Dear soul, it is a joy to write to you again. I pray that the graces of Pentecost continue to enliven the faith in the hearts of each one of us.

In hearing of the history of the Descent of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost, we are all given example of the conversion and conviction which are effects of the True Spirit acting within the soul. We are - each of us - called to be instant in prayer as were the Apostles in the upper room, praying that not our will, but the will of God be done. This leads us directly to the next "chapter" on prayer from Evagrius.

31 . Do not pray for the fulfillment of your wishes, for they may not accord with the will of God. But pray as you have been taught, saying: Thy will be done in me (cf Luke 22:42). Always entreat Him in this way - that His will be done. For He desires what is good and profitable for you, whereas you do not always ask for this.

So easily said, dear soul, and yet how often do we fail in seeking that the will of God be done in us! If we take no other lesson away from our considerations on prayer this month, let us take this one and engrave it on our hearts: Thy will be done. We have no less a Teacher than our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, Who both taught us to pray that the will of God be done and showed Himself to pray exactly that in the garden of Gethsemane.

So easily said, and yet therein we can find a life-long struggle. Let us be not afraid of that struggle, but rather to face it and to undertake it each and every day. If we need a bit of encouragement and motivation, let us hear the words of Evagrius himself as he recounts his own struggle:

32. Often when I have prayed I have asked for what I thought was good, and persisted in my petition, stupidly importuning the will of God, and not leaving it to Him to arrange things as He knows is best for me. But when I have obtained what I asked for, I have been very sorry that I did not ask for the will of God to be done; because the thing turned out not to be as I had thought.

How true this is, dear soul. Our will inclines us to what it perceives as good, but our own perception remains limited and dulled. Do not fall into the trap of the pseudo-philosophers who proclaim anything that is desired by the will to be "good" by the very fact that we desire it. Our own experience should teach us the truth of that situation. How often have we wanted - even longed for - a particular object of our desire only to realize just a fleeting pleasure upon getting what we thought we wanted? Dear soul, you were created for better things than fleeting, ephemeral goods; good that ultimately leave you unfulfilled. The only way to find genuine fulfillment is in that Good which can never be exhausted. Let us read about that:

33. What is good, except God? Then let us leave to Him everything that concerns us and all will be well. For He who is good is naturally also a giver of good gifts.

Here you see, dear soul, the answer. The only genuine satisfaction for the will is found in God. Only the will of God is perfectly attuned to will what is perfectly good. Therefore, if we wish to find rest for our own desires, the will of God must be perfected within us. We know from the Sacred Scriptures that the will of God is our sanctification. Remember this truth in every sense, dear soul. For it is not only that God wills that we be sanctified, but also that our sanctification is the manner in which the will of God is done within us.

In a practical way, our sanctification is born and nourished through none other than the sacraments, which communicate sanctifying grace to our soul. Sanctifying grace then works within us, accomplishing the will of God, especially as we exercise and avail ourselves of the specific grace of each sacrament in the state of life in which each one places us.

By Baptism, we are each and every one of us placed in the most sublime state of life: Christian. As Chrsitians, we are called to exercise the grace of this state of life especially by praying and cultivating unceasing prayer within ourselves. How quickly do we forget this, and how easily do we fall into discouragement! Let us take courage, dear soul. Let us hear:

34. Do not be distressed if you do not at once receive from God what you ask. He wishes to give you something better - to make you persevere in your prayer. For what is better than to enjoy the love of God and to be in communion with Him?

Here, dear soul, is the blessed truth. All other goods can not even be held in comparison to the love of God and being in communion with Him. Remember the words of our Lord in Saint Matthew's Gospel: "Be not careful therefore, saying, What shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or wherewith shall we be covered?" for all these things as the heathen do seek after. Seek therefore first the Kingdom of God, and the justice of him: and all these things shall be given you besides."

We have heretofore heard regarding the will. The intellect is by no means left out, however.

35. Undistracted prayer is the highest intellection of the intellect.
36. Prayer is the ascent of the intellect to God.

Prayer raises the entirety of the human creation to the Creator, dear soul. It is the greatest and most necessary of all good works for the soul. Prayer is the life of the Christian, dear soul, and it is the light by which we can perceive divine truth.

37. If you long for prayer, renounce all to gain all.

This, dear soul, is a stark statement, and perhaps even a bit shocking. Must one really renounce all? Yes, dear soul. In truth, this is merely a restatement of the commitment we have already made at Baptism. For at Baptism, we did renounce all things contrary to the will of God in order to gain the divine ingraft of life through sanctifying grace. We are not being asked here to do anything that we have not already vowed to do as Christians. Put more simply, if circularly: If you will be a Christian, then be a Christian.

Simple? Yes! Easy? Not so much. If we long for prayer, we must renouce all. In order to renounce all, we must desire to renounce all. The only way we are going to desire such a thing is through purification and prayer itself. Let us hear Evagrius as he shows us how to pray in this state:

38. Pray first for the purification of the passions; secondly, for deliverance from ignorance and forgetfulness; and thirdly, for deliverance from all temptation, trial and dereliction.
39. In your prayer seek only righteousness and the kingdom of God, that is, virtue and spiritual knowledge; and everything else 'will be given to you' (Matt. 6:33).
40. It is right to pray not only for your own purification, but also for that of all your fellow men, and so to imitate the angels.

This, dear soul, is our assignment for next time. We see that in praying for purification we find the elevation and conformity of the will to the will of God. We see that in praying for deliverance from ignorance we find the elevation and enlightenment of our intellect. We see that in prayer for deliverance, we find the cultivation of quietude and peace, in which we can hear the voice of the Lord speaking to us. Let us undertake the struggle each and every day to grow in the life of prayer. And let us pray for each other!

Lamp and Light: The Beginning of Jesus' Ministry.

---

Catechism in Story - Saint Francis.

 

As a review: The definition we gave for Grace was this:

Grace is a supernatural gift of God bestowed on us through the merits of Jesus Christ for our salvation.

We also briefly discussed the fact that there are two kinds of grace.

1. Sanctifying Grace
2. Actual Grace

Neither of which are specifically named in scriptures. But the scriptures do testify of the two graces and their differences. For those who would deny that there are not two kinds because the scripture never names them should also know that the word Trinity is not mentioned in the scriptures either. Nor is the word Rapture, even though as Catholics we believe the bible tells us of a time at the end of the ages when we as the Church will be taken up to meet Christ in the clouds. (that's a whole different subject.)

The Definition given for Sanctifying Grace:
Sanctifying Grace is that grace that confers on our souls a new life that is, a sharing in the life of God Himself.

We concluded with:
Through the baptismal waters and the regeneration of our hearts by the Holy Spirit we become "born again", a "new creature" in Christ Jesus, "adopted sons of God". This is what Sanctifying grace is all about.

Now let us end our lessons talking about Actual Grace

Actual Grace is a supernatural help of God which enlightens our mind and strengthens our will to do good and to avoid evil.-Baltimore Catechism

 

Actual Grace does not grant permission to live in the flesh; Actual Grace supplies power to live in the Spirit. Actual Grace is not simply leniency when we have sinned. Actual Grace is the enabling gift and power of God not to sin.

Actual grace, according to Scripture, teaches us "to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live soberly (sensibly), justly and godly in the world" Titus 2:11-12

For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God, I am what I am; and his grace in me hath not been void, but I have laboured more abundantly than all they: yet not I, but the grace of God with me. I Corinthians 15: 9-10

In these verses, St. Paul describes actual grace as the enabling power of his work as an apostle. It is the power to press on in obedience. Therefore the effort we make to obey God is not an effort done in our own strength, but in the strength which God supplies, that in everything God may get the glory. (See I Peter 4:10-11)

St. Paul confirms this by calling our acts of goodness “works of faith” and by saying that the glory this brings to Jesus is “according to the grace of God” because it happens “in [his] power”:

Wherefore also we pray always for you; that our God would make you worthy of his vocation, and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness and the work of faith in power; That the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God, and of the Lord Jesus Christ. I Thessalonians 1:11-12

The obedience that gives God pleasure is produced by the power of God’s grace through faith. It is at work at every stage of the Christian life. The power of God’s Sanctifying grace that saves through faith (Ephesians 2:8) is the same power of God’s Actual grace that grows us in our Christianity through faith.

Examples where we need Actual Grace for daily living:

Let's revisit Titus 2 again. St. Paul says Actual Grace, teaches us "to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live soberly (sensibly), justly and godly in the world" Titus 2:11-12.

The first 10 verses describe what ungodly and worldly things should be denied. Theses verses not only describe to us what we should deny in our lives, but it also points out to us what we should be living out in our lives while we are in the world. Those things are sober things, just things and godly things. Let's look at the descriptions:

That the aged men be sober, chaste, prudent, sound in faith, in love, in patience. The aged women, in like manner, in holy attire, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teaching well: That they may teach the young women to be wise, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, sober, having a care of the house, gentle, obedient to their husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. Young men, in like manner, exhort that they be sober. In all things shew thyself an example of good works, in doctrine, in integrity, in gravity, the sound word that can not be blamed: that he, who is on the contrary part, may be afraid, having no evil to say of us. Exhort servants to be obedient to their masters, in all things pleasing, not gainsaying: Not defrauding, but in all things shewing good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things: Titus 2:2-10

That the aged men be sober, chaste, prudent, sound in faith, in love, in patience.

Paul has a message for the senior citizens-for the senior citizen who is male and for the senior citizen who is female.
The senior men are to be sound in their faith, in their love, and in there patience. What does it mean to be sound? It means to be firm; strong; valid; solid; that cannot be overthrown or refuted. how are you able to be firm in your faith? How can you be strong in love? How do you keep your patience from being overthrown? The answer is Hebrews 4:16. "Let us go therefore with confidence to the throne of grace: that we may obtain mercy, and find (Actual) grace in time of need."

The aged women, in like manner, in holy attire, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teaching well:

Holy attire is not just a reference to clothing. It is a reference to their holy decorum. St. Jerome says "The women are like the older men, to be honest, sober chaste, strong in faith and charity and patience. They are also to bear themselves in a way proper for their sex, to maintain a holy manner in bodily movements, facial expressions, words, silence and whatever tends to the dignity of a holy decorum."

How does a woman become all those things? By going "therefore with confidence to the throne of grace: that we may obtain mercy, and find (Actual) grace in time of need." Hebrews 4:16

That they may teach the young women to be wise, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, sober, having a care of the house, gentle, obedient to their husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
"Having a care of the house" means they are to be taking care of the house keeping watch over it. taking care of the household affairs. A wifes first responsibility is in her home. It is a serious responsibility to be a wife and to care for children in the home. It is not something to be taken lightly. The biggest and most important business in the world is the making of a home. It was the main business of our Mother Mary.

They are to be gentle-that is kind.They are to be obedient to their husband. Paul uses the same Greek word in Romans 8:7 where it is translated "subject," This word was a Greek military term meaning "to arrange [troop divisions] in a military fashion under the command of a leader". In non-military use, it was "a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming responsibility, and carrying a burden".

How in the world is a the younger women and wives suppose to live this out? By going "therefore with confidence to the throne of grace: that we may obtain mercy, and find (Actual )grace in time of need." Hebrews 4:16

Young men, in like manner, exhort that they be sober.

Now St. Paul turns his attention to the young men, and he probably means that Titus is the one who is to teach the young men.

In all things shew thyself an example of good works, in doctrine, in integrity, in gravity,

Paul is saying to Titus, "you be a pattern, an example, for the other young men." How can he be a good example to the young men? By going "therefore with confidence to the throne of grace: that we may obtain mercy, and find (Actual ) grace in time of need." Hebrews 4:16

The sound word that can not be blamed: that he, who is on the contrary part, may be afraid, having no evil to say of us.

In other words, your speech even your life for that matter should reveal the fact that you are a child of God. And it can only be revealed through the actual grace that God is working in you.

"Wherefore, my dearly beloved, (as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but much more now in my absence,) with fear and trembling work out your salvation. For it is God who worketh in you, both to will and to accomplish, according to his good will." Philippians 2:12-13

Exhort servants to be obedient to their masters, in all things pleasing, not gainsaying: Not defrauding, but in all things shewing good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things:

"Exhort servants"-now St. Paul turns his attention to another group. In the early church there were many slaves. I am told that 90 percent of the names on the walls of the catacombs are those of slaves or ex-slaves. They were told "to be obedient unto their masters, in all things pleasing them." Again, the idea behind obedience is that they should respond to their masters, be interested in them and their work.

Those who are Christians, especially, should put their heart into their work. "shewing good fidelity", in other words, shewing faithfulness to a person.

How is a person to be in a bad situation of being a slave or to be under a boss that is overbearing and still do what St. Paul says to do? By going "therefore with confidence to the throne of grace: that we may obtain mercy, and find (Actual) grace in time of need." Hebrews 4:16

This is what Actual grace is all about: It supplies power to live in the Spirit. It is the enabling gift and power of God not to sin. It is a supernatural help of God which enlightens our mind and strengthens our will to do good and to avoid evil. And it begins with our Confirmation. That is when, those that are already baptized are given power by the Holy Spirit to grow strong in their faith,to boldly proclaim the gospel, and to have all the actual graces they need to strive toward perfection as Christians and soldiers of Jesus Christ.

Cyprian of Carthage
"It is necessary for him that has been baptized also to be anointed, so that by his having received chrism, that is, the anointing, he can be the anointed of God and have in him the grace of Christ"

 

How to Conquer Impure Thoughts

Many Christians are discouraged because they are unable to conquer impure habits. Impure habits are a by-product of impure thoughts, and only as the battle is won in the thought life will there be hope of victory over impure actions.

Satan wants you to believe that you’re the only one who has this problem and that you can’t gain victory over it. However, these beliefs are false. We are overtaken by temptations that are common to man. 

Let no temptation take hold on you, but such as is human. (I Corinthians 10:13)

The Douay Rheims explains it this way, "Let no temptation come upon you as yet, but what is human, or incident to man." Another way to say it is this, "let no temptation seize you because temptations are that which is common for people."

In Christ we have victory over the destructive power of sin through the grace of God in our lives after we have been made free from sin.

But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, you have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end life everlasting. (Romans 6:22)

The next verse explains that the fruit unto sanctification is a reference to grace given unto sanctification, that is grace to help become set apart for God which in the end leads to eternal life.

"But the grace of God , life eternal" (Romans 3:23)

"For the law of the spirit of life, in Christ Jesus, hath delivered me from the law of sin and of death." (Romans 8:2)

"The law of the Spirit is the the power of grace we receive to counteract the downward pull of concupiscence. It is also the positive force of divine love that the Spirit pours into our hearts and enables us to fulfill the righteousness of the love"                        

[The Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans. Ignatius Press]

By God’s grace, as you follow His plan, you can conquer impure thoughts.

Realize that Christ has already made provision for your victory.

Christ has already won our victory on the cross.

“But thanks be to God, that you were the servants of sin, but have obeyed from the heart, unto that form of doctrine, into which you have been delivered. Being then freed from sin, we have been made servants of justice.” (Romans 6:17–18)

However, you must choose to walk in that victory.

Daniel “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not be defiled” (Daniel 1:8).

Every believer needs to make that decision as well. God promises, “And when thou shalt seek there the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him: yet so, if thou seek him with all thy heart, and all the affliction of thy soul. ”(Deuteronomy 4:29).

In the war against impure thoughts, you may lose some battles. These losses should only increase your determination to win the war. If you expect to win the war without ever losing a battle, you will become discouraged.

Remember this:

For a just man shall fall seven times and shall rise again. (Proverbs 24:16)

God can redeem each defeat by revealing the root cause of each failure. Ask Him for wisdom and help as you discern the root causes of your impure thoughts and actions.

Keep this truth in mind:
You will never face a temptation that is impossible to overcome.

Let no temptation take hold on you, but such as is human. And God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able: but will make also with temptation issue, that you may be able to bear it. (I Corinthians 10:13.)

God is eager to give you all the grace you need to reject the temptation.

Let us go therefore with confidence to the throne of grace: that we may obtain mercy, and find grace in seasonable aid. (Hebrews 4:16.)

God promises to give you wisdom, but you must ask for it in faith.

But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, which is moved and carried about by the wind. Therefore let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is inconstant in all his ways. (James 1:6–8.)

Replace the secret pictures that exist in the gallery of your mind.

At the heart of impure thoughts are secret, wicked pictures in our minds. During times of temptation, we often “revive” these pictures and focus on them. Attempts to forget the pictures usually fail. However, as we superimpose God’s pictures over them, we will experience freedom from the influence of the evil pictures.

When you face temptations, picture Christ suffering for you. The first vivid image you should visualize is that of Christ being bruised for your iniquities. Visualize your sins nailing Him to the cross, and consider the pain He experienced in paying for the debt of your sins. Gratefully rejoice that He died to free you from impurity.

But he was wounded for our iniquities, he was bruised for our sins: the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by his bruises we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)

The next series of pictures in your mind should be images of men in Scripture who lost the battle against impurity: Samson with his eyes gouged out.

Then the Philistines seized upon him, and forthwith pulled out his eyes, and led him bound in chains to Gaza, and shutting him up in prison made him grind. (Judges 16:21)

David with a divided family and kingdom.

And David said to Solomon: My son, it was my desire to have built a house to the name of the Lord my God. But the word of the Lord came to me, saying: Thou hast shed much blood, and fought many battles, so thou canst not build a house to my name, after shedding so much blood before me: (1 Paralipomenon {I Chronicles} 22:7–8.)

Contemplate the horrible consequences of sin.

⦁ Global Consequences-Because of human rebellion, the entire “creation” was subjected to the “bondage of corruption”. 

For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him that made it subject, in hope: Because the creature also itself shall be delivered from the servitude of corruption, into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. For we know that every creature groaneth and travaileth in pain, even till now.(Romans 8:20-21)

⦁ National Consequences-There is a moral standard the Creator expects of nations.

Justice exalteth a nation: but sin maketh nations miserable. (Proverbs 14:34)

⦁ Physical Consequences-Death, and all of its preliminary problems, are the consequences of human disobedience to the Creator. In the garden of Eden, the Lord warned Adam that “the day” he ate of the forbidden fruit he would “die.” “Death” is used in several senses in the Bible, yet it always implies some type of “separation.” When the original couple ate of that “fruit” they immediately were separated from their Creator in a spiritual sense. When they were banished from Eden and the “tree of life,” they were subjected to a process of degeneration which eventually would culminate in physical death (Genesis 3:22-24; 5:5)

⦁ Mental Consequences-Unless one is so hardened that his conscience can no longer feel guilt the consciousness of sin will trouble the sensitive soul. It is the sorrow of guilt that leads one to repentance.

For the sorrow that is according to God worketh penance, steadfast unto salvation; but the sorrow of the world worketh death. (2 Corinthians 7:10)

It is a reality beyond dispute that many of the maladies characterized today as “mental illness” are the result of consciences laboring under the burden of guilt.

⦁ Societal Consequences-There are numerous lingering consequences of sin, both collective and individual, that plague the human family. For example, the refusal of the descendants of Noah to “replenish the earth” (Genesis 1:28), and their insistence that they would remain in the land of Shinar, and not be “scattered” (Genesis 11:1-4), caused Jehovah to “confound their language” and scatter them abroad (vv. 7-8). As a result of language isolationism and genetic pool developments, various “races” ultimately sprang up. The sad history of racial rivalry and hostility within the human family is too well known to need documentation. It is a lingering effect of humanity’s disobedience.

⦁ Spiritual Consequences-The prophet Isaias (Isaiah) declared:

Behold the hand of the Lord is not shortened that it cannot save, neither is his ear heavy that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have divided between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you that he should not hear. (Isaias,[Isaiah] 59:1-2) 

⦁ Eternal Consequences-And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity.Then he shall say to them also that shall be on his left hand: Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels. (Matthew 7:23; 25:41)

Make a covenant with your eyes.

One of the main keys to protecting the mind from temptation is control of the eyes. Job was one of the most righteous men who ever lived, and a key to his righteousness is found in Job 31:1: "I made a covenant with my eyes, that I would not so much as think upon a virgin.”

To guard against impure thoughts, we must guard our eyes from evil. What your eyes see affects your whole body—physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. Scripture tells us that the eye is the lamp of the body. When it is “evil” with impure thoughts, the whole body will be full of darkness.

The light of thy body is thy eye. If thy eye be single, thy whole body shall be lightsome. But if thy eye be evil thy whole body shall be darksome. If then the light that is in thee, be darkness: the darkness itself how great shall it be!(Matthew 6:22–23.)

If you yield control of your eyes to God, He can train you to see others as He sees them. When you are tempted to sin against someone with thoughts of lust or greed or other wickedness, ask God to give you grace to see that person as He does. As the Lord grants your request:

⦁ You can visualize that person as a radiant expression of Christ.
⦁ You can invest in that person’s life through prayer.
⦁ You can trust God to deliver you from temptation.
⦁ You will walk in freedom from sinful thoughts toward that person.

Correctly identify the battlefield.

The battle against impure thoughts is far more than a mental or physical struggle—it is a spiritual battle against forces of evil.

For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood; but against principalities and power, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places. (Ephesians 6:12.)

God wants us to resist the devil.

Be subject therefore to God, but resist the devil, and he will fly from you. (James 4:7)

He also knows that our natural inclinations easily betray us. They betray us to the delusive, glamorous, and temporal pleasures that Satan offers.

For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I work, I understand not. For I do not that good which I will; but the evil which I hate, that I do. If then I do that which I will not, I consent to the law, that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that there dwelleth not in me, that is to say, in my flesh, that which is good. For to will, is present with me; but to accomplish that which is good, I find not. For the good which I will, I do not; but the evil which I will not, that I do. Now if I do that which I will not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that when I have a will to do good, evil is present with me. For I am delighted with the law of God, according to the inward man: But I see another law in my members, fighting against the law of my mind, and captivating me in the law of sin, that is in my members. Unhappy man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? The grace of God, by Jesus Christ our Lord. Therefore, I myself, with the mind serve the law of God; but with the flesh, the law of sin. (Romans 7:14–25.)

God wants to use the pressure of the battle in your mind to motivate you to “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (II Peter 3:18).

God wants to transform you by renewing your mind, and He renews your mind through Jesus the Word and his Written Word.

I BESEECH you therefore, brethren, by the mercy of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing unto God, your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world; but be reformed in the newness of your mind, that you may prove what is the good, and the acceptable, and the perfect will of God. (Romans 12:1–2)

And be renewed in the spirit of your mind: (Ephesians 4:23)

For the word of God is living and effectual, and more piercing than any two edged sword; and reaching unto the division of the soul and the spirit, of the joints also and the marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)

John Chrysostoms Homily.....

on Hebrews 4:12 tell us this: " 'For the Word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and pierces even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.' "In these words he shows that He, the Word of God, wrought the former things also, and lives, and has not been quenched.
Do not then when hearing the Word, think of it lightly. For He is sharper, he says, than a sword. Observe His condescension; and hence consider why the prophets also needed to speak of saber and bow and sword. If you turn not, it is said, 'He will whet His sword, He has bent His bow and made it ready.' (Psalm 7:12)"

http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/240207.htm

He includes in his description of the Word not only the Spoken Word but the Living Word, Jesus Christ. And because today we have scripture so readily handy to read, we can include the Written Word as well.

Remove hidden provisions for defeat.

Scripture declares, “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh in its concupiscences.”(Romans 13:14). Any provision for the flesh not only proves that you expect to fail, but it actually invites you to give in to temptation. It provides tempting possibilities for the mind, stirs up the emotions, and then defeats the will.

In Proverbs we are told to not walk in the way of the evil, to completely avoid and turn away from it.

Be not delighted in the paths of the wicked, neither let the way of evil men please thee. Flee from it, pass not by it: go aside, and forsake it. (Proverbs 4:14–15)

Remove from your life the things that Satan uses for your defeat: wicked books or magazines, sensual music, sensual pictures, ungodly friendships, or sinful activities. As you remove these sources of temptation from your life, you can avoid entering the path of evil.

Realize that winning a war involves fighting many battles.

Many of the accounts in the Bible are given to us as examples of the battles we will face in our lives.

Now these things were done in a figure of us, that we should not covet evil things as they also coveted. (I Corinthians 10:6.)

Scripture is filled with examples and reminders that we need great determination to wage the battle against impure thoughts.

If thou lose hope being weary in the day of distress, thy strength shall be diminished.(Proverbs 24:10)

And he cometh to his disciples, and findeth them asleep, and he saith to Peter: What? Could you not watch one hour with me? Watch ye, and pray that ye enter not into temptation. (Matthew 26:40–41)

But you, brethren, be not weary in well doing. (II Thessalonians 3:13)

In warfare, the more entrenched the enemy is, the longer it can take to have complete victory, and it may not come after one battle. Be ready for additional attacks, because our adversary goes about as a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. (I Peter 5:8–9.)

Remember that it is God’s power at work in you that will bring victory.

Keep in mind that this battle will be won by God’s strength in you, not by your own strength.

For it is God who worketh in you, both to will and to accomplish, according to his good will. (Philippians 2:13)

Not with an army, nor by might, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts. (Zacharias [Zachariah] 4:6)

It doesn’t matter what Satan brings against us; God’s power in His people will always be greater than Satan’s attacks.

Learn to live in the fear of God.

The Bible says that “by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil.” (Proverbs 16:6). One aspect of having a proper fear of the Lord is a moment-by-moment awareness that God is watching and weighing every one of our words, thoughts, actions, and attitudes.

A sincere Catholic cannot enjoy sensual thoughts unless he temporarily blots the presence of a Holy God from his consciousness. If you walk in the fear of the Lord and consequently realize that God is evaluating every one of your thoughts (and He is), it will help you quickly reject impure thoughts.

Learn to use the Sword of the Spirit.

The Apostle Paul urged believers to “be strengthened in the Lord, and in the might of his power.” (Ephesians 6:10)and to put on the spiritual armor God has given us.

"Put you on the armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the deceits of the devil. For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood; but against principalities and power, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places". (Ephesians 6:11–12.)

Included in this armor is the “sword of the Spirit (which is the word of God)” (Ephesians 6:17).

Jesus responded to the temptation of Satan with the Word of God. In the same manner, when tempted, believers are to resist the devil and confidently wield the sword of the Spirit: the Word of God.

Memorize verses such as Proverbs 15:3, Proverbs 5:21, and , so that they can serve as constant reminders of God’s presence and thus encourage you to walk in the fear of the Lord.

The eyes of the Lord in every place behold the good and the evil. (Proverbs 15:3)

The Lord beholdeth the ways of man, and considereth all his steps. (Proverbs 5:21)

Thou hast known my sitting down, and my rising up. Thou hast understood my thoughts afar off: my path and my line thou hast searched out. And thou hast foreseen all my ways: (Psalm 138:2-4)

Engraft relevant Scriptures into your mind and heart by memorizing and meditating on them and applying them to your life.

Thy words have I hidden in my heart, that I may not sin against thee. (Psalms 118:11)

Ask God to give you a pure (clean) heart.

Ask God to give you a pure heart as King David did after his sinful acts with Bathsheba: “Create a clean heart in me, O God: and renew a right spirit within my bowels.” (Psalm 50:12). When a man or woman has a pure heart and a Godly countenance, he or she will project to others an awareness of God’s presence. This results in a wall of protection and restraint.

Learn God’s limitation to curiosity.

Beware of undisciplined curiosity. It is one of Satan’s most effective traps. God has given us a marvelous intellect, but with it He gave a limitation: we are not to learn the details of evil.

"Federal agents don’t learn to spot counterfeit money by studying the counterfeits. They study genuine bills until they master the look of the real thing. Then when they see the bogus money they recognize it.”

It is the same with evil and good. You do not study the details of evil you study the details of good. So that when evil appears in all its deception, you will know to stay away from it.

God would have us to be “wise in good, and simple in evil.” (Romans 16:19). He never intended that we learn evil with the mind or through experience, but rather, He wants us to discern evil under the guidance of the Church and the Holy Spirit.

Now we have received not the spirit of this world, but the Spirit that is of God; that we may know the things that are given us from God. But the spiritual man judgeth all things; and he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that we may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. (I Corinthians 2:12, 15–16.)

"The spiritual man is he who, in the mysteries of religion, takes not human sense for his guide: but submits his judgment to the decisions of the church, which he is commanded to hear and obey. For Christ hath promised to remain to the end of the world with his church, and to direct her in all things by the Spirit of truth."

http://www.drbo.org/chapter/53002.htm

Become mighty in God’s Spirit.

All believers face the battle against impure thoughts.

“For the flesh lusteth against the spirit: and the spirit against the flesh; for these are contrary one to another: ” (Galatians 5:17).

To become mighty in God’s Spirit you must conquer impure thoughts, and that requires a decision on your part: a decision to obey God.
We are told, “Wherefore having the loins of your mind girt up, …As children of obedience, not fashioned according to the former desires of your ignorance: But according to him that hath called you, who is holy, be you also in all manner of conversation (behavior) holy: ” (I Peter 1:13–15). In practical application, this means that we must remove from our eyes and minds a host of books, magazines, television programs, Internet sites, various types of entertainment, and discussions that appeal to the lust of the flesh.

Replace the things that draw you into impurity with activities that strengthen your spirit. Deepen your walk with God through prayer, Bible study, The Mass, fellowship with Godly Catholics, studying the life of the saints, regular confession and engrafting God’s Word into your heart and life. Strengthening your spirit in these ways will help you win the war against lust.

“Be not deceived, God is not mocked. For what things a man shall sow, those also shall he reap. For he that soweth in his flesh, of the flesh also shall reap corruption. But he that soweth in the spirit, of the spirit shall reap life everlasting. And in doing good, let us not fail. For in due time we shall reap, not failing.” (Galatians 6:7–9).

Use temptations as signals to seek God.

Temptations are often based on legitimate human needs. Satan wants us to satisfy those needs with sinful choices, but God wants us to give Him our needs and trust Him to meet them in His time and in His way. Therefore, we should ask God to turn each temptation into a signal to seek Him and learn His ways.

Jesus wants us to come to Him, take up His yoke, and learn from Him. (Matthew 11:28–30.) God can show us how to respond to temptation by using the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. And by listening and obeying when the Church Speaks. (Ephesians 6:17.) As we do so, God will lead us out of temptation and “deliver us from evil”(Matthew 6:13).
Sinful desires—temptations—can be transformed into paths to spiritual power. Some of our greatest insights about the Lord and His ways will grow out of these struggles.

Realize that victory is possible.

Although in the past we all have fulfilled the lusts of the flesh, now, through Christ, we can say no to temptation and walk in victory. (Ephesians 2:1–10 and Ephesians 1:17–19.)

As you understand what Christ has done for you, remove hidden provisions for defeat, live in the fear of the Lord, become mighty in Spirit, and use temptations as signals to seek God, you will conquer impure thoughts. And as you win the battle over impure thoughts, impure habits will be purged from your life.

[Some things in this article was taken from the "Institute of Basic Life Principles" and adapted for the Catholic Church.]