The Devil, being a spirit,
imperceptibly whispers such ungodly words into the ears of our incorporeal soul
against its will; and he, the loathsome one, does this especially when we are
standing in prayer, or kneeling before God and imploring Him for help in
fighting against blasphemous thoughts. Often he attacks us at common
worship and when we are about to
partake of the dread Mysteries
--- wishing to alienate us from God, and to impede us from bowing our
heads before Him and communing of the life-giving
Mysteries.
Now that we have
understood the craftiness of the Evil One, let us pay no attention
whatsoever to such a temptation. Rather, when the Devil begins to say
such things to us, let us tell him: 'May your toil return upon your own head, you
wicked and unclean demon, and may your blasphemy come down upon your own
head [cf.
Psalm 7:16]; for I worship the Lord my God, and Him alone shall I serve
all the days of my life [cf. Matthew
4:10].
But as for you, in return for this blasphemy, you will have a more severe
punishment as an apostate from God, who utters ungodly words against Him.'
In
this way, and in no other way, can one overcome the demon of blasphemy.
As for us, then, brethren, let us despise the thought of blasphemy as satanic and foreign to us; and, in this way, through contempt, we shall be able to free ourselves from it by the grace of God. For there is no other way in which to overcome it. The other passions--and the warfare aroused by thoughts--may remain in us, but they require the right time and suitable circumstances for their accomplishment; and thus a man has the opportunity to fight against them and thwart their progress. This thought, however, darts swiftly and unexpectedly into the soul light lightning--like a missile in flight, or like the twinkling of an eye...It is impossible, therefore, to forestall it, or stop the mouth of this incorporeal demon.
As for us, then, brethren, let us despise the thought of blasphemy as satanic and foreign to us; and, in this way, through contempt, we shall be able to free ourselves from it by the grace of God. For there is no other way in which to overcome it. The other passions--and the warfare aroused by thoughts--may remain in us, but they require the right time and suitable circumstances for their accomplishment; and thus a man has the opportunity to fight against them and thwart their progress. This thought, however, darts swiftly and unexpectedly into the soul light lightning--like a missile in flight, or like the twinkling of an eye...It is impossible, therefore, to forestall it, or stop the mouth of this incorporeal demon.
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