CORPUS CHRISTI, TX (Catholic Online) - A Christian magazine once surveyed their subscribers regarding the areas of their greatest spiritual challenges.  The results showed that their greatest temptation was materialism.  After materialism, followed pride, self-centeredness, laziness, anger, lust, envy, gluttony and finally lying.
 
The survey respondents noted temptations were frequent and more forceful when they had neglected their time with God and when they were physically tired.  They stated that the ability to resist temptation was made easier by a strong spiritual life, avoiding compromising situations and being accountable to someone.

Temptation will always be a part of our lives.  No matter our age or the circumstances of our lives, temptation will be something that we have to deal with until the end of our journey here on earth.

Not every temptation is caused by Satan, so we need to look at the two causes of temptation. 

Most temptations are caused by our fallen human nature.  As we saw last Sunday, Original Sin has wounded our human nature.  We simply do not have complete control over our mind, memory, imagination, will, passions and emotions.  We will always struggle with something.

Sometimes we might be tempted to be lazy and sleep in, rather than go to work or to school.  Sometimes we might be tempted to gossip.  Sometimes we might be tempted to be impatient.  Sometimes we might be tempted to be unchaste.  Sometimes we might even be tempted to take something that does not belong to us.

"Because man is a composite being, spirit and body, there already exists a certain tension in him; a certain struggle of tendencies between spirit and flesh develops. But in fact, this struggle belongs to the heritage of sin. It is a consequence of sin and at the same time a confirmation of it. It is part of the daily experience of the spiritual battle" (Catechism of the Catholic Church #2516).

Satan can also cause temptation.  Satan's greatest triumph is that he has caused many people to no longer believe that he really exists.  Jesus tells us who he is when he said: "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven" (Luke 10: 18).  My dear friends, Satan is real and his actions in the world are very real. 

The Second Vatican Council made this point very clear when it said, "The whole of man's history has been the story of our combat with the powers of evil, stretching, so our Lord tells us, from the very dawn of history until the last day.  Finding himself in the midst of the battlefield man has to struggle to do what is right, and it is at great cost to himself, and aided by God's grace, that he succeeds in achieving his own inner integrity" (Second Vatican Council, Gaudium et Spes, 37.2).

As the holy season of Lent begins, this Sunday's liturgy reminds us that we are engaged in a daily and dramatic battle between Christ and Satan, between good and evil.  What is at stake in this battle is our eternal salvation.  Satan will do all that he can do separate us from Christ. 

Many people become discouraged and nervous when they are tempted.  Many people can be scrupulous.  They think that they are sinning when in fact they have only been tempted.  Sin is only a sin when there is full consent.  Temptation is not a sin; therefore, there is no need to mention temptation within the Sacrament of Confession.  Actually, when we say no to the temptation and affirm our fidelity to the Lord, we need to realize that we have been victorious. 

The continual interior struggle to be faithful to God does have great personal benefits.  The struggle is a workout, and every work out makes us stronger and allows us to go deeper.

Although it is true that we will always be tempted, we must also do all that we can to avoid temptation.

Men who trap animals in Africa for zoos in America say that one of the hardest animals to catch is the ring-tailed monkey. For the men of the Zulu tribe it is quite simple.

The method the Zulus use comes from their knowledge of the animal. Their trap is nothing more than a melon growing on a vine. The seeds of this melon are a favorite of the monkey. Knowing this, the Zulus simply cut a hole in the melon, just large enough for the monkey to insert his hand. The monkey will stick his hand in, grab as many seeds as he can, then start to withdraw it. He cannot do this because his fist is now larger than the hole. The monkey will pull and tug, screech and fight the melon for hours. He cannot get free of the trap unless he gives up the seeds, which he refuses to do. Meanwhile, the Zulus sneak up and seize him.

In 1972, during one of his General Audiences in Rome, Pope Paul VI spoke of Satan and the nature of temptation with ...