Q: I am a person who used to be very addicted to masturbation and pornography, for over a decade. On the day I found the Catholic Church, God gave to me the special Grace that I stopped immediately, and have not looked at pornography once and only masturbated once since that time over a year and a half ago.  However, I suffer terribly from lust, or what I think is lust.  I also struggle most terribly with mental images, which come to me over and over and over again, almost constantly throughout my day.

Between these two things, I am not sure that there is more than a few minutes each day when I am not sinning.   I cannot even make it through prayer without suffering this several times. I go to confession as well. I am feeling incredibly desperate, and really have no idea what to do.

Thanks, Shane

A:  Dear Shane,

Regarding the seemingly constant temptations with which you suffer, remember that the devl knows that you have been prone to weakness and are therefore vulnerable in this area.  As a consequence, he will use every weapon in his arsenal to attack you incessantly in an effort to wear you down and make you fall.

When these temptations come, focus on Jesus and our Blessed Mother, imploring their help and intercession. None of us is any match for the devl on our own, but God can overcome everything that the devl can throw at us.

It is in surrendering your own weakness and humbling yourself before God that will drive the devl away, simply because even though the devl can imitate an angel of light, he cannot imitate humility. The devl will always flee from a humble soul who is completely aware of its total dependence on God and not itself.

Continue in your faithful and frequent participation in the Sacraments - this is very crucial as well.

Paul Rasavage
for the Serenellians
and www.PornNoMore.com