingly search for ways of mortifying themselves by various kinds of penances. Spiritual directors or counselors will usually not give permission for all the mortifications such souls request because, under the impulse of sensible fervor, they could easily ruin their health by indiscretion. Directors will, instead, encourage beginners to practice greater interior mortifications - bearing insults patiently, being obedient to proper authority, mortifying curiosity. When these practices become habits, these souls can then proceed to external ones. It is a serious mistake to teach - as some do - that exterior mortifications are necessary. Undoubtedly, interior mortification is most necessary for salvation and perfection, but it does not follow that external penance is useless. Saint Vincent de Paul taught that one who refuses to practice external mortification will not be interiorly mortified.

When souls, in the beginning of their conversion to God, become detached from creatures and attached to God, their attachment is still imperfect. It stems more from a feeling of consolation, than from a real desire to please God. They deceive themselves, however, if they believe that the more they feel pleasure, the more they love almighty God. If the food of consolation is withheld at some point in time, they are disturbed. This a common defect of our miserable human nature; to seek our own satisfaction in everything we do.

When some souls lose sensible consolation, they either forsake their spiritual exercises, or at least shorten them. They continue to shorten them day-by-day until they stop them completely. This happens to many souls chosen to love almighty God. They begin the way of perfection and make progress as long as consolation lasts; and when that feeling disappears they relapse into their former ways. But they must be completely convinced that the love of God does not consist in feelings of tenderness and consolation - only in the conquest of self-love and in following the will of God.

It does not require any great virtue for souls to sacrifice sensual delight when they are in the midst of consolation. Such souls can endure anything. But the endurance sometimes stems more from the consolations themselves than from the strength of a true love for God. This is why the Lord withdraws Himself from them and deprives them of sensible devotion - in order to give them a solid foundation in virtue. He wants to free them from every attachment of self-love which was only fed by such consolations.

Once they may have felt joy in making acts of confidence, oblation, and love. Now that the stream of consolation is dried up, they make them only with coldness and agonizing effort. They find in them nothing but darkness and fear, and all is lost in their opinion. They pray and pray again, and still are overwhelmed with sadness because God seems to have abandoned them.

When almighty God, in His mercy, wills to console us with His presence, we should gratefully receive Him. But we must be careful not to rest our delight in these feelings of spiritual tenderness. But we must be careful not to rest our delight in these feelings of spiritual tenderness. Rather, we should humble ourselves by recalling the sins of our past life, and realize that this grace is the fruit of the goodness of God, and perhaps a preparation for some trial soon too come. We should therefore take this opportunity to offer ourselves to suffer every pain - internal or external - that might happen to us; every illness, every persecution, and every spiritual desolation. And we should tell Him:

It is one thing to perform an Act of Virtue such as to repel a temptation, to trust in God, to love God, and to will what He wills; but it is quite something else to be conscious of making these good acts. The consciousness of doing good gives us pleasure, but merit consists in actually doing the good. God is satisfied with the act, but He has the right to deprive us of its satisfaction. By removing from us all self-satisfaction, the Lord seeks our real advantage over our apparent pleasure. For, it must be repeated, perfection consists in the mortification of our own will and in its union with the will of God.

It may be useless - and perhaps a source of still greater agitation - to want to seek assurance that we are in the grace of God and that what we are experiencing is only a trial, and not abandonment, on the part of God. At such times it is God's will that we should not have this assurance. And He does this so that we may humble ourselves more, and increase our prayers and acts of confidence in His mercy. We desire to see, and God wills that we should not see.

The resolution not to consent to any sin is a sure sign that we are in God's grace. But if we are in deep desolation, it is difficult for us to recognize this resolution. Nevertheless, in such a state, we should not try to feel what we will. It is enough to will it with the tip of the will and deliver ourselves interiorly into the arms of Divine Goodness. Such acts of confidence and resignation enrapture the heart of God when we make them in the midst of darkness and desolation. We should simply trust in a God Who loves us much more than we love ourselves.

"O my God, make me a saint"
Saint Alphonsus Mary Liguori

Prayer

Jesus, my hope and my love, I do not deserve Your consolations. Keep them for those innocent souls who have always loved You. Sinner as I am, I do not deserve them. I do not ask for them.

Give me, instead, the grace to love You and to do Your will. Never leave me in my own hands for a minute. Give me the strength to vanquish temptation and to conquer myself. Give me the grace to always turn to You. I give You my body, my soul, my will, and my liberty. I want to live for You alone.

My Creator and my Redeemer, I desire to become a saint, and I trust that You will grant me this grace. Deprive me of everything, but not of Your grace or Your love.

O Mary, the hope of sinners, your power is great with God. I trust in your intercession. I beg you, by your love for Jesus Christ, help me to become a saint.

Amen