Imagine, Philothea, a young princess who is very dearly loved by her husband. Some wicked man to seduce her and commit adultery with her sends a dishonourable messenger to arrange with her his disgraceful proposal. First of all, this messenger conveys to the princess his master’s aim. Secondly, the princess is pleased or displeased with the proposal. Thirdly, she either accepts or refuses. In the same way, Satan, the world and the flesh, seeing a person espoused to the Son of God, send suggestions and temptations by which: i) sin is proposed; ii) the person is pleased or displeased with the suggestion; iii) the person either consents or refuses. These are the three steps which lead down to sin: temptation, delight and consent. These three acts which can be clearly seen in great and serious sins are not easily discernible in all other sorts of sins.
Even if temptation to any sin should last all our life, it cannot make us displeasing to God as long as we do not take pleasure in it an do not yield to it. For in temptation we are not active but we bear it. And as long as we take no pleasure in it we cannot be guilty. St. Paul endured temptations of the flesh for long. He was far from being displeasing to God. Instead God was glorified by them (2 Cor. 12: 7,9). Blessed Angela of Foligno was subject to such violent temptations of the flesh that she moves us to compassion when she narrates them. St. Francis and St. Benedict also had to bear great temptations that the one cast himself upon thorns and the other into the snow to overcome them. Nevertheless, they lost nothing of God’s grace, but grew greatly in it.
So, have great courage, Philothea, in the midst of temptation. Never think yourself vanquished as long as they are displeasing to you. Note well that there is a difference between feeling and consenting. We may still feel them even though they displease us. However, we cannot consent to them unless we take pleasure in them, because pleasure ordinarily serves as a step to consent.
Let the enemies of our salvation set before us their snares and allurements as much as they like. Let them remain always at the door of our heart seeking entrance. Let them make as many proposals as they like. But as long as we are determined to take no pleasure in all this, we can never offend God. The prince, the husband of the princess of whom I have spoken, could not be displeased with her on account of the message which was sent to her, if she had not taken any pleasure in it. There is however a difference between us and the princess in this case. The princess can, if she chooses, hearing this dishonourable proposal drive away the messenger and not listen to him any more. But it is not always within our power not to feel the temptation, though it is always in our power to refuse consent. Therefore, even though the temptation may continue and persist for long, it can do us no harm as long as we take no pleasure in it.
But as to the delight which might follow the temptation, remember we have two parts in our soul: the one inferior and the other superior. The inferior part does not always follow the superior part, but acts independently. It often happens that the inferior part takes pleasure in the temptation without the consent and even against the will of the superior. This is the conflict and warfare to which the Apostle St. Paul refers when he says that his flesh lusts against his spirit (Gal. 5:17) and that there is a law of the members and a law of the spirit (Rom. 7:23) and so on.
Have you ever seen, Philothea, a large fireplace covered with ashes? When you come ten or twelve hours later in search of fire, you will find only a little at the centre and even that with difficulty. Yet it is there, and since you find it, you can rekindle with it all other coals that had already gone out. It is the same with charity, which is our spiritual life, amidst great and violent temptations. In fact, the temptation casting its delight into the inferior part of the soul seems to cover the whole soul with ashes and to reduce the love of God to a spark. For it appears only in the very centre of the heart, in the very depths of the spirit. It seems so imperceptible that it is difficult to discover it at all. Yet it is really there. Even though all may be troubled in our soul and our body, yet we have the resolution never to consent to the sin or to the temptation. The delight which pleases our outward nature displeases our inward nature, and though it surrounds our will, yet it is not in it. In this we see that such delight is involuntary, and as such it cannot be sin.
