Pray the Holy Rosary

Question from Anonymous on 1/11/2008:

Hello Fr. Levis,

I would like to write a note of encouragement to those struggling with sin. I apologize that this is long and isn’t a question but I hope it will help people.

Like many young men I had been accustomed to abusing myself and offending God through looking at pornography, masturbating, and having premarital sex. I have always gone to church and felt passionately about the importance of Jesus in one’s life but even that couldn’t stop Satan from seducing me.

By the grace of God I slowly began to see the gravity of what I was doing and how far it was from God’s plan for the beauty of human sexuality. Slowly I began to realize what I was doing was truly wrong and disgraceful and I began an earnest struggle to stop committing these sins. I began to pray more and turn to God for help. I struggled especially with looking at pornography and masturbating. I desperately wanted to stop and live my life in the Grace of God. I failed time and time again. I Swore I would stop and failed time and time again. But God saw my efforts and he would not let me fail.

The three great graces He gave me to turn from my sinful ways are EWTN, Confession, and the Holy Rosary. I began to watch more and more EWTN after seeing Fr. Corapi passionately preach on his conversion from a life of sin. His story floored me. He was a man that used to be rich and living a life of sin—and God saved him from all of that and made him a Priest and a gifted preacher, providing hope for those of us in darkness.

I then began watching more of EWTN, my beacon of Truth in a troubled world. The steadfast Catholic teaching contained in EWTN’s programs—and through your advice, Fr. Levis, via a past question of mine you posted—led me to realize I needed to go to Confession and receive God’s grace and forgiveness—even when I was still in the midst of my struggle with these sexual sins and was pretty sure I would continue falling into sin.

I went to confession, but continued to fall into sin. But I still returned to confession time and time again, to receive God’s forgiveness and Grace. I was praying to God everyday and desperately wanted to break free from these sexual sins, but I would continue falling back into sin. Then one night I was watching Fr. Corapi preach on the Holy Rosary—and its power. I had heard much about the importance of praying the Rosary via EWTN, and after hearing Fr. Corapi preach on it I decided to give it a shot, not expecting anything miraculous, just hoping it would help me.

I now pray the Rosary every day and I have successfully turned away from mortal sin. By praying the Holy Rosary and through the intercession of our Most Gracious Advocate and Heavenly Mother Mary, God gave me the grace I needed to turn away from these sexual sins I felt trapped in.

I desperately wanted to stop committing these sins and live a life in God’s Grace but I did not have the strength until I began praying the Rosary every day.

For anyone living in sin, feeling trapped, I am a witness to the fact that the Rosary has true power. Our Blessed Mother’s intercession for us is powerful and we will receive the Grace we need to overcome even the most difficult sins. I felt trapped in sin but God pulled me out through the intercession of our Holy Mother Mary, our Most Gracious Advocate.

Thank you EWTN and Fr. Corapi and Fr. Levis for your example of holiness to us all; thank you Mother Mary; and most of all thank you Jesus Christ, our most loving and gracious Lord and Savior for pulling me out of sin.

I still struggle with temptations as we all do, but praying the Holy Rosary everyday has given me the strength to overcome sin and not fall back into sin.

I write this for anyone seeking Jesus and His help to stop sinning: Pray the Holy Rosary every day. At the center of the Rosary is Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, and he will pull you out of sin.

God Bless.

Answer by Fr. Robert J. Levis on 1/12/2008:

Dear Anonymous, God bless you. What a great tribute to God's grace, to your perseverance, and to Fr. Corapi. It is one more testimony to God's presence and grace. ONe day at a time, and that inevitable jab of grace hits the mark and the persevering one is home and free. God bless you again, you are in my daily Masses. Fr. Bob Levis