In our fallen condition, St. Augustine noted that “there is an internal war—concupiscence pulling us toward sin, grace empowering us toward holiness.” St. Maximus the Confessor taught that humanity suffers a division between the rational principle and the passions, a division only grace can heal.
Chapter 13 of The Spiritual Combat and its Eastern adaptation, Unseen Warfare, outlines four stages for overcoming unruly appetites and sensual impulses.
The first stage is immediate resistance: resist temptation immediately and decisively. Don’t entertain it, don’t dialogue with it, and don’t consider “just this once”. The spiritual battle requires decisive action, not gentle negotiation.
Cardinal Robert Sarah wrote: “Modern Christians have forgotten that the spiritual life is warfare. We think we can negotiate with the passions, manage them through psychology. But the Gospel calls us to die to self.”
The Desert Fathers offered a vivid image: “When the serpent’s head appears at the entrance to your cell, cut it off immediately. Do not let it enter, or you will have to fight the entire serpent.”
St. Benedict said, “The moment a harmful thought arises in your heart, dash it against Christ, which is the rock.”
Father Jacques Philippe wrote: “The first moment of temptation is crucial. If we firmly say ‘no’ immediately, the temptation often loses its power quickly. If we hesitate, entertain the thought, consider the pleasure, we give the temptation time to take root and strengthen.”
The second stage is strategic withdrawal and hatred of vice. This involves not merely defensive action but an active counter-offensive against the passion itself.
Unseen Warfare states: “To accomplish this more readily, and with a better outcome, hurry to kindle in yourself a complete hatred to such movements, as to your foes, who look to steal and bring to ruin your soul. Be indignant with them.”
This “hatred” is not directed at persons but is what the Fathers called holy hatred of sin. As we pray in the Act of Contrition: “I detest all my sins because of your just punishments, but most of all because they offend you, my God….”
The third stage is prayer. Unseen Warfare teaches: “However, do not forget to petition our Lord Jesus Christ, our Helper in all that we do, looking for His help and defence, and for the support of your will, because without Him we cannot be victorious.”
St. Francis de Sales advised that when tempted, run immediately to God as children run to their parents when they see danger. Don’t attempt to handle temptation alone—seek divine help at once.
The fourth stage is cultivation of opposite virtues. Scupoli wrote: “Lastly, it is extremely important to perform acts of those virtues which are opposed to the vicious inclinations we encounter.”
The first three stages help us push evil desires away; the final stage helps us strike at their heart.
Cardinal Robert Sarah wrote: “The spiritual life is not primarily about avoiding sin, but about pursuing sanctity with every fibre of our being. We do not merely run from evil; we run toward God.”
St. Francis de Sales said, “Are you inclined to avarice? Give alms frequently. Are you subject to vainglory? Make many acts of humility. Are you proud? Humble yourself to the lowest offices.”
Scupoli emphasized that forming virtuous habit requires more effort than forming sinful habit, because of our fallen nature. Virtue is cultivated through repeated, deliberate acts.
Father Thomas Dubay said, “Holiness is not achieved in a moment of religious enthusiasm but through years of patient, repeated choices for God. Every small act of virtue gradually reshapes our character.”
Unseen Warfare exhorts: “Do not only wage the war against the powerful and strong, but upon the small and weak motions of your passions. Because the small ones will pave the way for the great, particularly when they become a regular habit.”
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推開並打擊邪惡慾望
聖奧斯定指出：「在我們目前的處境中，有一場內在的戰爭 – 私慾偏情將我們拉向罪惡，聖寵賦予我們走向聖德的力量。」
精修聖馬西莫教導說墮落的人性經歷著理性原則與情慾之間的分裂，這種分裂只有聖寵才能治癒。
「神修戰鬥」（The Spiritual Combat）及其東方改編版「隱修戰爭」（Unseen Warfare）的第十三章概述了克服失序慾望和感官衝動的四個階段。
第一階段是立即抵抗：立即果斷地抵抗誘惑。
不要縱容誘惑，不要與之對話，不要考慮「就這一次」。靈性戰鬥需要果斷行動，而非溫和談判。
羅伯特．薩拉樞機寫道：「現代基督徒已經忘記靈修生活是一場戰爭。我們以為可以與情慾談判，通過心理學來管理情慾。但福音召叫我們死於自我。」
沙漠教父使用了一個生動的比喻：「當蛇頭出現在你房門口時，立即把蛇頭砍掉。不要讓蛇進來，否則你將不得不與整條蛇搏鬥。」
聖本篤說：「當有害的思想在你心中升起的那一刻，就把它摔在基督這磐石上。」
雅克·斐理神父寫道：「誘惑的第一時刻至關重要。如果我們立即堅定地說『不』，誘惑往往會迅速失去力量。如果我們猶豫，縱容這思想，考慮那快樂，我們就給了誘惑時間生根和加強。」
第二階段是策略性撤退和憎恨惡習。這個階段不僅涉及防禦行動，還包括對情慾本身的主動反攻。
「隱修戰爭」指出：「為了更迅速並且更完善地達成此事，你當急切地在自己心中燃起對這些誘惑的徹底仇恨，就如同面對仇敵一般；因為他們企圖竊取並毀壞你的靈魂。對此，你要義憤填膺，堅決拒絕。」
這種「仇恨」不是針對人的惡習之恨，而是教父們所說的「聖潔之恨」，針對的是罪本身。
在「痛悔經」中，我們祈禱：「我全心痛悔所犯的一切罪過，不僅因為祢公義的懲罰，卻因我如此得罪了祢，我的天主…。」
根據「隱修戰爭」，第三階段是祈禱：「然而，不要忘記懇求我們的主耶穌基督，祂是我們在一切所做之事中的助佑者，尋求祂的幫助和保護，以及對你意志的支持，因為沒有祂，我們就無法得勝。」
聖方濟沙雷提供了實際的建議：當受到誘惑時，立即奔向天主，就像孩子們看到危險時跑向父母一樣。不要試圖獨自處理 – 立即尋求天主的幫助。
第四階段是培養相反的德行。斯庫波里神父寫道：「最後，極其重要的是要實踐那些與我們所遇到的邪惡傾向相對立的德行。」
前三個階段幫助我們推開邪惡的慾望。最後階段幫助我們直接打擊邪惡慾望的核心。
羅伯特．薩拉樞機寫道：「靈修生活主要不是關於避免罪惡，而是關於用我們全部的力量追求聖德。我們不僅僅是逃離邪惡；我們要奔向天主。」
聖方濟各沙雷說：「你傾向於貪婪嗎？就要經常施捨。你受虛榮所惑嗎？就要多做謙遜的行為。你心存驕傲嗎？就要甘心服事於最卑微的職務。」
斯庫波里神父強調，由於我們墮落的本性，形成有德行的習慣比形成罪惡的習慣需要更多的努力。德行必須通過反覆、刻意的行為來培養。
多默神父（Fr. Thomas DuBay）說：「聖德不是在一時的宗教熱情中獲得的，而是通過多年耐心地、反覆地為天主作出選擇而獲得的。每一個小小的德行行為都會逐漸重塑我們的性格。」
「隱修戰爭」勸勉我們：「你不可只與強大有力的情慾作戰，也要對付你情慾中細微而軟弱的動念。因為這些微小的動念，若不加以抵抗，便會為更大的罪惡鋪路，尤其當它們成為習慣時。」
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