For those who have earnestly spent Lent praying and fasting, it is not uncommon for some to experience an increase in temptation and weariness during the last days of Lent (what used to be called Passiontide).
Combating our selfish desires and staving off temptations to vice is a cross to bear and crown to wear for those pining after virtue or holiness at any time of the year, but more so now as we enter Holy Week. While remaining steadfast in prayer and fasting is still the best route to take, taking some time for spiritual reading is a great way to stay focused and boost one’s morale.
On the topic of temptation, there is one work that shines above the others: C.S. Lewis’ “The Screwtape Letters.” Written in 1942, the book is a fictional series of 31 letters from a senior demon named Screwtape to his nephew Wormwood, who is still learning the ropes on doing what demons do best — tempting souls away from God. Throughout the letters, Screwtape offers Wormwood ample and well-thought-out advice on how best to damn the soul of an unnamed British man who is simply referred to as “the patient.” The letters cover a range of topics dealing with all the normal vices we are tempted with in life, such as pride, lust, gluttony, and moral laxity. But they are always explained in a way that condenses Lewis’ extensive literary and theological erudition into a very readable book.
While straightforward, Lewis’ prose
