Desire And Rule

Sub te est, o homo, appetitus tuus, et tu dominaberis illi. Potest inimicus excitare tentationis motum: sed in te est, si volueris, dare seu negare consensum. In tua facultate est, si volueris, inimicum tuum facere servum tuum, ut omnia tibi cooperentur in bonum. Ecce enim inflammat inimicus desiderium cibi, vanitatis aut impatientiae cogitationes ingerit, aut excitat libidinis motum: tu solummodo ne consenseris; et quoties restiteris, toties coronaberis.Verumtamen negare non possumus, fratres, molesta sunt haec, et periculosa: sed, et in ipso certamine, si viriliter resistimus, quaedam pia tranquillitas de conscientia bona nascitur. Credo etiam, si cogitationes istas quam cito in nobis advertimus, non patimur remorari, sed in spiritu vehementi animus adversus illas excitatur, quoniam inimicus confusus abscedet a nobis, nec tam libenter illico revertetur. Sed qui sumus nos, aut quae fortitudo nostra, ut tam multis tentationibus resistere valeamus? Hoc erat certe quod quaerebat Deus, hoc erat ad quod nos perducere satagebat: ut videntes defectum nostrum, et quod non est nobis auxilium aliud, ad ejus misericordiam tota humilitate curramus. Propterea rogo vos, fratres, ut semper ad manum habeatis tutissimum orationis refugium. Sanctus Bernardus Clarae Vallensis, Sermones De Tempore, In capite Jejunii, Sermo V, De triplici modo orationis Source: Migne PL 183.179b-d

But your desire is beneath you, O man, and you may rule over it. 1 The enemy is able to stir up the trial of temptation, but it is for you, as you choose, to give or to refuse consent. You have the ability, if you wish, to make your enemy your slave, so that everything works for your good. For behold, the enemy inflames you with a desire for food, he fills your thoughts with vanity or impatience, or he excites lust, but you may not consent, and then as many times as you resist, so as many times you are crowned. We are not able to refuse these troubles and perils, brothers, but if we bravely resist in the struggle a certain pious tranquility shall be born from a good conscience. Indeed I believe that these thoughts which suddenly come to you should not be suffered to remain with you, but the soul should rise against them with an ardent spirit, because a foe that is confused withdraws from us, nor does he eagerly return there. But who are we, or what is our power, that we might have the strength to resist so many temptations? This is certainly what God asked, this was what He troubled us to consider, so that looking on our defects and noting that there is no other help for us, we should hasten to His mercy in all humility. Therefore I entreat you, brothers, always have that most secure refuge of prayer to hand. Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermons For The Year, At the Beginning of the Fast, from the Fifth Sermon, Concerning the three ways of prayer 1 Gen 4.7