In the Holy Gospel reading for the 2nd Sunday of the Holy Great Fast (Matthew 4:1-11), His Grace reads for us the following: 
"Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil..."

His Grace shares with us that the temptations to sin comes upon all of us and is expected. Yet we need to focus on our Lord Jesus Christ and not on the temptation itself.

St. John Chrysostom (Commentary on the Gospel of St. Matthew):
"For since Jesus did and underwent everything with a view to our instruction He likewise consented to be led there and wrestle against the devil in order that every baptized person who, after baptism, has to endure greater temptations may not be troubled as though this outcome were unexpected, but may continue to endure everything nobly as though it were happening in the natural course of things. For indeed, this was the reason you took up arms, not to be idle, but to fight."

Barsanuphius and John, Barsanuphius and John: Letters, ed. Thomas P. Halton, trans. John Chryssavgis, vol. 113, The Fathers of the Church (Washington, DC: The Catholic University of America Press, 2006), 183:
"Do not contradict temptation; for that is what the demons want, and then they will never stop. Rather, resist it by taking refuge in God, casting your weakness before him; for he is able not only to shut their mouths but also to abolish them." 

Elder Porphyrius (EO Saint)
"Do not fight to expel darkness from the chamber of your soul. Open a tiny aperture for the light to enter, and the darkness will disappear." 

Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian:
"O Lord and Master of my life, take from me the spirit of sloth, despair, lust of power, and idle talk.
But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience, and love to Your servant.
Yea, O Lord and King, grant me to see my own transgressions, and not to judge my brother, for blessed art You, unto ages of ages. Amen."


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The official SoundCloud account of His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (His Grace Bishop Youssef). Metropolitan of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. Contact by e-mail at hgbysoundcloudadmin@suscopts.org

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HE Metropolitan Youssef ~ عظات نيافة الانبا يوسف