1 John 2:16: For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, is not of the Father but is of the world.
In the above scripture, St. John talks about three basic types of sin - The lust of the flesh (gluttony, lust, sloth), the lust of the eyes (greed), and the pride of life (pride, envy, anger). Overcoming these things should be our life's work.
Lust - "Lust is disordered desire for or inordinate enjoyment of sexual pleasure." - The Catechism of the Catholic Church, #2351 Greed - "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor." - Exodus 20:17 Gluttony - "Put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony. " - Proverbs 23:2 Envy - A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones. - Proverbs 14:30 Anger - "Whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment" - Matthew 5:22 Pride - "Hatred of God comes from pride. It is contrary to the love of God ..." - The Catechism of the Catholic Church, #2094 Sloth - "His master replied, `You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed?" - Matthew 25:26
The Capital Virtues, which are the opposite of the seven deadly sins, are as follows:
Chastity - It overcomes the sin of lust. Liberality (Generosity ) - It overcomes the sin of Greed. Temperance - It overcomes the sin of Gluttony. Brotherly Love - It overcomes the sin of Envy. Meekness - It overcomes the sin of Anger. Humility - It overcomes the sin of Pride. Diligence - It overcomes the sin of sloth.
How do you get these virtues? Prayer, prayer, prayer. And fasting also helps, a lot (Mark 9:29). After all, if our enemy is the flesh, it would seem that to overcome this enemy, you must starve it, just like you would if you could starve your enemy to death in wartime. To learn more about these Capital virtues, click here.
A Prayer for Purity
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I entrust and consecrate myself entirely to you - mind, heart and body. Guard and defend me always from every sin. May my mind be uplifted to heavenly things, may my heart love God more and more, may I avoid every evil occasion. Hold me close to you, so that I may keep watch of my internal and external senses. Preserve me from all impurity, and help me to serve you with undefiled mind, pure heart and chaste body, so that in heaven I may join the blessed company of the saints. AMEN
Prayer to overcome the seven deadly sins
O Jesus, meek Savior and Prince of Peace, implant in me the virtues of gentleness and patience. Let me curb the fury of anger and restrain all resentment and impatience so as to overcome evil with good, attain your peace, and rejoice in Your love.
O Jesus, Model of humility, divest me of all pride and arrogance. Let me acknowledge my weakness and sinfulness, so that I may bear mockery and contempt for Your sake and esteem myself as lowly in your sight.
O Jesus, Teacher of abstinence, help me to serve You rather than our appetites. Keep me from gluttony - the inordinate love of food and drink and let me hunger and thirst for Your justice.
O Jesus, Lover of purity, remove all lust from my heart, so that I may serve You with a pure mind and a chaste body.
O Jesus, Father of the poor, help me to avoid all covetousness for earthly goods and give me a love for heavenly things. Inspire me to give to the needy, just as You gave Your life, that I might inherit eternal treasures.
O Jesus, Exemplar of love, keep me from all envy and ill-will. Let the grace of Your love dwell in me that I may rejoice in the happiness of others and bewail their adversities.
O Jesus, zealous Lover of souls, keep me from all sloth of mind or body. Inspire me with zeal for your glory, so that I may do all things for You and in You.
O Jesus, my Merciful Redeemer, my Loving Savior, my Divine Healer, all this I humbly pray and ask in confidence, and filled with faith, hope and trust, in Your Holy and Mighty name, Amen
Thank You Jesus, Praise You Jesus, Bless You Jesus, I Love You Jesus... AMEN
Litany of Humility (to overcome pride, and for power in prayer)
O Jesus! Meek and humble of heart, hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed, R/deliver me, Jesus. From the desire of being loved, R/ From the desire of being extolled, R/ From the desire of being honored, R/ From the desire of being praised, R/ From the desire of being preferred to others, R/ From the desire of being consulted, R/ From the desire of being approved, R/ From the fear of being humiliated, R/ From the fear of being despised, R/ From the fear of suffering rebukes, R/ From the fear of being calumniated, R/ From the fear of being forgotten, R/ From the fear of being wronged, R/ From the fear of being suspected, R/
That others may be loved more than I, R/Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. That others may be esteemed more than I, R/ That, in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I may decrease, R/ That others may be chosen and I set aside, R/ That others may be praised and I unnoticed, R/ That others may be preferred to me in everything, R/ That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should, R/
AMEN