Fr. Broom's Blog

100 SUGGESTIONS TO WIN OVER PORN IN MY LIFE!

The purpose of our short life on earth is to attain eternal happiness in heaven. The Catechism teaches us: “We are created to know God, love God and serve God in this life so as to be happy with Him forever in heaven.” The major obstacle or road-block is sin, especially that of mortal sin which severs our relationship with God. However, God is rich in mercy. He is slow to anger and rich in forgiveness. Jesus reminds us in the Diary of mercy in Saint Faustina that the biggest sinners can become the greatest saints if they TRUST!

One of the greatest weapons of the enemy today is the rampant and all pervasive presence of pornography. Indeed there is a dense cloud of moral smut that we can call pornography that is suffocating countless souls.

A modern catholic psychologist explains the reason for the pervasive and poisonous spreading of pornography by means of an acronym—the 5 A’s of pornography--- here they are:

AVAILABILITY:( ACCESIBILITY) Years ago porn was much more difficult to acquire—there in the liquor stores behind the whiskey that bad magazine were hidden. Now, almost at every turn we even inadvertently bump into some form of pornography: newsstands, billboards, t.v. programs and commercials, movies, the dress-code in the malls, and of course access to the internet and pornographic websites—the most sought out websites in the electronic media!

ACCEPTABILITY: Especially among men this is so common as well as accepted as normal. We have all heard the modern slogan used especially by men: “Well, boys will be boys.” That is to say, that this is normal for boys to be viewing this material; it is simply part of growing into manhood. Therefore, if it is accepted as normal then it will be allowed and even encouraged.

AFFORDABILITY: For all intents and purposes, with respect to the internet, pornographic material can be viewed free of charge. That means that even the poor can have access and have easy recourse to porn.

ANONYMITY: The viewing of porn is of course very embarrassing. Therefore it is done in an anonymous fashion. Nobody wants to be caught while viewing pornography. Therefore, married men can be viewing porn on the sly for months and even years before their spouses finally find them in the act. Jesus says that the deeds of evil are done in the dark.

ADDICTIVE: Serious studies have pointed out that the viewing of pornography is highly addictive. Some studies have asserted that it can be even more highly addictive than that of a hard drug like cocaine. Furthermore, a youngster, teen or even younger that is entering into puberty, being so vulnerable, can become addict immediately.

Therefore, taking into account the spiritual warfare that we are engaged in to save our world, the society, the culture, our family, our children and our own immortal souls, we have decided to offer 100 practical steps and suggestions to help us to avoid pornography—better preventive medicine than curative; or if we have fallen to get out of this moral quicksand that can drag us to degrading spiritual slavery and addiction. May Our Lady, the most pure and the Immaculate one, through her most powerful prayers intercede for us so that we can all live out the beatitude: “Blessed are the pure of heart for they will see God.” (Mt. 5: 8). The number is 100! Some of the numbers will repeat the same idea but express it in a slightly different fashion so that the concept will sink in all the more profoundly in the depths of our souls!

1. BATTLE GROUND/SPIRITUAL COMBAT. We all must be keenly aware of the fact that our life on earth is a constant battle. (Book of Sirach). Our three principle enemies: the devil, the flesh, and the world. The flesh wants to dominate and humiliate the spirit; the spirit wars against the flesh. Self-knowledge is imperative in our spiritual battle especially to attain the virtue pf purity. Read Mt. 4--- Jesus in battle with the devil in the desert. He used pray, penance and the Word of God to win the battle!

2. VIGILANCE. Jesus admonished the Apostles in the Garden and He admonishes us: “Stay awake and pray because the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” Pope Francis, a Jesuit priest, formed in Ignatian spirituality, constantly admonishes us to be alert, vigilant and to watch over our thoughts and affections.

3. KYRPTONITE. Superman was strong except when he was exposed to the famous KRYTONITE. This fictitious element debilitated him such that he was rendered as weak as any other man. We must know our weak point in the area of chastity. Is there a person, place, thing, time or circumstance where we are most vulnerable. With this knowledge our vigilance should be redoubled in force. He who plays with fire will be burnt.

4. DEVIL AND TEMPTATION. St. Paul reminds us that we are not simply fighting against flesh and blood but against the evil spirits, the devils. Often the devil will tempt us with indecent thoughts. St. Peter compares the devil to a roaring lion who seeks to devour his prey and we must resist him and be strong in our faith.

5. OBSESSION. The devil can tempt us with a fixed impure image that is very difficult to erase, thoughts that can persist hours and even days. These thoughts can torment us but are not sins until we give consent in our will.

6. RESIST IMMEDIATLEY. As soldiers of Jesus and Mary we should resist temptations against purity from the very start. Once we open up the door of our mind and heart it is all the more difficult to expel the indecent images!

7. IMMODESTY. We should remember our dignity. Pope St. Leo the Great reminds us as followers of Christ: “Christians remember your dignity.” We are created in the image and likeness of God and through the Sacrament of Baptism we are sons and daughters of God. St. Paul calls the Christian “an ambassador of Christ”—he who represents the King of Kings and Lord of Lord. Improper dress can be a provocation to bad thoughts and bad actions.

8. LIVING IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD. A secret that many of the saints utilized to avoid falling into sin is the awareness of the Presence of God. St. Paul, quoting the Greek poet inspires us with these words about God’s omnipresence: “In Him we live and move and have our being.” If we are keenly aware of God’s all-abiding Presence then this will serve as a barrier of protection to help us to look at images that will damage our heart, mind, body, and soul.

9. THE LAST THINGS. A constant meditation on the “Last things” can serve as a powerful stimulus to help us to avoid sin, especially the sins against the virtue of purity. What are the last things? How salutary to meditate upon the reality of our death, impending Judgment, and the reality of our eternal destiny—either heaven or hell. Our Lady of Fatima warned the world that most of the souls are lost to the eternal fires of hell especially as a result of the sins against the virtue of purity. Our Lady appeared in Fatima 1917. In the vision of July 13, 1917 Our lady showed a graphic depiction of hell. Most souls are lost due to sins against the virtue of purity.

10. PRAYER. If we truly desire anything from God, and especially to be saved from a tidal wave of impurity that is descending like a Tsunami on the world then we must pray and pray fervently, frequently, and with lively faith. Faith can move mountains as well as prevent impurity or restore purity once it has been lost. Jesus told us: “Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Mt. 7:7) In other words we should really desire ardently to maintain purity or to recover it. We should beg for purity. Saint Augustine states that we are all beggars before God.

11. DETERMINATION: FIRM COMMITMENT. God’s grace is never lacking in our lives if we have frequent, fervent and humble recourse to it. Our problem is that due to Original Sin our will is weak and vitiated. Our determination is half-hearted. In other words we desire something but only partially. Jesus says: “The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” We should desire to conquer the flesh more than giving in to the pleasures that the flesh brings us! St. Teresa of Avila says that we should have a determined determination to never give up prayer.” Likewise, we should have a determined determination to give up sin, especially those against purity. We should not be praying like Augustine before his conversion: “Lord, give me chastity, but not yet!”

12.AVOID THE NEAR OCCASION OF SIN. Often we fall into sin because we place ourselves in harm’s way, the near occasion of fire, or if you like the expression, we play with fire. In the arena of purity, we must avoid firmly the temptation that can lead us into sin. We pray on a daily basis the Our Father: “Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen”

13.PERSONS. There are persons that will be a near occasion of sin. These persons can easily tempt us, allure us and seduce us to fall into sin. These persons should be avoided like a plague. “Birds of a flock stick together.”

14. PLACES. There are places that are downright sinful: bars, movie theatres (with bad shows), dance halls, drinking bouts… These are places that can easily lead us to a quick and serious moral collapse. The Cure of Ars was known to say: “When someone enters a tavern (bar) he leaves his guardian angel outside the door and enters in with the devil.” Jesus said that we cannot serve God and mammon at the same time.

15. CABLE T.V. We must be honest with ourselves; T.V. can be used for good or bad. However, there are countless temptations with respect to T.V. Cable companies offer bad programs that can lead to our moral ruin. These programs and channels can be highly addictive. Normal T.V. all too often present immorality; even in between sports events the commercials can be downright morally reprehensible. Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton had a vision or dream hundreds of years ago relating to the downfall of the family in USA. She saw a BLACK BOX that would enter into the homes in the United States that would result in the destruction of many families. What would be your interpretation of this BLACK BOX???

16.COMPUTER IN ROOMS OF TEENS. If the computer with access to the internet is hidden in some corner of the room of your teenager, chances are very high that when not supervised he/she will be tempted to view pornography, form a habit and then be addicted for many years. It would be very wise for parents to unplug computer from the wall and room of their child and plug it into a place (possibly near the kitchen) where the Mom can be supervising the use the teen has of the computer and access to the internet.

17.SUPERVISION. With respect to the use of the internet parents should have a strict custody and supervision of the times and places that their siblings are using this device. Parents have to be Good Shepherds to the sheep that God has entrusted to their care against the pornographic wolves that are always on the prowl.

18. FILTER. Still more, there are filters that can be purchased at a relatively low price that can block out much of the smut that pops up on the computer. One that could be used is Safeeyes.com. We should so all in our power to protect ourselves as well as the children that God has entrusted to us for their eternal salvation.

19.SCREEN-SAVER. Furthermore, a screen-saver such as the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Saint Joseph, or the Holy Family can be a means of protection when the temptation descends upon us like a violent storm.

20.CELL-PHONE. When weighed on a scale, using proper Ignatian discernment, it would be better that parents do not let their children and teens have a cell-phone with access to the Internet. The temptation is overly powerful for them to delve into porn when there is nobody around or maybe oven look at it with friends in hiding. For centuries teens have not had the cell-phone and they can live without now. Remember that the primary purpose of our life is to get to heaven and to bring our family to heaven and to bring as many souls to heaven as possible! Jesus said: “What would it profit a man to gain the whole world if he loses his soul in the process?”

21. EYE-CONTROL!!! A key element in avoiding the viewing of pornography is the concept of “Eye-control!” Sin enters through the gateways of the senses, especially through sight, through the eyes. We should pray for body-control, mind-control, and eye-control.

22.PSYCHOLOGICAL DYNAMIC OF THE HUMAN PERSON. What goes into the eyes, then the mind, and from mind to heart, and from heart to life and culminates in human actions, habits, which forms the personality of the person and finally his eternal destiny—salvation of condemnation.

23. CONTROL THOUGHTS. There is another saying: “You are what you eat!” True, over-eating and gluttony will form a fat-person! But it is just as true to say that we are what we think. We must learn to control our thoughts—not an easy task, without God’s grace impossible, but with God all things are possible.

24.REJECTION OF INDECENT OR IMPURE THOUGHTS. Often priests are asked the question if impure thoughts are sins. My response is by means of a humorous anecdote. A priest once asked a man: “Did you entertain bad thoughts?” The man promptly replied: “No, they entertained me!” Impure thoughts are not sins until we give consent to them. Therefore, as soon as we are aware of impure or indecent thoughts that are crossing our minds then we must try to reject them immediately!

25. INVOKE MARY! The Oblates of the Virgin Mary have a short aspiration to the Blessed Virgin Mary: “Maria cogita, Maria invoca!”--- Meaning: “Think about Mary, invoke Mary!” Especially in moments of temptations against the virtue of purity we should think of the Blessed Virgin Mary, but even more important we should invoke her so that she will help us so as to avoid succumbing to the temptation! Never was it known that anyone who called Mary was left unaided.

26. AVOID LAZINESS. One of the key weapons or tools of the devil is to find individuals who are lazy, have no discipline and are like a feather blown by the wind. The great Saint John Bosco remarked that vacation time was the harvest-ground for the devil. Given that the young were given weeks of free-time without any work or plans, then this was the time that the devil would work with extra energy. So with us, if we are lazy, indolent, without any discipline, the devil of impurity, and the devil of pornography will often redouble his strategies and attacks! St. Bonaventure says: “When we are busy one devil may tempt us, but when we have nothing to do and army of devils go after us! Let us work in this life and we can rest forever in heaven.

27. AVOID ASSOCIATING WITH THE LAZY. As an extension to the last idea would be that of those with whom we associate. If we are hanging out with persons that like to view indecent material, that we call pornography, chances are, we will be dragged into the mud of pornography with them.

28. PROPER REST. On another note, dealing with our physical reality, all should strive to have sufficient rest. Why? Because when the body is run down due to exhaustion it is often a time in which temptations against the virtue of chastity increase. The devil never goes on vacation even though we do usually every year!

29. STATE OF DESOLATION. In the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, there is a key learning process which are the Rules for spiritual discernment. Desolation is a state of souls when we feel sad, depressed, low in spiritual energy, discouraged, tepid and lukewarm, and as if nobody really cares for us much at all. We all at times experience this state of soul. In this state of desolation the devil often will tempt us against the virtue of purity and to seek a momentary sense of relief by viewing pornography. We should be keenly aware of our state of soul, especially that of desolation so as to avoid succumbing to the temptations of the enemy.

30.DEVIL: FATHER OF LIES. The devil, known as the Father of lies, will capitalize on such a state of soul to promise us a false sense of happiness and pleasure by viewing what we know is a mirage, a lie, a false-hope, a fantasy world that has no true promise and no lasting future! As the ancient-serpent lied and tricked and seduced Eve in the Garden of Eden, the devil is out to trick and seduce as into viewing the poison of pornography!

What then can we do to help those who have already fallen into pornography and it has become a deeply engrained habit, if you like a “vice”? Is there hope? If so what should be the game-plan or strategy to help them in this mortal battle, a battle really for the eternal salvation of their souls. The following points will give the strategy or game-plan to extricate ourselves from the moral quagmire or quicksand of pornography.

31. HUMBLE ADMISSION. The 1^st step in any source of healing, but especially with regards to moral healing or porn addiction is the humble admission that the addiction has gotten a firm grip on us. As in any addiction—drink, drugs, gambling—the 1^st step is to humbly admit that we have a problem.

32. JESUS: THE DIVINE PHYSICIAN. As Jesus constantly healed the deaf, blind, sick, paralytics, dead and mute, as well as raise the dead giving them new life, He can still heal us of our moral infirmities. Jesus is just as strong today as He was 2000 years ago. We have to tap into His healing grace and power.

33.CONFESSION. The Sacrament of the Eucharist nourishes our souls. The Sacrament of Confession heals us of our moral sicknesses. A good confession puts us into contact with the Precious Blood that Jesus shed for us on the cross on Calvary to wash away the sins of the world and that includes our own sins whatever they might be.

34. CONFESSION AGAIN. To overcome and conquer an engrained inveterate habit is not easy. If one falls he should get up—in imitation of the Prodigal Son, Luke 15. Then he should run and launch himself in the arms of the loving Father and trust in His grace, mercy and strength.

35.PRINCIPLE OF GRADUALITY. In moral theology and moral growth it does not always happen immediately, but rather it happens gradually. If one is falling into pornography on a daily basis and then after a good confession falls after three days, there is progress. Instead of having fallen daily, as was the pattern and habit possibly for many years, it has been three days, then indeed there is real progress. The hope is that in the future, with the help of God’s grace, the vice will be totally eliminated.

36. PRAYER. Jesus said: “Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Mt. 7:7) We should become like beggars and humbly implore the Lord for the grace of freedom from the slavery of pornography and the freedom of the sons and daughters of God. Jesus wants to free us from the addiction to pornography more than we want it ourselves. However, He waits for us to ask and respects our freedom.

37. PLAN OF LIFE/SCHEDULE. Attacks from the enemy are launched when there is much free time, no schedule and one is floating in limbo or no man’s land. To conquer the devil of porn in our lives we must have a strict and well-ordered life and a schedule of activities.

38.WORK ENERGY. Not only should we have a demanding work-ethic, but also we should work at what we are doing with all of the energy of our souls. We should exert all of our mind and physical resources to carry out the task at hand. As such temptations in general, especially those to view porn can be diminished to the minimum.

39. BIBLE READING. A daily dose of meditation on the Bible, the Word of God, can prove a most efficacious means to help us in the battle against purity. The Bible is the Word of God and it is a lamp for our steps and light for our path, as the Psalmist teaches us.

40.MIND-PURIFICATION. One of the many beautiful effects of the reading, meditating of the Word of God is that it purifies the mind of past bad images. If you like the image, what chlorine is to a dirty pool (calling the bacteria) so the Word of God is to the mind of the person who has bad images engraved in them. The Word of God can replace these impure images.

41.MEMORIZATION OF THE BIBLE. One more step, with respect to the Bible, the Word of God, and it is the importance of memorizing Biblical passages. These beautiful gems can serve as means to elevate the memory on high. St. Paul encourages us not to look to the earth, but to lift our mind on high where the Lord is seated at the right hand of the Father.

42. IMAGES. Another powerful means to purify the memory of the past indecent images is to have frequent contact with beautiful images: statues of Mary or saints, paintings, icons—all of these help us to lift up our mind to heaven and to burn out or dislodge the bad images of the past.

43. SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR. Another invaluable aid in overcoming pornography is to have a spiritual director. St. Ignatius of Loyola, St Teresa of Avila and many saints concur on the fact that progress in the spiritual life is almost impossible without adequate spiritual direction.

44.TRANSPARENCY. With the director it is indispensable the importance of transparency of heart, mind and souls with the Director. How can a Doctor help a patient if there is no transparency with respect to the ailment? Similarly the person directed must tell the director his temptations, falls, frequency and what he believes to be the reasons behind the falls!

45. SUPPORT GROUP. There are support groups to help individuals that are battling with vices—drinking, drugs, gambling, over-eating. There are support groups to help those who are battling to overcome the addiction to pornography. This can be very useful. We are not alone but in community. Community support can be of great value.

46.MENTORS. In such groups and mentor is assigned that can be of great help especially when violent temptations, like violent storms rise. Talking it out can help to prevent a fall.

47. HEALTHY FRIENDSHIPS. One of the reasons for the seeking out the solitary sin of porn is loneliness. We live in a society with many very lonely people. Many people feel as if they are in this huge world without anyone that really cares for them. As a momentary relief of this loneliness and sorrow, porn is the decision of many. Therefore, cultivating healthy and wholesome friends can help to avoid having recourse to porn.

48. JOY! Adding to good friends, joy of heart, we have a real winner. St. Francis de Sales says that the worst thing that can befall us after sin is sadness. When we are in a joyful spirit the temptation to run to porn is almost non-existent. Why not try to cultivate a joyful heart. St. Paul says: “Rejoice in the Lord; I say it again: rejoice in the Lord.” (Phil. 4:4)

49. PHYSICAL EXERCISE. On a human level the body needs exercise. A good program of physical exercise and discipline can serve as a secondary means to prevent running after the devil of porn.

50.DISTRACTIONS. When tempted to give in to sin we must call upon God and beg for His abundant grace. However, another great help is to have some healthy distractions when tempted to give in to pornography. Some healthy distractions might be the following: sports, nature walks, solid reading, Classical music, etc. The mind cannot contain two images at the same time.

51. TEMPTED: CALL ON MARY! We can never insist too much on having recourse to the most pure and Immaculate Heart of Mary. In the midst of the violent storms let us find refuge in the Immaculate Heart of Our Lady as well as in the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

52. LOVE OF GOD! Every time we say “No” to any temptation, then in reality we say “Yes” to the love of God. By cultivating this personal relationship with God and our desire to do all that is pleasing to Him to grown in this Friendship can be a most powerful motivation to resist temptation.

The following are others helps in the struggle against the ravenous wolf of pornography—to either keep the wolf away or to kick the wolf out of our presence. The battle is strong and the strong will win out with the help of God’s powerful grace. The following suggestions are related to information: reading material that we can have reference to and employ. It is very important that we be well-informed on the topic. Indeed often we fall into sin due to ignorance. If we know where the enemy is than we can try to barricade and block the frontal attack.

53. “Blessed are the Pure of Heart” by Bishop Robert Finn, St. Joseph, Diocese Kansas City. (Lent, 2008). Is an excellent overview of the topic of the danger of pornography. The statistics on the use of porn are well done and prepared. The effects of pornography are explained. Finally there is an excellent strategy that is presented to win over pornography or to avoid it in the first place. A series of prayers are given as a closing note.

54. “Ten steps to sexual purity.” Steve Wood. An excellent short pamphlet, well written, concise and very clear by Steve Wood. Basically it is a game-plan or strategy that Steve Wood offers for those who have fallen into pornography. He combines the two aspects of first and foremost relying on God’s grace, but also being wise in using human means and steps to avoid the poison of pornography. As mentioned in an earlier point, Steve Wood insists on the importance of reading and even memorizing passages from Sacred Scripture to dislodge the smut engraved on the mind. As chlorine is to the pool, so is the word of God to the mind.

55. Another source that can be of invaluable importance and use is a website against pornography: integrityrestored. Com All the sources that are available we should be aware of and be ready to use!

56. PENANCE. Another means to fight against the devil of pornography is the practice of penance. On Friday’s we are obliged to carry out some form of penance. This does not mean that we cannot practice penance on the other days of the week. Jesus said: “Unless you do penance you will perish.” He also said: “Some devils can be expelled only by prayer and penance.” To dislodge and expel the devil of porn we must use powerful means and penance is one of them.

57. MASS AND HOLY COMMUNION. This presentation would be all but complete if we did not mention the most powerful weapon we have beneath the heavens but actually connects heaven and earth: Holy Mass and Holy Communion. This is our POWERHOUSE.

58.HOLY COMMUNION. When we receive Holy Communion we as actually have a SPIRITUAL HEART-TRANSPLANT. The Precious and most pure Blood of Jesus we receive into our bodies. One of the effects is that it pacifies and calms the concupiscence and the fleshly desires that we have as a result of Original Sin. The fiery heat of our passions can be subdued by the Blood of Christ.

59. MIND OF CHRIST. Furthermore, upon receiving Holy Communion we receive the total Christ: His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. Included in this of course is THE MIND OF CHRIST. The mind can be severely damaged due to the viewing of porn. The opposite happens when we receive Holy Communion: we receive the mind of Christ and all of the faculties present in the mind: memory, understanding, and imagination. All of these internal faculties can be purified and ennobled form a worthy reception of Jesus in the most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.

60. GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD. We pray these words every time we pray the Our Father. Daily Bread can also be interpreted as “Daily Holy Communion.” What the saints call “The Bread of the Angels” can be a most efficacious means to help us in our battle to overcome porn as well as to prevent the enemy from getting into our homes, persons and heart! The Blood of Jesus serves as a powerful shield of protection.

In our battle against the enemies of our souls we should also have recourse to God’s friends as well as our friends in heaven—the Saints! They can help us in the heated moments of temptation to overcome the devil who is like a roaring lion seeking who he can devour, in the words of the first Pope, the Glorious Saint Peter.

61. GLORIOUS SAINT JOSEPH. Of all of the saints, good Saint Joseph is the most powerful. Among many of his titles are two very pertinent to our topic: Saint Joseph, Terror of demons as well as St. Joseph, model of purity. Calling upon him in moments of temptation to impurity can prove very powerful.

62. SAINT MARIA GORETTI. This young virgin-martyr who actually died rather than giving into the sinful desires of a young man who wanted to use her sexually as the patron of youth as well as the patron of purity. The young man, who tried to rape her, Alesandro Serenelli, actually fueled his passion by viewing pornographic magazines before trying to take advantage of the young woman.

63. SAINT LUCY. This young Italian martyr is known is the patron of the eyes. It is actually that which we must control with respect to pornography—the control of our eyes. The wandering eyes symptom can be catastrophic in leading us down the wrong path of viewing impure images or material. May Saint Lucy’s prayers serve to sustain and to protect us!

64. SAINT RAPHAEL. This is one of the three Archangels that we know by name in the Bible: St. Michael the Archangels, St. Gabriel and St Raphael. In the book of Tobias in the Old Testament we encounter the Archangel Raphael whose name means, “God heals” or “Medicine of God”. Like Saint Lucy, St. Raphael is also the patron of the eyes, as well as the patron of purity. He was instrumental in blessing the marriage between Sarah and Tobias, after Sarah unsuccessfully tried to marriage sis previous times. Why not make it a habit to invoke the holy angels, especially Saint Raphael in times of temptation.

65.OUR FATHER. Of course in the prayer that Jesus taught us there is so much to meditate upon and immense riches. One of the petitions in the Our Father is “lead us not into temptation” and another, “but deliver us from evil.”(Sometimes translated—the evil one or devil). Let us get in the habit of praying the Our Father to prove victorious over our enemies.

Let us take a typical scenario where a temptation can surface to give in to the temptation of viewing pornography and see what can be done to win the fierce battle. Desolation sets in! You have had some failure during the course of the day. At home everybody seems to be angry, absorbed and living in their own little world. Nobody really seems to care about who you are, what you are going through and where you are heading in life. Your life seems to have nor real meaning or purpose. The temptation to dive into pornography, especially of there has been a past habit, can be almost over-powering. How then can the temptation be overcome? The following are some concrete steps.

66. GRACE. Must rely on God’s grace. We are exceedingly weak due to Original sin as well as personal sin. However, God’s grace is stronger than our weakness. The song is so true: “Amazing grace that saved a wretch like me…”

67. CALL A SPADE A SPADE. Humbly recognize in all honesty that you are being tempted by the devil to do something that is wrong, that is sinful and displeasing to God.

68. FERVENT PRAYER TO GOD. St. Alphonsus Liguori says that there is no such thing as weak men or strong men, but those who know how to pray and others who do not know how to pray. Launch short but fervent prayers to Heaven begging for help to win the battle. These fervent darts that pierce the heavens can prove to be powerful indeed.

69. JESUS HELP ME! Lord, I am sinking! Lord come to my assistance. Begone Satan and enter Jesus. Sweet Heart of Mary be my salvation. St. Joseph, terror of demons, help me.

70. HAIL MARY—having recourse to Mary in moment of temptation can prove to be exceedingly powerful.

71. GET AWAY FROM THE FIRE: IF NOT BURNT! Try to exit as quickly as possible from where the temptation is most strong and imperious. If you stay close to the fire then you will get burnt.

72. COMPUTER/INTERNET—Get away from this! This is the devil disguised in electronic-media costume!

73. HEALTHY DISTRACTIONS. Then after having had recourse to God and His most powerful grace, having recourse to a healthy and wholesome distraction can help to win the battle. What might some of these healthy distractions be for us?

74. FRIEND. Call a friend and engage yourself in a deep, profound concentration—an intellectual concentration where you are really engaging your mind fully.

75. HOBBY. It is very profitable to have a hobby or even a few of them: writing, playing a musical instrument, painting, classical music, etc. This too will engage the mind.

76.PHYSICAL EXERCISES. Furthermore, a strong discipline of the body can ward off temptations: running or biking.

77. TEAM SPORTS. Involvement with others in competitive sports can so absorb both the body, mind and emotions that the temptation to turn to pornography can evaporate.

78. ACCOUNTABILITY FRIEND. Alcoholics anonymous as well as other groups that work to help in overcome addictions have recourse to what might be termed an “Accountability-friend”. This means that when the temptation descends like a violent storm then calling a friend and talking it out can prove invaluable.

79. SPIRITUAL DIRECTION. The spiritual life is not designed to be a journey by oneself. On the contrary, accompaniment is a key element of Ignatian spirituality. Therefore, talking out one’s struggles with an experienced spiritual director who can offer you a game plan can help out immensely. The great saints—Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross, Ignatius of Loyola—all experienced great help from periodic spiritual direction.

80.CONFESSION. Another immense positive help would be to have recourse to the Sacrament of Confession. Past sins can be confessed with a renewal of sorrow for these past sins. Even it is healthy to reveal and confess temptations that are assaulting us. This is a great act of humility and the devil takes flight at the sight of a humble soul.

81. RESISTANCE. Despite utilizing these many positive means—both supernatural and natural—the temptation to give in to pornography might still persist. The only remedy is to keep calling upon God and relying on His grace for the final victory.

82. WHY THE PROLONGED DURATION OF THE TEMPTATION? By now you might even be asking, why or how can a temptation last so long??? St. Paul teaches us that God will never allow us to be tempted beyond our strength. Rather, that with the temptation there will always be what is called sufficient grace from God to resist the temptation. The reason is simply this: every temptation resisted is a growth in grace and in the opposite virtue. A soldier cannot be claimed as victorious if he has not conquered the enemy. In the spiritual life often the biggest enemy is our own ego and selfishness!

83.MASS AND EUCHARIST. In an earlier number it has already been mentioned the importance of Holy Mass, Holy Communion and the most Holy Eucharist. This point cannot be over-emphasized. The heat of passion and concupiscence, the demands of the flesh, and the relentless temptation of the devil can prove to be almost overbearing. Run to daily Mass—if at all possible. Receive Holy Communion. By doing so you will be putting on the mind of Jesus Christ.

84.BLOOD OF CHRIST. Furthermore, the most precious Blood of Jesus will be rushing through your veins and into your very heart. This will serve as a powerful shield to ward of the fiery darts of the enemy from within and from without!

85. MEDITATE ON HEAVEN AND ETERNITY. Often in moments of temptation stopping and meditating on the purpose of our life, the end of our life as well as the reality of the last things can be exceedingly helpful!

86.DEATH, JUDGMENT, HEAVEN, HELL, AND PURGATORY. If in the heat of passion we can prayerfully calm down and meditate on the fact that one day we will die; then immediately after we will be judged by Jesus who will come to Judge all of us individually; then meditate on the possibility of hell and its stark but very real existence—the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

87.HEAVEN. Even more potent can be the meditation on our final destiny which is HEAVEN. The Word of God teaches us: “Vanity of vanity all is vanity…” All indeed is insignificant in comparison to our eternal reward that awaits us in heaven. Jesus promises heaven to those who are pure of heart: “Blessed are the pure of heart they will see God.” (Mt. 5:8)

88.EXAMINE OF CONSCIENCE. A brief examine of conscience can prove to be very efficacious. You might remember having given in to this temptation in the past, the transitory pleasure, but then the intense remorse of conscience and sense of guilt. Is it really worth it???

89. TEMPTATION CONQUERED, HEAVEN REJOICES. The angels and saints are on your side. Call out to your friends and they will come to your rescue. Once you have won the victory they will be rejoicing in heaven over this victory. As athletes rejoice over sport events and victories so the saints rejoice over moral and spiritual victories over the spiritual athletes competing in this world.

90. HUMILITY. Once the victory has been won, due to the power of God’s grace, then we should be thankful to God and humble. Never should we attribute the victory to ourselves but to the presence and grace of Almighty God. “Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth.”

91.IN CONSOLATION PREPARE FOR DESOLATION. St. Ignatius of Loyola reminds us that when we are experiencing consolation in our soul—possibly due to a victory—then we should be preparing for future battles. The battle is not over until we die.

92.LIVING IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD. Brother Lawrence, a lay brother, insists that holiness depends largely on living constantly in the PRESENCE OF GOD. In all we do God is watching over us with His loving attention. We should desire to will to never do anything that will hurt our loving God and Savior.

If, due to human weakness, we do fall into the trap of pornography, then what should we do?

93. REPENT AND START AGAIN. Saint Junipero Serra has an immortal saying that can be very consoling: “Siempre adelente y nunca atras.”—translation: “Always forward and never look behind.”

94.CONFESSION. A good and humble sacramental confession can put us once again on the straight and narrow path that leads to salvation. The Psalmist reminds us that the just man falls seven times a day.

95.Venerable Father Bruno Lanteri, Founder of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary has a similar saying in Latin: “Nunc coepi!”--- meaning—“Now I begin!” The past we leave to God’s mercy and the future to his loving and kind Providence.

96. NAME IT AND CLAIM IT AND TAME IT. Name the sin, claim it by admitting it in confession; then tame it by the Precious Blood of Jesus who died to save us from our sins.

97.PRECIOUS BLOOD OF JESUS WASHES US CLEAN. Then we should recognize that the Blood of Jesus has washed us clean and freed us. JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!!!

98. JOY. We must cultivate a constant joy in our lives. The devil lurks and hides around sad souls and attacks them constantly. Whereas an individual filled with joy is a shield against the attacks of the enemy. Joy is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit and can serve as a safeguard against the temptations to give in to pornography.

99. OUR LADY: CAUSE OF OUR JOY. Our Lady has already been mentioned in the course of these points, but she should be mentioned once again as we come close to the end of our treatise on defense of purity and attacks against pornography. In the lives of the saints, they really strive to love God with their whole being, but also have a special and tender love for the Blessed Virgin Mary. Not only is she invoked under the title “Cause of our joy”, but also, “Virgin most pure.” May she attain for us protection against the attacks of pornography and if we have fallen may she attain for us a quick return to the loving embrace of our heavenly Father.

100. CLOSING PRAYER: “Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I give you my heart and my soul; Jesus Mary and Joseph, make my heart like unto thine. Jesus, Mary and Joseph, assist me in my last agony; Jesus Mary and Joseph I breathe forth my soul unto thee.” May the Holy Family attain for us purity in this life and the crown of eternal glory in the Kingdom of Heaven, Amen.