How do I control my thoughts, and practice custody of the mind and custody of the imagination? This has been one of my biggest issues in resisting temptation.
"Arise, O Lord, and let Your enemies be scattered, and let those that hate You flee from before Your Face". I struggle with violent, cruel, blasphemous invasive thoughts. It stinks. Prayer helps!
Those are temptations from the evil one Sometimes I will say under my breath “ I offer this vile temptation in reparation for the sins and offenses committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary” I don’t think the evil one wants to give anything to Her That is usually enough for the time being
Do you think in this situation, St. Augustine's advice (I think it was St. Augustine who said this) in regards to struggling with sexual sin would apply: (I'm paraphrasing as I can't remember the exact quote) 'In this kind of battle, it is the cowardly who are victorious.'
I think it's best to realize that this is a real battle. We need God. We can't and won't win alone. We won't win over night.
The exorcist Fr Rippenger speaks well on this (He has great utbe videos). He says that the devil has great control over our imagination and so we should be very careful whatwe read and watch as the devil will use bad memories against us later on. I think St Augustine says that we are what we let int. So we must be careful what we let into our hearts. St Teresa of Avila compares the thoughts to a swarm of little bees and we must gently shepherd them towards God. I like this. When we speak of a struggle or fight we maybe make too much of an issue of things. Gentlenss being the key. St Aphonus Ligouri says it is best to kill them off right at the outset which I supose is true and to give them traction. Many saints went round withtheir heads bowed down but this seems a little voer the top to me. I find as St Teresa says just to make a habit off gently keeping my mind on God all the time. Although I do find myself turning very inward in recent years. I was walking down the road tonight and I passed a couple and deliberalty kept my eyes averted as I wanted to keep myself to myself. But they shouted at me and to my surprise and pleasure it was my cousin and his wife and we stood and talked fro a while. I think they were surprised I walked past without seeing them.
My SPiritual Director used to say to me, 'You're in a marathon , not sprint' Don't be too hard on yourself.
3 Hail Marys Devotion, surely. It's recommended by many Saints. It was a great help to me. ""One of the first to say the three Hail Marys and to recommend them to others was the illustrious St. Anthony of Padua. His special aim in this practice was to honor the spotless Virginity of Mary and to preserve a perfect purity of mind, heart and body in the midst of the dangers of the world. Many, like him, have felt its salutary effects. Later on, St. Leonard of Port-Maurice, the celebrated missionary, had the three Ave Marias recited morning and evening in honor of Mary Immaculate, to obtain the grace of avoiding all mortal sins during the day or and night; moreover, he promised in a special manner eternal salvation to all those who proved constantly faithful to this practice." https://www.olrl.org/pray/threehms.shtml It is even better to pray an entire Rosary after the 3 Hail Marys both morning and night, if we can. St. Montfort recommends that highly. When the devil sees his attempted temptations lead us to pray more Ave Marias and more Rosaries, he will flee from us. God bless.
