Father Anthony Ho is the pastor of Canadian Martyrs Parish in the Archdiocese of Vancouver.
The spiritual life is not a short race but a long journey, a lifelong struggle that Lorenzo Scupoli calls “The Spiritual Combat.” Our fight against sinful habits and selfish desires … Continued
The spiritual life is often described by the saints as a battlefield—a continual struggle against the inclinations of the flesh, the seductions of the world, and the snares of the … Continued
In chapters 44–49 of The Spiritual Combat, Lorenzo Scupoli presents prayer as the soul’s most powerful weapon in spiritual warfare. Through prayer, we place our struggle into God’s hands and … Continued
In chapters 38–43 of The Spiritual Combat, Lorenzo Scupoli teaches that the road to holiness is hard because love is real, and every trial—small or great—is permitted by God not … Continued
In the book The Spiritual Combat, Lorenzo Scupoli gives us a plan to become holy. He says we must fight against our bad habits (passions) and grow in good habits … Continued
In chapters 27–32 of the spiritual classic The Spiritual Combat, Lorenzo Scupoli outlines the various strategies used by the devil to hinder souls at different stages of the spiritual life. … Continued
In chapters 24 to 26 of The Spiritual Combat, Italian priest and author Lorenzo Scupoli presents three interconnected disciplines as indispensable strategies for victory in spiritual warfare: the strict governance … Continued
In chapters 21 through 23 of The Spiritual Combat, priest and spiritual writer Lorenzo Scupoli (1530–1610) shows how every sensory experience can become a ladder of ascent to God. Our … Continued
In chapter 20 of The Spiritual Combat, Lorenzo Scupoli addresses the harmful effects of sloth and offers guidance on how to combat it. Sloth is not merely physical idleness, but … Continued
Lorenzo Scupoli in The Spiritual Combat devotes chapter 19 to resisting the lust of the flesh. Scupoli proposes practical counsels including turning immediately from impure thoughts, avoiding idleness, practicing custody … Continued