“He set His face to go to Jerusalem.” (Lk 9:51)
Consider: It can be sad and even embarrassing to observe a grown man who crumbles under pressure, who is emotionally and mentally fragile, and who cannot endure setbacks, resistance, or stress without collapsing inward or lashing outward.
A man who chronically uses pornography can become mentally and emotionally fragile through patterns linked to distress, avoidance, and weakened emotional regulation.
Realize: Research indicates that repeated pornography use reinforces an escape response to discomfort, conditioning a pornified man to retreat from stress into the cheap and temporary comfort of sexual stimulation rather than endure difficulty. Over time, ordinary pressures such as fatigue, frustration, and conflict become harder to tolerate, producing emotional turmoil that drives withdrawal rather than resolve. Rather than standing firm, the pornified man becomes more reactive and impulsive, struggling to regulate emotions and remain steady under strain. This repeated pattern of retreat leaves him less capable of safeguarding his mental and emotional stability and less able to be a strong, reliable presence for his family and for those who depend on him.
Resolution: Today, I practice Heroic Sexual Self-discipline so I can be resilient and strong and experience the joy of Chastity.
Lord and Master Jesus Christ, rather than retreating from difficulty and challenge, I choose to imitate You, Who persevered with patience throughout Your earthly life and especially through Your Passion. I vehemently reject the cheap pleasure of pornography so I may grow in the strength to endure the stresses of life with courage, manly vigor, and resolve. I desire to recognize Satan’s temptations to lure me into pornography and to retreat from stressful experiences rather than endure them with courage. I trust You, my Lord, when You promise to help me bear my burdens and to train my heart through obedience and perseverance rather than escape (Mt 11:29–30). With Your help, I choose to carry my cross instead of fleeing from it, to stand firm when life presses hard, to suffer well without complaint, and to grow stronger through trial. United to You, I aim to become a steady and reliable pillar of strength for my family, my friends, and all those entrusted to my care. My Savior, make me a saint!
Examine: How might Jesus help me battle against becoming weakened by pornography?
Pray: Jesus, Perfection of Perseverance, help me build the Virtues of Perseverance and Patience (parts of Fortitude) so I can valiantly carry the small crosses of life and more perfectly imitate You. Amen.