Path to Self-Control – No excuses!
Speech, Movement and Imagination
We must control our tongue because it easily runs away with us, and says things that ought not to be said ; and when once started it is very difficult to check. ” Fire and sword are slow engines of destruction in comparison with the babbler.”— Steele. We must control our movements because the body has a way of beginning to act as soon as it feels desire or passion; and if not controlled it will carry us into doing what is wrong.
Imagination is like the eye of the mind, which pictures things just as if they were seen. Why must we control the imagination? We must control our imagination because the imagination can excite desires and passions even more strongly than the senses do. It is often more difficult than to control the senses. Therefore we should be careful not to look at things which excite passion ; because if we do they are sure to come up afterwards in the imagination, and tempt us to sin.
If a man finds his passions strong and difficult to resist, does this excuse his sin? The strength of his passion may explain why he fell into sin ; but it does not excuse his sin, because he still has the power to resist.
Is a man excused more easily because he has got into a bad habit? The bad habit may explain why he falls so easily ; but it does not excuse the sin, because he still has the power to resist.
Is difficulty no excuse for doing evil? Difficulty is no excuse, it only carries with it the duty of resisting more strongly.
Should we be easy in making excuses for sin by saying that we could not help it? No. If we excuse ourselves in this way we shall soon begin to believe it, and to look lightly upon sin, and fall into it more easily each time, and end in becoming altogether wicked.
( Ernest Hull S. J., Man’s Great Concern)
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