We live in a hyper-sexualized, even pornified culture, and if you’re a man who wants to be pure, you’re going to be involved in a constant warfare against lust. Everything from toothpaste commercials to weight loss ads have some sort of sexual spin. After all, as they say, sex sells.





Then there is the rampant immodesty in women’s dress (even in church, sadly), including mini-shorts, crop tops, and leggings worn as pants. Popular TV shows are filled with graphic sex, and celebrities dress in see-through clothing—that is, when they aren’t releasing nude photos of themselves.



Now, these temptations are so powerful because they involve our sight—one of the most potent of our senses, especially for us men. What we see is indelibly etched into our memories, and we can never truly un-see anything. Additionally, our sight has a powerful connection to what we want. Radio ads will never be as effective as TV ads, because hearing simply isn’t as strong a sense as sight.



Today I want to talk about an ancient Catholic practice that can help us combat temptations to lust: Custodia occulorum, or custody of the eyes.



What is it

At its most basic level, custody of the eyes simply means controlling what you allow yourself to see. It means guarding your sense of sight carefully, realizing that what you view will leave an indelible mark on your soul.



Many of the saints, in their zeal for purity, would never look anyone in the face. “To avoid the sight of dangerous objects, the saints were accustomed to keep their eyes almost continually fixed on the earth, and to abstain even from looking at innocent objects,” says St. Alphonsus de Liguori.



Now, staring at the floor at all times is a bit extreme for most of us, but it does demonstrate the seriousness with which the saints viewed the importance of purity. They teach us that is simply impossible to allow hundreds of immodest images into our minds, however innocently, and remain pure.



Of course, to the modern mind, this guarding of the eyes is rather quaint and even ridiculous. How prudish, many would think, to think that we should exercise any control over what we see. And yet, if we care about our souls, we have no other option.



How to Practice It

The best place to begin practicing custody of the eyes is in the things which we can control, such as movies, magazines, or television shows. If your favorite TV show has a sex scene every 5 minutes, you need to cut it out of your life. It’s not worth the temptation. In short, don’t consume things that are occasions of sin. Carelessly putting yourself in spiritual danger in this way is a grave sin itself, so take it seriously.



It’s actually rather easy to edit what you consume. But what about the things we can’t control, such as the immodestly dressed woman walking past you? This takes far more prayer-fueled discipline and practice. That said, here are some suggestions.



First, if you’re struggling with the way a woman is dressed, immediately look at her face. I don’t care how beautiful a woman is, it is essentially impossible to lust after someone’s face. The face is the icon of each person’s humanity, and it is far easier to respect a woman’s dignity when you’re looking at her face and not her body.



Second, it may just be appropriate to stare at the floor sometimes, especially if there’s no other way to avoid temptation. This doesn’t have to be the norm, but if the situation warrants it, it is foolish not to do so.



Third, avoid places you know are especially problematic for you. For most men, the beach is a problem. Dozens of women in tiny bikinis is just too much. If that’s the case for you, avoid the beach.



Finally, fast and pray. This should go without saying, and yet I am always amazed that men think they can control themselves without God’s help. It simply isn’t possible. We always need grace in the battle against concupiscence, and if we trust in ourselves and our own willpower, we will do nothing but fail.



Conclusion

Yes, temptation is everywhere, but we are not helpless victims. We must take the need for purity seriously, and that means guarding carefully what we allow ourselves to see. Through prayer, fasting, and practice, we can learn to take control of our eyes and avoid temptation. This isn’t quaint and archaic—it’s basic to spiritual survival.


lalasticlala seun

God help us all. Amen

Recipe for creating sexually repressed individuals. Little wonder the pastors are sleeping with church members, with their daughters and with children.

LordReed:
Recipe for creating sexually repressed individuals. Little wonder the pastors are sleeping with church members, with their daughters and with children.

Not what you saying here man

echepops:


Not what you saying here man

Exactly what I'm saying.

[/quote] This very motivating and edifying in for Heaven seekers. Thanks and God bless.

SadMemories:
This very motivating and edifying in for Heaven seekers. Thanks and God bless.

We just want everyone to be happy

In a world that makes it impossible to see, hear, smell, touch or taste nudity and other spiritually negative things, the only thing that has worked for me is absolute dependence on the Holy Spirit. When your soul (mind, emotions and will) is given over to the Spirit’s guidance, you'll come to a point where you'll hardly notice any negative information your body (eyes, ear, nose, skin and tongue) receives.

UceeGod:
In a world that makes it impossible to see, hear, smell, touch or taste nudity and other spiritually negative things, the only thing that has worked for me is absolute dependence on the Holy Spirit. When your soul (mind, emotions and will) is given over to the Spirit’s guidance, you'll come to a point where you'll hardly notice any negative information your body (eyes, ear, nose, skin and tongue) receives.

We are getting there!

Prayers aganist Sexual Sins
(if you are addicted to any form of sexual sin, be it fornication, adultery, Masturbation, etc.,take this prayer seriously)

In the Mighty name of Jesus, I renounce all sexual sins that I have been involved with in the past, including fornication, masturbation, pornography, perversion, fantasy and adultery in the name of Jesus. O God release me from every curse afflicted on me as a result of adultery, perversion, fornication, lust, incest, rape, molestation, illegitimacy, harlotry, and polygamy in the name of Jesus.

I blind and command all spirits of lust and perversion to come out of my stomach, genitals, eyes, mind, mouth, hands, and blood in the name of Jesus.

According to the word of God, I present my body to the Lord as a living sacrifice unto you O my Lord.

I release the fire of God to burn out all unclean lust from my life in the name of Jesus.

I break all ungodly soul ties with former lovers and sexual partners in the name of Jesus.

I cast out all spirits of loneliness that makes me to engage in an ungodly sexual relationships in the name of Jesus.

By the authority in the name of Jesus, I command all spirits of hereditary lust from my ancestors to come out of me, go into the abyss and never come back again in the name of Jesus.

I command the spirit of lust injected into me by the spirit husband/ wife to be destroyed by the fire of the Holy Spirit, in the name of Jesus.

I command the spirit of lust injected into me by the spirit witches and wizards to be destroyed by the fire of the Holy Spirit, in the name of Jesus.

I take authority over my thoughts and bind all spirits of fantasy and lustful thinking in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

I receive the spirit of holiness in my life to walk in sexual purity in the name of Jesus.

According to the word of God in 1st John 2:16, I loose myself from the spirit of the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. I overcome the world through the power of the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus Christ; because according to Romans. 6:6-12, I am crucified with Christ. I mortify my members, sin cannot reign in my body and I will not obey its lust. Amen.