In the Introduction to the Devout Life, St. Francis de Sales describes “the three degrees by which we fall into sin – temptation, delectation, and consent.” Understanding these three degrees is beneficial in overcoming temptations.
Experiencing a temptation: Everyone is going to experience some temptations to sin. Jesus Himself was tempted, so we shouldn’t be surprised that God permits us to experience temptations. Remember that merely experiencing temptations is not a sin. The question is how we respond to them.
Being attracted by a temptation (delectation): When we experience a temptation, what is our reaction to it? Are we attracted to it? Do we dwell on it and desire to yield to it? If so, we’ve entered a danger zone where we’re at great risk of sinning.
The third stage, consent, is where we actually commit the sin.
We should be repulsed by the thought of sin out of our love for God. That’s not to say we should judge ourselves harshly for experiencing the temptation (which is going to happen at times), or even feeling some bit of attraction to it (if it didn’t attract us at all, it wouldn’t be a temptation), but that we should reject it and replace any thoughts of it with those that are charitable and directed towards God. At these times especially we need to recollect how much God loves us, and how much He does to care for us and protect us from harm every day.
Catholic psychiatrist Gregory Bottaro provides some helpful advice in this context. He likens our thoughts to trains pulling into a station. Some of those trains are going to come whether we want them to or not. But we have a choice whether to board the train or let it pass by. If it’s a harmful thought, let it pass by. Dismiss it. Take the next train. Saint Paul gives similar advice: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Philippians 4:8).
In discussing temptations, St. Francis de Sales relates the story of Saint Catherine of Siena, who for a time in her life experienced powerful temptations. Saint Catherine asked Jesus why He permitted these. Why wasn’t He with her at these times? Jesus told her that He was with her. He was with her in her repulsion to the temptations. She refused to yield to them only through His strength; she could not have resisted them without Him; and in refusing to yield to them, she had gained great merit.
We need Jesus to resist those temptations we face. When we accept His graces – in particular, the extraordinary graces He confers on us through our reception of Holy Communion – we gain the strength we need to resist temptations.
Image: Saint Catherine of Siena by Carlo Dolci (downloaded from Wikipedia Commons).
Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet every day for the salvation of souls.
