Thomas concludes this section of Chapter 3 by telling us that we need to have our honey-do list out and to get crackin' on some of those favorite distractions. That's what an "unmortified affection of the heart" is...usually our favorite sin that we are neither embarrassed about, or too arrogant or stupid to realize that we should be embarrassed by this activity...even in our thought life: the life of the heart and mind.
Second, Thomas tells us that in order move toward a better version of ourself, one has to think through the consequence of the activity. That helps us avoid the silliness, or, the same activity played out and rehearsed in our mind helps us to complete the task more successfully than just doing it. It is so easy to follow our "bent". Just like a tree will bend toward water even at the risk of leaving the sunlight, we will go toward our tendencies easily. The tree soon leans so far away from the light that it cannot straighten up without pruning. The tree is still alive, of course, but an impactful storm could easily break it at the weak points.
A good and devout man first disposes his works inwardly which he is to do outwardly.
In my inner thought life, when I struggle with a distraction, I often imagine striking through the mental image with a black marker, or sometimes I start saying the St Michael's prayer. These two things usually dispose of the distraction. Try it. Let me know if this works for you as well. This is what Thomas is getting at here in the next quote. Taking control of the weeds of thought that drive us to sin and our propensity toward our favorite vices, especially in our thought life:
Neither do they draw him to the desires of an inordinate inclination, but he bends them to the rule of right reason. Who has a stronger conflict than he who strives to overcome himself?
Lastly, the more we exercise this mental process, the stronger we become. In our Curves business, my lovely wife Donna encourages club members to work out three times a week. This gets them into a habit that shows progress faster. The more they work out, the stronger and the less flabbly they become. This gives them confidence since they are now a better version of themselves.
And this must be our business, to strive to overcome ourselves, and daily to gain strength over ourselves, and to grow better and better."I'll try to finish this excellent chapter next week. There's so much here, it's worth the effort, don't you think?
Thank you for reading and praying along with me. 'Til next time, be Imitators of Christ!
tim
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