pluck it out, and cast it from thee." (S. Matt. v. 29.) Mark the words "from thee." You must cast it, not near, but far from you, which is saying, that you ought to remove afar every temptation to sin. S. Francis of Assisi said, that the devil tempts spiritual persons who have given themselves to God in a different way from that in which he tempts the wicked; and first, he does not seek to bind them with a cord, he is content with a hair; then he binds them with a thread; then with a string; afterwards with a cord, and so finally he draws them into sin. He who wishes, therefore, to be liberated from this danger, it behoves from the first to despise all those hairs, all those sinful opportunities, such as salutations, presents, notes, and the like. And, speaking particularly of those who have the habit of the sin of impurity, it will not suffice to avoid the proximate temptations only; the remote must be shunned, to save from falling back again into sin.
It is necessary for him who desires earnestly to save his soul, to strengthen and renew continually his resolution, never to separate himself from God, to repeat frequently the saying of the saints, " Let all be lost, and God not be lost." But it is not enough to resolve alone not to lose Him more, he must adopt means also, so as not to lose Him. The first means, is to avoid the temptations to sin, of which already mention has been made; the second, is to frequent the Sacraments of Confession and Holy Communion. In that house which is often swept, dirt does not reign; so by confession the soul is kept pure, and it not only obtains remission of sins, but even help to resist the temptations. The Communion, then, is called Heavenly Bread, because as the body cannot live without earthly food, so the mind cannot live without heavenly food. " Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of man, and drink His Blood, ye have no life in you." (S. John vi. 53.) On the other hand, to him who often eats of this Bread it is promised, " If any man eat of this Bread, he shall live for ever." (S. John vi. 51.) Wherefore the ancient Fathers called the Communion " The medicine by which we are freed from our daily sins and are preserved from deadly sins." The third means, is mental prayer. " Remember the end, and thou shalt never do amiss."
