We all know that we are weak. Our enemies: the
demons, the flesh and the world are at our sides continuously. So, we
need help to stay in God’s grace and out of sin. Here are ten suggestions
to practice in order to stop sinning, stay out of sin, and to grow in holiness.
1) Prayer. Pray anyway and anyhow that will keep
you from sinning. All day long, we attempt to shoot arrows of
communications with God no matter if we are working, eating, driving, sitting,
kneeling or talking. It is a constant attempt to keep all we do in union
with God. We also need to develop a habit of prayer that automatically
comes into action as soon as we are being tempted.
2) Mortification of the body. Instead of always
giving what the body wants, food, rest, comfort, music, sweets, pleasure, we
need to have some mortification of what it wants every day in small ways.
Fasting and abstinence are important disciplines that train the will to
say no to the body and yes to God.
3) Availing to God’s Graces. Frequent confessions
and Holy Communion give graces and strength to weak souls and wills. In confession
be very humble, sorrowful and honest as to the gravity of your sins even if it
is embarrassing to say. Never hold anything back.
4) Devotion to the Virgin Mary. Mary is the Mediatress
of all graces coming from God. If we run to her in times of temptation,
“No one has ever invoked her in his necessity without being heard” (St
Bernard). She is virginal purity and wants to help us stay pure.
Say Aves (Hail Mary) until the strong temptation passes. It may
literally take hundreds a day, but it is worth it.
5) Avoid the Occasion of Sin. Whatever leads up to
the sinning must be avoided like the plague. The time, the way and the
place are all to be cautiously considered and avoided if they lead to sinning.
Anyone who talks about sin, shows sin or encourages sin is your enemy,
not your friend. St Jerome said: “Remember that a woman (Eve) drove out
the inhabitants of paradise, and that you are not holier than David, stronger
than Samson, or wiser than Solomon, who all fell by evil intercourse.”
6) Custody of the Eyes. Pious Job made a covenant
with his eyes that he would not so much as look at a virgin. Our eyes
lead to thoughts that then can lead to actions. Look away from what will
cause lust.
7) Keep busy. Many saints made vows never to live
in idleness. That is a great idea and allows one to do great things with
one’s life. “Idle hands are the devils workshop.”
8) Hell. Remember the consequences of past sins and
the possibility of being damned forever for these sins. Meditate on the
reality of death, judgement, heaven or hell. Go over in detail the
torture of hell for the instantaneous pleasures obtained through sin.
9) Avoid Depression. Remember how sad the
separation from God feels after sinning. Remember the guilt the shame and
sadness caused by these sins. Would you like the whole world to be
watching you sin? God, Mary, your guarding angel are watching every
detail. And in the second coming of Jesus, all will be made public.
10) Help other people to stop sinning. As we try to
save our own souls with God’s help, we must also live to save others souls.
It is easier to live a good life if we are helping others live holier lives
to. Be prophets today to tell people sin is still sin and they offend and
crucify Our Lord.
May God, Mary and all the saints be our example of a pure
and holy life. We are so fortunate to be traditional Catholics and to
have all this help from God to live pure lives.
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