Temptation

The advice of St. Paul to pray unceasingly and the warnings of ascetical literature to always be on guard were given new meaning this week. I must admit to having relaxed somewhat in my vigilance, having gotten past the half-way point with my classes and with many of the more difficult classes already behind me. Of course, I should have known better.

My stay here isn't about classes (or it is very little about classes); it is, rather, about spiritual warfare. Granted, in theory I knew that; I needed this week, however, for that to become the type of knowledge that is more than theory. Between a minor inconvenience here, a couple of very busy days there, rather unfounded financial worries that kept coming back to my mind, and other minor nuisances, I had gotten to the point where I did not want to be in chapel for Liturgy for the Presentation of the Lord.

Thankfully, by the grace of God, I realized at that point that I needed to refocus on prayer. It was difficult and it still is - as some of my fellow seminarians like to remind themselves, seminaries are places where temptation always runs high. But I did make it to Liturgy yesterday and that made a big the difference.

It was a lesson hard learned, but thank God for it.