That the Saints and Servants of God Not Only Do Not Grow Sorrowful over Their Temptations, but Rather Rejoice for the Profit They Make Thereby

MOUNT it all joy, brethren, when ye fall into temptations, says St. James (i. 2). And St. Paul: Yea, we even glory in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience probation, and probation hope (Rom. v. 3-4). In this manner St. Gregory explains the saying of Job: If I sleep, I will say, when shall I rise? and again I will hope for the evening (Job vii. 4). By the evening that Job hoped for St. Gregory understands temptation, and he notes that Job desired it as something good and profitable; for it is of good and prosperous events that we say we hope for them, and of ill and hurtful events, that we fear them. But because holy Job regarded temptation as a thing suited to him, and good and profitable, therefore he says that he hoped for it.

St. Dorotheus alleges to this purpose a story, related in the “Spiritual Meadow,” of a disciple of one of the ancient Fathers who was much assailed by the spirit of fornication, and by favor of the Lord’s grace he resisted manfully his evil and filthy thoughts; and to mortify himself he fasted, spent much time in prayer, and ill treated his body by the labor of his hands. When his holy master saw him in such distress, he said to him: “If you like, my son, I will ask the Lord to deliver you from this combat.” To that the disciple replied: “I see well, father, that it is a great affliction that I suffer; but nevertheless I feel that by reason of this temptation I profit more, because I have more recourse to God by prayer, mortification, and penance: and so what I beg of you is to ask God to give me patience and fortitude to suffer this affliction and to come out victorious, clean, and without reproach.” The old man was delighted to hear this answer, and said: “Now I understand, son, that you are advancing in the way of perfection.” When one is assailed by some vice and manages to resist manfully, then he walks in humility, solicitude, and anxiety, and by these afflictions and trials, little by little, his soul is cleansed and purified till it arrives at great purity and perfection. Of another holy monk St. Dorotheus relates that, when God delivered him from a temptation that he had, he was sad, and weeping said lovingly to God: “Lord, so I was not worthy to suffer and be afflicted and endure some tribulation for love of Thee.” St. John Climacus relates of St. Ephrem that, coming to a very high state of peace and tranquillity—to what they call the earthly heaven and impassibility—he begged of God to put him back and renew the ancient battles of his temptations, that he might not lose the occasion and material for meriting and working out his crown. Of another holy monk Palladius relates that he came one day to the Abbot Pastor and said: “God has delivered me from my conflicts and given me peace, because so I besought Him.” Pastor said: “Return to God and ask him that your conflicts may return, that you may not grow negligent.” He had recourse to the Lord, saying what Pastor had told him. God answered that he was right, and his temptations came back. We see even that the Apostle St. Paul was not heard when he begged to be delivered from his temptation; he was told (II Cor. xii. 9): Sufficit tibi gratia mea, nam virtus in infirmitate perficitur—My grace is sufficient for thee, for virtue is perfected and brought to light in temptation.”