Click here to take a listen while you read through. The Temptations seem to 
capture some of the essence of the idea which our good friend Thomas a’ Kempis is talking about in this first part of the meditation on Temptation. The song tells us to pray!
Thomas sets the stage in that we are faced with temp-
tation all our life. He tells us to pay attention to our tendencies. Then he tells us that even the best of saints, like St. Francis of Assisi, were heavily tempted. Legend has it that St. Francis would roll in the snow when tempted , or throw himself into a thorn bush! Ouch! Thomas gives us a strategy to fight temptation. Getting to the root of the temptation is the key, he says, to conquering whatever is grabbing our attention.
Temptations help to free us from vanity and keep us dependent on God as Savior. We turn to God in our weakness, so we do not rely upon our own power. See the prayer at the end of this post for times of temptation. Until next time, be Imitators of Christ!
Book 1: Chapter 13 On Resisting Temptations As long as we live in this world we cannot be without tribulation and temptation. Hence it is written in the Book of Job: “the life of a man upon earth is a temptation and a drudgery (Job 7:1).”
Everyone, therefore, ought to be anxious about his temptations, and to watch in prayer, for fear that the devil, who never sleeps, but “goes about seeking whom he may devour” find room to deceive him (1 Peter 5:8).
No man is so perfect and holy as not to have some temptations; and we never can be wholly free from them.
2. Yet temptations are often very profitable to a man although troublesome
and disturbing; for in them a disciple is humbled, purified, and instructed. All the saints have passed through many tribulations and temptations and have benefited by the same; and they who could not support temptations have become corrupt and fallen away. There is no order so holy, nor place so hidden, where there are not temptations and adversities.
3. As long as you live, you are never entirely safe from temptations; because we have within us the source of temptation, having been born by way of desire. It is a constant that when one temptation or tribulation is over, another comes on; and we shall have always something to suffer, because we have lost the good of our original happiness.
Many seek to fly temptations and fall more painfully into them.
We cannot overcome temptations by flight alone; but through patience and true humility we are made stronger than our enemies
4. If you only fight off temptations outwardly and do not pluck out the root, 
you will benefit little; indeed, temptations will soon return to you and you will find yourself in a worse condition than before. By degree, and by patience, with forbearance, you shall by God’s grace better overcome temptation than by harshness and your own demands.
In temptation, take counsel often, and do not deal harshly with a fellow disciple that is tempted; but comfort him as you would wish to be comforted.
5. The beginning of all temptations to evil is instability of temper and lack of trust in God; for even as a ship without a helm is tossed about by the waves, so is a disciple who is careless and weak of purpose tempted – now on this side, now on that. As fire tests iron, so temptation tests the upright.
Oftentimes we do not know what strength we have; but temptation reveals to us what we are. Nevertheless, we must watch, especially in the beginnings of temptation; for then the enemy is more easily conquered, when your foe is not allowed to enter into your mind, but rather is met outside the door as soon as you hear the knock.
It has been said:
‘Resist the beginnings; once you may have cured,
But now it’s past your skill, too long has it endured.’
For first there comes to the mind the simple suggestion, then the strong imagination, afterwards pleasure, evil motion, then assent. And so little by little the enemy enters in altogether, because he was not resisted at the beginning. And the longer a disciple delays resistance, the weaker he becomes, and the enemy grows stronger.
6. Some disciples suffer their most serious temptations in the beginning of their conversion, some at the end. Some are continually tried their whole life long. There are others who are tempted only lightly, according to the wisdom and justice of the ordering of God, Who knows the character and circumstances of us all, and orders all things for the welfare of His elect.
7. Therefore we ought not to despair when we are tempted, but should cry out to God more earnestly that He will be moved to help us in all our tribulation; and that He will, according to St. Paul, make a way to escape the temptation and that we may therefore be able to bear it.(1 Cor 10:13). Let us therefore humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God in all temptation and trouble, for He will save and exalt those who are of an humble spirit.
8. In temptations and troubles you are proved, what progress you have made, and therein is your reward greater, and your virtue becomes more visible. Nor is it a great thing if you are devout and zealous so long as you do not suffer affliction; but if you behave yourself patiently in the time of adversity, then is there hope of great progress. Some are kept safe from great temptations, but are overtaken in those which are little and common, that the humiliation may teach them not to trust to yourself in great things, being weak in small things.
O my God,
I am heartily sorry for
having offended Thee,
and I detest all my sins,
because I dread the loss of heaven,
and the pains of hell;
but most of all because
they offend Thee, my God,
Who are all good and
deserving of all my love.
I firmly resolve,
with the help of Thy grace,
to confess my sins,
to do penance,
and to amend my life.
Amen.