The lessons from Moses begins with a particular struggle he had with lustful thoughts. So great were his temptations that he fled his cell and ran to his spiritual father, Abba Isadore. The elder pointed to the west where Moses saw the demonic horde who sought to capture him. But to the east were a greater legion of angelic beings ready to aid the spiritually tortured monk. “Those who are with us are more than they are,” said the encouraging Isadore. With the revelation and word, Moses went back to his cell.* I John 4:4, “Ye are of God, little children and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world,” seems a good biblical reference for this story.
In order to tap into the power of Christ, the Holy Spirit, and our spiritual allies against lust, we must be committed to struggle against the sin. Notice the story, Moses recognized that his thoughts were a problem. Rather than play them off as minor, he made the effort to leave his living quarters (despite the time of day or night) and admit to a trustworthy guide that he had a problem. The tortured monk took in the encouragement and went back to his world to do the battle knowing that the evil one could not defeat him. Had not Moses recognized and made the effort to overcome lustful thoughts, he most likely wouldn’t have received any encouragement. He may have gone back to his former life, or worse.
Even more that doing the sinful deed, I believe Satan wants us not to commit to struggling against rapine thoughts. The Desert Fathers use the term fornication for all sexual passions. I use the term rapine because we are using mental images of someone else without their consent for our selfish gratification. St. Gregory of Nyssa used it describing one of several sinful thoughts and acts that we must leave behind as we cross into a better way of life.** Be it fornication or rapine, Satan wants us to believe that our thoughts are no big deal. After all, “you can’t go to jail for what you’re thinking.”****
While some acts are legally unacceptable, tolerated lustful thinking is a prison that keeps us from the freedom of spiritual living. The evil one can destroy an inmate directly with acting in a gross way, such as molestation or rape. He can keep an inmate in controlled actions like fornicating with a friend, an affair in the midst of a struggling marriage, “self-abuse,” or some other socially tolerable sin. He can simply wear down an inmate into spiritual complacency, hopelessness, and unbelief. The first belongs behind bars. In the wrong place, time, season, or frame of mind, anyone of us can become one of these “monsters” we see on the news. But the second are our sons, daughters, neighbors, colleagues, friends, relatives, and ourselves. We aren’t bad people and as long as we don’t get caught and are sorry for what we did when we do, God forgives us. The third, also us, can be on work release or paroled because he lacks the desire to struggle against lust. He is no threat against the devil and may even aid the tempter as an example of carelessness. Our goal as children of God is total freedom no matter how long or difficult the struggle may be.
Not everyone is called to live in a desert and survive on dry bread and lentils. Yet we are all called to be accountable for and struggle against our sinful thoughts. St. Nikolai Velimirovic instructs, “To be a Christian, in the proper sense, means to invest an enormous effort on cleansing evil thoughts from one’s heart and mind.”**** Taxiotis the soldier tasted death and saw the punishments that awaited the sexually impure. God granted him 40 days to plead with men in the Church (not pimps, ‘Johns,’ and non-believers) to repent of their sins.***** St. Mary of Egypt spent years not accusing other women of their deeds but repenting of her own past working on her own desires. Many modern American Christians are concerned about winning the world for Jesus Christ. The ancient faith challenges us to win us and become one Him, the Father and the Holy Spirit.
Moses was committed to the struggle and found far more allies than enemies. The Holy Trinity, angels, and saints are more than ready and willing to aid us if we are serious against our sinful thoughts.
⦁ *Sayings of the Desert Fathers, pg. 138
⦁ **Classics of Western Spirituality, Gregory of Nyssa The Life of Moses, pg.84
⦁ ***Standing on the Corner, The Four Lads 1956, written by Dean Martin
⦁ ****Prolouge of Orhid, pg. 358
⦁ *****Prolouge of Orhid, pg.361
Desert Fathers Dispatch 