Winning the struggle against impurity

Every year, my wife takes the kids away for 2 weeks to her sister’s camp. And every year, I face the same demon named porn who tempts me to masturbation.  I met "this guy" back in high-school and I almost went blind. But when I entered the seminary in college, I was able to control it – even when I came home for break.  So, I recalled my regimen then and followed it. And, it has been 10 days and I am still the king of my castle. I am sharing this because I’ve seen pleas from those who are being oppressed by porn addiction and I hope it will help.

Supernatural ways:
First, there’s grace. I attend the 7 am Mass and receive Communion - daily. During the weekend, I go to Confession. When I drive, I pray the Rosary and listen to inspirational tapes. The last set was from Fr. Groeshel.  Because without spiritual nourishment, how can one fight a spiritual disease?

Natural ways:
By that I mean, things under my control. It’s hard to pray oneself out of a temptation; it’s easier to stay away from it. It’s like, it is more difficult to think oneself into a new way of acting than to act oneself into a new way of thinking.

Work:
Rather than surf the web during the weekend and pray, I got up and shopped at IKEA. An easel for $14 and a bookcase for $30 will keep my hands occupied. St. John Bosco taught that idleness is the workshop of the devil. So, I stay busy. I didn’t have to make up work because the past rainy days gave me a lot. The basement got flooded, there’s a pile of unfinished laundry and the grass grew. It was also opportune to explode roach foggers so, I have to empty cabinets and move stuff out of the way and back.

Temperance:
Back in the seminary, we didn’t have much to eat and we can’t eat anytime. In the same way, if you deprive the body of food, then it will crave for food first before all other carnal pleasures. Besides, I need to go on a diet anyway. So, I ate when I am hungry and limited my portions. I got cherries from Sam’s club because, those filled you up fast. I’m down to 186 from 200 lbs.

Relate:
Impure actions can also be a defense mechanism for an unmet need. If one is lonely, one compensates by stroking oneself – figuratively and literally. So, I’ve set up meetings after work. I visited my brothers. I’ve had Home Depot come over to fix the windows that they installed. I dropped off donations to a thrift shop. I conference the FIOS tech support to get my internet access back. I dropped off and picked up my laundry. I still have to get my bumpers painted at Maaco; they’re having a $149 special.

Have fun:
Again, if you’re sad, there’s a tendency to fill that pain. So I have fun. Fun is what you did that made you miss meals as a kid. I remember riding my trolley far away and feeling the wind as I rolled downhill. It’s just like driving, so I enjoyed the ride as drove to the Asian market where I bought those plum preserves that I liked so much as a boy. I also had lunch at the Filipino restaurant to have those dishes that took the whole morning to prepare and watch some shows while being surrounded by people. If you’re having a good time, the devil can’t really distract you. That is why the teenager saint, St. Dominic Savio, told the newbies in the youth center, “Here we make holiness consist in being cheerful always.”

Bottom line, if you struggle then God will help you succeed. Before all this started last week, I came across that video about a runner who tore a muscle but wanted to finish the race. His dad came down the bleachers and took him by the arm to run the course with him. I posted it below. It may have been just a coincidence. Then again, it may be God’s way to assuring anyone who struggles that He will be there to help him limp across the finish line.