most natural one. It is a favourite device of
the enemy to assault us at such times for two reasons.

First, because he knows that could he induce us to sin under such
circumstances, his victory would be greater, the dishonour of God would
be deeper, the hurt to the soul more serious. Many a soul has been
startled while kneeling in the very act of receiving the Blessed
Sacrament by the swift, sudden onslaught of some strong temptation. To
yield at such a time would not only bring upon it the guilt of the sin
itself, but there would be added to it something of the nature of
sacrilege. Satan knows this, and is keen to gain every advantage from
it.

{57}

Secondly, he seeks to lead us into sin under these conditions because
he fears especially what is going on in our souls. God is drawing near
to us, and we are drawing near to Him.[29] We are hearkening what the
Lord God will say concerning us,[30] and He is preparing to speak in
our souls with the Voice that is "mighty in operation,"[31] with the
Voice of which it is said, "He spake the word and they were made, He
commanded and they were created."[32]

Satan knows how that Voice in the attentive heart can speak into being
new creations of divine grace, and of strength unto the battle; and it
is to his utmost interest that our hearts be turned aside from hearing
the divine Voice within. It is a great blow to his power for a soul to
make a good Communion, to pray a holy prayer, or to be able to listen
piously and without distraction to a spiritual instruction or
exposition of God's holy word. Such acts are acts of offensive warfare
against him, and it is no wonder if he then rouses himself and his evil
agents to check this inroad into his kingdom.

So let us not be surprised if many distractions come in these times of
devotion, and if they endure long. Nor must we expect to be freed {58}
from them as long as we live, for they constitute one of Satan's
favourite modes of attack. St. Francis de Sales was once asked by a
Sister of the Visitation how she could be rid of distractions in
prayer. With that wise humour so characteristic of the Saint, he
replied, "Die and be saved."[33] He knew of nothing short of this,
that could free one from Satanic interruption. "To be clean delivered
from it," says Walter Hilton, "so that he shall feel no suggestion, nor
jangling of fleshly affections, or of vain thoughts at any time, that
can no man come to in this life."[34