On Temptation (A Musical, by Yours Truly)

WARNING: Some may find this post may be extremely corny. I'm just putting it all out there- not holding back to save my vanity.


Daily late night discussion are becoming a norm with my eldest daughter. In preparation for her reception of 2 Sacraments this coming year, she has been learning about sin and temptation. Let me tell you, the wheels in her brain are a-turning! The Church isn't kidding when they call this the "Age of Reason!" Her questions and concerns give rise to more questions and concern, sometimes bringing up an angle that my husband and I perhaps have not considered in our own examinations of conscience. We've had to pull out our trusty Catechism of the Catholic Church and even seek clarification about a few things from a holy Priest. These late night chats, if you will, have hurled my husband and I into a deeper understanding of sin and temptation in our own lives.

This daughter is eager for Heaven and seeks every day to imitate Christ, Mary, and the saints in her quiet and humble service of others. Lately, she has been wrestling with the concept of thoughts and what thoughts are we accountable to, and what are just plain out of our control. We've explained that we cannot control the thoughts that pop into our heads, but we can control what we choose to do with them. If the sinful thought leads to sinful action (either concretely through physical action, or internally through a purposeful dwelling on the thought), then it is a sin. She found herself quite plagued by some thoughts that seemed to pop into her head, and this caused her much distress. For example, one night she was thoroughly distraught because after a long and tiring day of much activity at a Catholic convention, she sat in the Mass (which, by the way was 2 and 1/2 hours long) and tired as can be, found thoughts pop into her head such as "stupid Mass." Now she doesn't REALLY think Mass is stupid. In fact, she has a deep and profound understanding of the Mass and the Eucharist, and asks to go more often than we do (and we go a few days a week). But, it had been a REALLY long day, and she was tired, hungry, and having a really hard time sitting still (I was, too...the Mass WAS in fact 2 and 1/2 hours long!). That thought about Mass being "stupid" was a manifestation of her exhaustion. She actually cried most of that evening out of remorse, and "confessed" it to us later that night (let me also say that we have never asked her to confess to us). She was convinced that because that thought popped into her head at one moment during Mass that she must not really love God. She was thoroughly distraught! So, this led us to explain to her that those thoughts that pop into your head don't define who you are or what you believe. Its what you do with them that matters. She was so relieved! And of course we told her Jesus loves her and his mercy is endless.

Okay, so eventually we are foreseeing a conversation regarding scrupulosity...but that's for later in her formation.

My point in bringing all this up is that her own sensitivity to the moments she has hurt Jesus has witnessed to us in a profound and very real way. In fact, Matt and I have found ourselves strangely more aware of the subtle ways that satan is attempting to permeate our family.

Before you de-friend me forever, keep reading (did I really just use a facebook term on my blog?).

As instinct would have it, my first inclination is to try to blow up my bubble around my family a little stronger...you know...to keep the big bad world and all the people out. Maybe we could go live on the top of our very own mountain in the middle of no where? That would solve ALL our temptations, wouldn't it?

Last week I picked up my "Imitation of Christ," by Thomas A Kempis, for some quiet meditation, and just happened to open it to the one entitled "On Resisting Temptation" (coincidence? I think not!). Here are some excerpts I would like to highlight (the entire meditation is well worth reflection):

No one in this world is so perfect or holy as not to have temptations sometimes. We can never be entirely free of them. Sometimes these temptations can be very severe and troublesome, but if we resist them, they will be very useful to us; for by experiencing them we are humbled, cleansed. ALL the saints endured tribulations and temptations and profited by them.

There is no place so holy or so remote where you will not meet with temptation, nor is there anyone completely free from it in this life; for in our body we bear the wounds of sin.

As soon as one temptation or trial goes, another comes. We will ALWAYS have something to suffer.

Many try to fly away from temptations only to fall more deeply into them; for you cannot win a battle by mere flight. It is only by patience and humility that you will be strengthened against the enemy.

That was an excellent meditation, and encouraged me for about 4 more days, until one emotional night I apparently forgot all of it. My daughter had just told me some more of her "thoughts" (don't worry, nothing scandelous...but for her privacy I will keep them private). I was letting it get to me. That night, my husband and I had a heart to heart conversation. Actually, lets be honest, the conversation was more like me freaking out about "what a bad mom I am, and how I am failing my children if they are having temptations. What am I doing wrong? Am I praying too much with my kids? Am I taking them to too many Masses that they are going to become resentful? Maybe its the homeschooling. No, it must be the ballet class I signed her up for...even though we prayed about that decision in front of the Blessed Sacrament. But I thought I was an understanding mom, listening, nurturing...."

My husband put up his hands, "STOP RIGHT THERE!" I froze. My husband rarely gets that stern of a voice with me. Okay, he NEVER gets that stern of a voice with me.

"THAT'S WHAT he WANTS! Satan wants to cause division and doubt. He wants us to doubt what we're doing. He wants us to think we are failing. DO NOT LET HIM DO THAT! We can't let him win! EVERY single family is faced with these same situations, or very similar, that are a NORMAL part of a child's forming of their conscience. EVERY child has temptations and thoughts. The difference? We are seeking God's help and grace! We've always sensed God's grace was with this daughter. And that makes satan ANGRY! I WANT to make him angry! If he's trying to find sneaky ways to wiggle into our family, then it must be because we're doing something RIGHT. And he can BRING IT ON because he CAN'T KNOCK US DOWN to where the Lord can't help us up!!!!!!!!!"

Me: (blink, blink)

I sat, dumbfounded.

Then, I broke out into song. Fist microphone and all.


"HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT! COME ON HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT! HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT! FIRE AWAYYYYYYYYYY"

My husband: "Say what?"

I flipped open my new iphone and clicked "play" on the song I had JUST run to that morning.

Lets be honest, the words to this song are PERFECT! (Words in Italics are added to clarify the angle from which the words are meant).

Songwriters: Schwartz, Eddie;

Well you're the real tough cookie with a long history
Of breaking little hearts, like the one in me
That's okay let's see how you do it
Put up your dukes, let's get down to it

Hit me with your best shot
Why don't you hit me with your best shot?
Hit me with your best shot
Fire away

You come on with a come on, you don't fight fair
But that's okay, see if I care
Knock me down, it's all in vain (because my God is stronger than you!)
I'll get right back up on my feet again

Hit me with your best shot (because I have Faith, and God, and prayer, and Sacraments as my armor and there ain't nothin' you can do to make me say otherwise!)


After a good laugh together, we knelt in prayer before our crucifix and turned our parenting, and each of our children, over to the Lord once again, begging for His grace and guidance, and for His power to be made perfect through our weakness.

Then we entered the next week with new resolve. We decided to hit the prayer and sacrifice even harder than ever. We went to Mass 4 weekdays that week, an hour of adoration, made extra sacrifices, and prayed more fervently than ever. Because this is one race the devil isn't going to get us. We're striving for Heaven whether he likes it or not. And even if we "fail," we know through faith that if we truly gave it our all in prayer and sacrifice along the way, then all would be used for God's glory in some way or another!

Put up your dukes, lets get down to it.

St. Michael the Archangel, PRAY FOR US!