Letter 839: The spiritual life is a journey with a beginning, a middle, and an end.
If you follow this path, consider well the consequences. The road is pervaded with dangers: on one side stands an enemy devoid of pity, on the other a steep and treacherous descent. He who guards his eyes and ears, who keeps watch over his thoughts, who subdues his tongue and bridles his desires — this man walks safely even through the most perilous territory. But he who leaves his senses unguarded, who allows his mind to wander wherever impulse leads, who gives free rein to every appetite — this man is like a city with broken walls, open to every invader. The devil does not always attack with great temptations; more often he begins with small ones, testing our defenses, probing for weakness. A stray glance, an idle word, a moment of negligence — these are the breaches through which the enemy enters. And once he has gained a foothold, he is difficult to dislodge. Therefore the wise man fortifies himself not against great assaults alone, but against the small and seemingly insignificant incursions that, left unchecked, prepare the way for the great ones. Watch and pray, that you enter not into temptation; for the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Therefore lay down your defenses, abandon your excuses, and open yourself to the healing work of the divine Physician. For the first step toward recovery is the admission that one is sick, and the first step toward freedom is the acknowledgment that one is enslaved. As long as you deny your condition, no remedy can reach you; but the moment you confess it, the full power of divine grace is available to heal and restore. Do not wait until the disease has progressed beyond the point of cure; do not delay until the chains have become so heavy that they cannot be broken. The time is now, the opportunity is here, and the Physician is willing.
AI-assisted translation — This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek below for scholarly use.
Latin / Greek Original
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