Backsliding QUESTION from Roberto Ruiz July 30, 2001 I'm a practicing catholic. I go to church every Sunday, confess regularly and take communion as often as possible. I'm also active in church, I work in retreats. My problem is this, every time I get closer to our Lord, I have reacurring urges and lusts for woman, other than my wife. I love my wife dearly and I don't want to do anything to hurt her. I have self control, I'm not about to go and have an affair, but it just doesn't seem normal the way I'm being bombarded with all this lust and images of it. I'd appreciate your oppinion my brother. God bless you.
ANSWER by John-Paul Ignatius, OLSM on July 27, 2001 Dear Mr. Ruiz:
I understand your situation and can tell you that even Saints have had this problem. This problem is not a backsliding, by the way. It is more in likely a spiritual attack upon you since you are growing closer to God.
This is an on-going battle in spiritual warfare. Staying close to God, praying, developing devotions, forcing yourself top think about other things by disciplined thoughts of something else, going before the Blessed Sacrament, and using spiritual warfare prayers like some of those in our Prayer Catalog can help.
There is a particular prayer in the Catalog about Controlling Throughts.
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