almost certain, that he will fall into some grievous sin of unchastity.
For example, a young man cultivates familiar intercourse with a girl; they meet every week, or perhaps several times a week; he is alone with her; very often, possibly every time, they both sin grievously, at least by voluntary indulgence in impure thoughts and imaginations. That is a proximate voluntary occasion.
5. Such proximate voluntary occasions must be avoided at any cost, else nothing is of any avail; follow in time the divine warning: Watch and pray!"
Be watchful; taken by surprise
How many fall, no more to rise!
The storm that wakes the passion's glow
Shall lay the tender lily low.
LXXI. A Strong Bulwark
1.IT IS your duty to protect and defend the virtue of chastity, as if your heart were some beleaguered fortress. Nothing contributes to the successful defense of any fortress so much as strong bulwarks. The same argument holds good in a spiritual sense; you must surround your virtue, the favorite virtue of the Saviour and of His Blessed Mother, with mighty ramparts.
One of the most important of these ramparts for the preservation of your purity - an absolutely necessary bulwark for the salvation of our soul, is prayer. Love prayer, and practise
