Struggle with sin – perhaps it is language, perhaps a lack of chastity, perhaps gluttony, or one of any number of sins against the virtues – whatever the sin or the reason for the temptation, we know the experience – the same sin again and again – going to the confessional and asking God’s mercy time and time again – falling again and again – we pray – we work – we try and avoid temptation – but the challenge continues.
But there at last – progress – first a week, a second – then a month without that sin – a trip to the confessional where that sin does not need to be confessed – we think victory over the sin is at hand -…- But it is then that we sin once again – the temptation returns – and we are sinning once again – often worse than before, for we cannot believe we are committing the same sin once again – no matter the sin – sinful words, actions, thoughts – and when the temptation comes back – often because our guard is down, we sin even more. Discouragement strikes causing more harm – a deadly cycle of sin.
Why? How does this pattern happen? – The enemy of the soul does not just strike where it is easy, and temptation does not only come when we are prepared - As St Ignatius of Loyola notes, “just as a captain and leader of an army in the field, pitching his camp and exploring the fortifications and defenses of a stronghold, attacks it at the weakest point, in the same way, the enemy of human nature, roving about, looks in turn at all our theological, cardinal, and moral virtue; and where he finds us weakest and most in need for our eternal salvation, there he attacks us and attempts to take us."
One answer to this is to remind ourselves to make sure our defense is strong – let us examine our conscience – examine our strengths and weakness, and that is good advice – let us look at the virtues and seek to grow in them. However, there is more than just planning defense in the growth of the virtues - for – to borrow a sports analogy – sometimes the best defense is a good offense. For we do not merely build virtue by sitting and waiting for temptation and resisting when it comes – No – one goes out and seeks virtue - including out in the desert.
For over a millennium ago, back in the early centuries of the Church, there were the desert fathers – St Pachomius, St Anthony of the desert, St Paul of Thebes - starting in the 3rd century – monks, hermits – out in the desert – and the choice of the desert was not accidental – for it was there in the unforgiving environment –lack water and vegetation – dryness and a stark austerity – there in the desert was the place of battle – battle against the devil –throughout the Christian tradition – going all the way back to casting out of Adam and Eve from Eden – to the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt through the desert – to exile – a desert is a place of conflict, warfare, temptations to be defeated - a battle fought with prayer and fasting – a battle fought to develop virtue – a battle fought in the home of the Satan – there in the desert
But the desert fathers did not venture to the desert alone – that would be foolish – for the desert fathers were following an example – that of Christ – For it was after being baptized by John that – “the Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert” – Out in the desert for 40 days – tempted by Satan – Mark does not give us any of the details of the temptations that are in the other gospels – but he was there and tempted by Satan – facing down the devil in the desert – not waiting for Satan to come – but going out - and not going alone – for he was driven by the spirit – and “the angels ministered to him.” – 40 days in the desert – combat with Satan – a combat of virtue – prayer and fasting. The desert father with Christ followed out to the desert – and in this season of Lent – so do we.
Lent is not just a time of dieting to lose weight by eating fewer sweets. –It is a time to go out to the desert – perhaps not literally – there is no desert near Brattleboro – but by metaphor – the desert in practice – taking up prayer, fasting, and almsgiving – for Lent – 40 days of fasting – is our time to participate in Christ time in the desert - we follow the example of Christ and of the desert fathers – not waiting for temptation and then wonder how we sinned again. -
is not very long – just six and half weeks – and we are already through the half week – let us take it seriously - look to Christ in the desert – look to the examples of some saints that literally went to the desert, the same desert as Christ – looking through the disciplines of Lent to grow in virtue – draw closer to Christ – do not just wait to resist temptation – go on offense - search to grow in virtue – Virtue that is the defense when temptation comes – this Lent – let us go and search to grow in virtue.