<h1><center>Self-Conquest </center></h1> <center><em>The conquest of self is the grandest triumph that man can achieve.</em></center><br><sub>Once a day, at least, recall very earnestly that </sub>  <center><b>“You are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you.”</b> </center> <sub><div class=pull-right><code>I Cor. iii. 15</code></div></sub><br><hr><h2>Ꚛ Nineteenth Day of October </h2>

When first the passions were put into the human soul, they were children of grace, a royal bodyguard to man, who was set over all creation. But at the fall, man unfurled the standard of rebellion against God, and then the passions rose up in revolt against man. Since that day the world may be divided into two classes —those who are fighting against and conquering their passions, and those who are enslaved to them—and I wish to impress upon you that giving way to one passion usually means giving way to others, for they are all in league together. For instance, it was avarice that led Judas to treachery, treachery to deicide, deicide to despair, and despair to suicide.

Man is stronger than his passions, and through the grace and power given to him by God in prayer and the sacraments, he can tame and train these rebels, forcing them to become the servants instead of the tyrants of his will.

Like an army scaling a height, we have to fight our way heavenward, and it is a case of hand over hand and foot over foot all the way. There must be constant warfare, effort, and sacrifice, for you cannot expect to enter the land of triumph if you have conquered nothing, not even yourself.




<div class=pull-right><em>Thoughts of Father Bernard Vaughan, S.J.</em></div>



<br><br><center> <img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/cryptotranslations/cryptotranslations.github.io/master/Images/Self.jpg"></center>

<hr> <blockquote><sub><em>Ask yourself: how does this matter affect me personally, what lesson does it convey to me, what suggestion for a better life, how can I improve my conduct; resolve to become a saint at any cost; think upon the eternal years; pray to the Holy Ghost that He may lead you in the way of perfection; finally recite attentively and devotedly the following Act of Consecration to the Holy Spirit:</em><br><br> Oh Holy Spirit, divine Spirit of light and love, I consecrate to Thee my understanding, heart, and will, my whole being for time and for eternity. May my understanding be always submissive to Thy heavenly inspirations, and to the teaching of the Church, of which Thou art the infallible guide; may my heart be ever inflamed with love of God and of my neighbor; may my will be ever conformed to the divine will, and may my whole life be a faithful imitation of the life and virtue of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, to Whom with the Father and Thee be honor and glory forever. Amen. </sub></blockquote> <sub><code>Self-Conquest. Rev. F. X. Lasance. 1936.<code></sub> @selfconquest