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During my freshman year at Ohio State, I read Dante’s Inferno as part of a class called Religious and Secular Man. This book left a deep impression on me. Drawing inspiration from it, I thought I would attempt something totally different. As we continue to make our way through the Lenten season, reflecting on our sins and brokenness, I thought it would be fitting to make a brief detour. Today I thought we could reflect on a Dantean style 4th Day Letter that offers a modern-day version of Dante’s famous story. I hope you find it both illuminating and convicting.

In Dante’s great book he journeyed through nine circles of hell. Dante traveled through the circles of the unbaptized, lust, gluttony, greed, wrath, heresy, violence, fraud and treachery. Today we only have time for one. In each circle people were confronted with consequences that reflected the nature of their sin. Now, like Dante before me, I will travel through one of hell’s circles. Journey with me as we observe the consequences of lust.

The Circle of Lust

Midway upon the journey of my life, I found myself “lost in a dark wood,” where the straight path had vanished. Shadows closed in around me, thick with whispers, luring me deeper into a valley of endless longing. I wandered blindly, drawn forward by unseen hands, until I beheld a great whirlwind before me, a storm unlike any other, where figures swirled in ceaseless motion, cast about by unseen forces.

As I stood, trembling, a guide appeared beside me—his face solemn, his robe white as snow. “Brian, you tread upon dangerous ground,” he said. “This is the domain of the lustful, those who surrendered to their desires, who let pleasure guide them rather than truth.”

I turned my eyes to the whirlwind and saw men and women, young and old, famous and forgotten, all hurled about in an unrelenting tempest. They reached for one another but never found rest, their cries drowned in the storm.

“Why do they suffer so?” I asked.

“They are swept away as they were in life, consumed by their passions, never finding stillness or peace. They mistook fleeting pleasures for love, and now they reap the harvest of their choices.”

I beheld two figures locked in an embrace; their sorrowful eyes fixed on one another even as they were flung through the air. “Who are they?” I asked.

The guide’s gaze darkened. “They are those whose betrayals and lustful pursuits were made known to the world—icons of scandal and passion. Look closer, and you will see their faces.”

I strained my eyes and recognized them—both were celebrities, influencers, and powerful figures whose names once graced headlines, their private indulgences exposed for all to see. One was a famous Hollywood star who had enjoyed great fame, but his lustful pursuits had left a trail of betrayal. The other was a famous pop star who had built a career on seduction, only to find herself entangled in the very illusions she had sold. Now, both were caught in the storm, reaching for control but finding none.

Lust in the Modern World

The guide motioned for me to follow, and we stepped into another vision—one of glowing screens, shadowed rooms, and the lure of digital desire.

Behold, the age of modern temptation! Here, lust takes new forms, no longer confined to stolen glances, but available in an instant, summoned at will. Men and women sit alone in darkened chambers, their faces aglow in the light of their devices, feeding an unquenchable hunger. Others chase fleeting encounters, mistaking indulgence for fulfillment, finding only emptiness in its wake.

“Does their punishment await them only after death?” I asked.

The guide shook his head. “Nay, their suffering begins even now. Lust does not merely stain the soul; it chains the heart and warps the mind. The more one consumes, the more one craves, yet satisfaction never comes. Love is lost, relationships are broken, and trust is shattered.”

I saw husbands and wives, once bound by holy vows, now torn apart by secret betrayals. I saw young souls; their innocence stolen by images and desires they did not seek but could not resist. And I saw countless faces, twisted with shame, drowning in guilt, yet returning to the same sins, as though caught in an inescapable tide.

The Path to Freedom

Tears filled my eyes. “Is there no hope?” I asked. “Can none escape this storm?”

The guide placed a hand upon my shoulder. “There is always hope. For just as Dante was led through Hell and into the light, so too can the lost be found.”

1. Confession and Repentance – “No chain is so strong that it cannot be broken,” he said. “But one must first acknowledge it. Confess your sins, and He who is faithful will cleanse you.”
2. Accountability and Fellowship – “No one escapes the dark wood alone. Walk with others in faith, and honest vulnerability and the shadows will lose their grip.”
3. Renewal of the Mind – “Desire, once twisted, may be made right again. Meditate upon the Scriptural truth, dwell in prayer, and let your thoughts be transformed.”
4. Guarding the Heart – “One must not only flee temptation but build walls against its return. Remove the stumbling blocks, fortify the soul with virtue, and choose discipline over desire.”

Conclusion

I turned my gaze once more to the tempest, then beyond it, to the distant hills where light pierced the sky. The path was steep, yet it was clear. The lost could be found. The bound could be freed. But they must choose the way of righteousness.

The guide smiled. “Come,” he said. “Your journey is not yet over.”

And with that, I awoke from my vision, my heart burning within me. “The dark wood” still surrounded me, but now, I knew the way out.

As we journey through Lent, let us keep our eyes fixed ahead. Each day brings us closer to our Lord’s Passion but let us not lose heart—for His glorious Resurrection awaits.  No matter what sins we struggle with, Jesus is our guide, and He is always prepared to lead us out of the dark wood.

Heavenly Father, from time to time, we all get “lost in the dark wood”. Regardless of which sins we struggle with, Your Son is the only light that can guide our footsteps towards Your distant mountain. Help us to follow Him home to you. Amen!

AMDG 

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Brian Pusateri

Brian is a Christian author and speaker. Brian, a lifelong Catholic, felt his life was forever changed when God spoke to his heart while attending an eight day silent Christian retreat in November of 2011. Soon after that retreat Brian founded 4th Day Letters and Broken Door Ministries. With the God inspired message of mercy and unconditional love that was placed on his heart during that retreat, Brian has been impacting others all over the country and around the world with his weekly letters, his talks, and his all day Christian retreats. In June of 2014, Brian’s life was again impacted in a very dramatic way when his eyesight suddenly became permanently impaired. The initial diagnosis was Multiple Scleroses (MS) but in December of 2019 the diagnosis was corrected to MOG antibody disease, a rare neurological disease. This health challenge has only served to draw Brian closer to God and bolster the importance of this timely yet ageless message.

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