The Feast of St Paul’s Conversion
Know that your temptations come from someone who hates you.
Photo by Laura Baker on Unsplash
It is far easier for us to deal with temptations when we simplify it. We have a weakness to temptations because of Original Sin and the Devil tempts us in order that we might go to Hell forever. He has a hate for you that is only lesser than his hate for God. He is tempting you because he hates you. He does not think it is better for you. He knows it is worse for you. He does this all in his hate for God, because God loves us so.
We recall that the Devil hates us and wants us to do evil, even if we try to rationalize our temptations from the Devil, they still remain evil. However, we have a God willing to die for us because of His love for us. He offers you eternal bliss if you choose to love Him. And it is a free choice. However, the choice come with lots of smaller choices. Giving into small temptations weakens us for larger temptations, which the Devil has done many times sadly and taken many to Hell because of it.
But we must not give into temptations, as small as they may seem to be at times. The Devil knows what he is doing. He desires your destruction and the destruction of those who depend upon you. Yet, we have God. God is infinitely greater than the Devil. The Devil was created good and turned himself into evil. You were created good by God, Who desires to love you for all eternity.
When we do seemingly little things like miss Mass on Sunday or use the Lord’s name in vain (“Jesus Christ” or “Oh My God”), we are doing exactly what the Devil wants. We are not showing love for God. We are showing disdain or, at best, indifference. If you did your best to sacrifice everything you had for someone, and they responded to your love with indifference, would you not feel completely rejected? And yet, that is how many treat God. Do you?
Jesus, You were faced with many temptations and sacrificed Yourself completely in order to show Your Unfathomable Love for us. Help us to respond to Your love with a love from within us that glorifies Your Father for all of eternity. Amen.
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About the Author
I am an adopted son of God through baptism, though still a great sinner. God has blessed me with a wonderful wife and 11 lovely children, 3 of which have gone to Heaven before their birth.
I love the Rosary and started sharing little Catholic reflections with others. My little reflections have helped deepen my faith and I hope they can help others as well. Though not always fully inspired by the Holy Spirit, I enjoy when He takes over and seeing what direction He takes the reflection.
Please say a prayer for me and I will continue to pray for all who read my little reflections, especially for them to be read as the Holy Spirit intends. St. Maximilian Kolbe, pray for the success of my little reflections and for all of Catholic365 and its readers.
