Peter's Temptation on the Water - St.John Vianney

I knew St. John Vianney is the patron of priests , thats it. I don't know anything about his life and works.  I happened to read  "Magnificat" ,a wonderful monthly magazine, in that I read the below homily by St.John Vianney. Stuck by the simplicity and a very clear message in it.

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"If you have no temptations" says St.Gregory, "then the devil is your friend, your guide, and your shepherd. If he now permits your life to flow on in peace, he will at the end your life draw your down into the abyss". St.Augustine says that the greatest of all temptations is not to be tempted; for such a one is abandoned by God , and delivered over to his passions and will be lost.

I have said that temptation is necessary for us, to preserve us, in humility and distrust of self, and to oblige us to take refuge with God. We read in history that a superior said to a hermit who was violently tempted by the devil, " My friend, do you wish me to ask God to deliver you from these temptations?" "No , father," answered the hermit; " for they have the effect of keeping me continually in the presence of God, because it constantly necessitates my taking refuge with God, that he may stand by me in my struggles."

Meantime, my brethren, we can say that it is one of the surest signs that we are on the path to heaven, if we are tempted, no matter how humiliating the temptation may be. There remains only one thing for us to do, and that is to fight courageously , for temptation is the time of harvest, as the following example will prove.We read in the lives of the saints that a certain saint was so trouble by the devil during a long term of years that she looked upon herself as lost. God appeared to her for consolation, and disclosed to her that she had gained more in these particular years than at any other time in her life. Saint Augustine teaches that everything which we do without overcoming temptation is of very little value. Instead of being discouraged, therefore , we must on the contrary, thank Almighty God, and fight courageously, because we are sure of the victory, and because we are certain that God will not give way to the devil, and that he will prepare for us the crown of glory which I wish you all.

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