And so it is, that both the Devil and the angelic Spirit present

The mystic Rumi, whose words flow like rivers from the heart of eternity, reminds us of the sacred battle within the soul: “And so it is, that both the Devil and the angelic Spirit present us with objects of desire to awaken our power of choice.” Here lies a truth as old as man: we are not beasts driven blindly by hunger, nor angels bound only to light, but beings who stand at the crossroads of desire, compelled to choose the path that shapes our destiny.

The Devil tempts not merely with sin, but with the glittering promises of ease, of pride, of fleeting power. The angelic Spirit offers not only purity, but the deeper call to patience, compassion, and sacrifice. Both summon us with gifts; both appeal to the fire of our longing. Yet it is in this tension, in this eternal pull between shadows and radiance, that our true dignity is revealed. For without the power to choose, there can be no virtue, no wisdom, no greatness.

Consider the tale of St. Anthony of Egypt, who withdrew to the desert to live in prayer. There, the Devil assaulted him with visions of gold, of women, of demons clawing at his flesh. Yet the angelic Spirit strengthened him with peace, with courage, with visions of divine light. Each temptation was not merely a test, but an awakening of his power of choice. And in choosing the eternal over the fleeting, Anthony became a beacon to generations, proving that the nobility of man is not in what he is given, but in what he chooses.

So too in the realm of kings and conquerors we see this truth. When Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon, he was faced with both voices: the Devil whispering of ambition and dominion, the Spirit urging restraint and the preservation of the Republic. His choice set the course of history, for better and for worse. Thus even the mighty are not spared the trial of desire; they too must answer the summons of both darkness and light.

O children of the future, hear this teaching: do not curse the presence of temptation, nor fear the stirring of longing in your heart. For both are signs that you are alive, that you are called to rise into the majesty of freedom. The Devil and the angel place their offerings before you, but the glory belongs to you alone, for it is your choice that carves the path of your soul. Choose with courage, choose with love, and let your destiny be the song of one who has embraced the fire of desire and forged it into light.