My name is Father Mike Schmitz and this is Ascension Presents.

So talking with the other day with a man who was really troubled because in his prayer

time he had these thoughts he did not want.

In fact, some of these thoughts would have occurred to him anytime, didn't have to be prayer,

could be going to bed, could be just kind of sitting there, could be walking across campus

or wherever he's at.

And he had these thoughts and these thoughts could be anything from just really, just thoughts

of anger to really unwanted sexual thoughts to even just kind of, he recognized like,

I thought I'd have like some really violent things that like, I don't want those thoughts

in my head.

And he kind of was kind of freaking out, kind of panicking.

Another guy I was talking to talked about, temptations that he didn't want.

I'm taking, taking things that he didn't want to give into, temptations that he'd rather

not have.

And they're saying like, what do I do with these kinds of things when they kind of like

charge at me?

One is we can fight, we can fight them off sometimes.

You know, sometimes just making the sign of the cross is St. Irenaeus, back in the year

180, he talked about this, he said, when you make the sign of the cross, the devil has

to flee.

Now, sometimes that happens and sometimes the thoughts are still there.

So what do you do?

...