Alphonsus Liguori

“ He who is afraid of falling distrusts his own strength, avoids as much as possible all dangerous occasions, and recommends himself often to God, and thus preserves his soul from sin. But the man who is not fearful, but full of self- confidence, easily exposes himself to the danger of sin: he seldom recommends himself to God, and thus he falls. ”

“ But the saint replied: "I despair of myself, but I trust in God." Hence, during this life, in which we are exposed to so many dangers of losing God, it is necessary for us to live always in great diffidence of ourselves, and full of confidence in God. ”

“ It is true that when we have recourse to God with confidence in dangerous temptations, he assists us; but, in certain very urgent occasions, the Lord sometimes wishes that we cooperate, and do violence to ourselves, to resist temptations. ”

“ It must be sought and obtained by violence: he who wishes to obtain it without inconvenience, or by leading a soft and irregular life, shall not acquire it he shall be excluded from it.
12. To save their souls, some of the saints have retired into the cloister; some have confined themselves in a cave; others have embraced torments and death. ”The violent bear it away”Some complain of their want of confidence in God; but they do not perceive that their diffidence arises from the weakness of their resolution to serve God. ”

“ If, then, we wish to save our souls, and to become saints, we must make a strong resolution not only in general to give ourselves to God, but also in particular to adopt the proper means, and never to abandon them after having once taken them up. ”

“ The way to Heaven is strait and narrow: they who wish to arrive at that place of bliss by walking in the paths of pleasure shall be disappointed: and therefore few reach it, because few are willing to use violence to themselves in resisting temptations.: “The kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence, and the violent bear it away. ”

“ These means are, first, diffidence in ourselves; secondly, confidence in God; thirdly, resistance to temptations.
First Means. Diffidence in ourselves.
1. ”With fear and trembling," says the Apostle, ”work out your salvation." (Phil. ii. 12.) To secure eternal life, we must be always penetrated with fear, we must be always afraid of ourselves (with fear and trembling) , and distrust altogether our own strength; for, without the divine grace we can do nothing. ”Without me," says Jesus Christ, ”you can do nothing." We can do nothing for the salvation of our own souls. ”

“ In a word, they are satisfied with fruitless desires, and thus continue to live in enmity with God, or at least in tepidity, which in the end leads them to the loss of God. Thus in them are verified the words of the Holy Ghost, “desires kill the slothful. ”