Purity of Body and Mind

I received an anonymous comment from someone who is struggling with issues of purity of body and mind.   I did not think it was appropriate to publish the comment but at the same time I do not want to ignore someone who is clearly struggling and in search of help.

 I am not in a position to offer professional guidance or spiritual direction.  What I can offer are ways I have found that helped me combat attacks on my morality.  First and foremost, you should go to confession weekly and make a thorough and honest confession.  Let the priest know that you are doing your best to overcome these issues.  Realize that you need God's help and call upon your Holy Mother in Heaven to assist you.   A common mistake we make is to think we cannot approach the Blessed Virgin Mary if we are not spotless.  She was the only spotless human being to walk the earth, so why would Jesus have bothered giving her to us as our mother if only the undefiled could approach her?  As Father Corapi likes to say, your mama wears combat boots.  She can handle what you bring her, so long as your bring it to her with true contrition for your sins and the desire to overcome them.

If  you cannot pray the entire chaplet to St. Michael every day, at least pray that through his intercession and that of the Heavenly Choir of Dominations, God may give you the grace necessary to have dominion over your senses and to correct your depraved passions.  I would pray this prayer many times a day, whenever you have a quiet moment.  Follow the plea for intercession with an Our Father and three Hail Marys, the same as if you were praying the entire chaplet.

Pray  the Rosary every day, without fail.  If you can't pray it in one sitting, break up the decades, but don't miss a day.  Don't beat yourself up if you do, but try to make this a permanent habit.

If you use crude language, stop immediately.  Do not refer to anything having to do with the human body, particularly anatomy, in crude slang.  This is a portal that invites depravity.  If you cannot refer to a body part by its appropriate medical name, don't refer to it at all.  When people hear you talk this way, it's an invitation to them to believe you are game for anything.  And understand this - there is never any reason for you to discuss someone else's anatomy.  Do you what you need to do to avoid being in that situation.

If traveling in certain circles leads you to sin, say goodbye to these so-called friends.

Do not look at anything, and I mean anything, that leads you to impure thoughts or impulses.  This might mean not turning on your television set for awhile.  It may mean not frequenting certain places where you encounter men or women dressed in such a way that you are tempted by impure thoughts.  It's impossible for any of us to walk down the street with blinders on, but just because someone has dressed for attention (or hasn't dressed much in order to garner attention) doesn't mean you are obligated to look.

You may not be able to overcome these en masse.  You might need to break things up at first and when you have successfully combated one problem, you can move on to the next.  But again - realize that without God's help, you get nowhere.

My friend, know that I will pray for you as will my faithful readers.