B. GOOD WORKS,
VIRTUE, SIN, VICE
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Hitherto the will of God (the commandments) has been the subject treated of. In the following pages we shall speak of the fulfilment of the divine will and the transgression thereof. Good works are the result of the accomplishment of the divine will; sin is the result of the violation of it. By the repeated performance of good works the habit of virtue is formed; by repeated acts of sin, the habit of vice.
1. The name of good works is given to such voluntary actions on the part of man as are in conformity with the will of God, are performed for the love of God, and consequently will be rewarded by God.1
No action, however excellent, is to be called a good work unless it is voluntary. The compulsory fast of a criminal in prison is not a good work; nor in fact is any action which is not in accordance with the will of God. To spend one’s time in reciting long prayers, instead of accomplishing the duties of one’s station, is not a good work, but a sin. Nor do works which fail in any one particular to correspond to the will of God deserve to be called good works, or to receive a reward. Those actions again, which are not performed for the love of God are not good works. God requires a pure motive on our part. For instance, to give an alms to an importunate beggar merely to get rid of him is not wrong, but it is not a perfect good work. It is an imperfect or natural good work, because it is done from natural motives. But an action performed for God’s sake, because it is the will of God, for love of Christ, in view of an eternal reward or for fear of everlasting punishment, is a perfect, or supernatural good work, and will bear fruit, because it is done in union with Christ (as the branch bears fruit that abides in the vine, John 15:4), and participates in His merits. A plain woolen cloth has a certain worth, but if it be dyed a rich purple color, its value is greatly enhanced. So the good works we perform are of little worth unless they are done for God’s sake. Then they are crimsoned with the blood of Christ, precious in God’s sight, and deserving of a celestial recompense.
Actions, although good, if performed for merely natural motives, are worthless in God’s sight.2
The Pharisees in Christ’s time are a striking instance of this, for they did good works to be seen of men and praised by men. Our Lord blames them for this, and says: “They have received their reward” (Matt. 6:2). If a man subscribes to some charitable object, in order to get his name into the papers, or to get some office of trust, he does not perform a good work, or one deserving of reward. Such works are like a great, empty package which, when put into the balance at the Judgment Day, will have no weight at all. “Man seeth those things that appear, but the Lord beholdeth the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7). It is the intention to which one must look, not the external act; this may appear to be good, but if it is not done in some way in view of our final end, it is worse than useless. He who seeks his own glory in what he does is a thief, for he robs God of what is His due. Some people say we ought to do good for its own sake. They are mistaken, for the act itself is not our highest aim, but a means towards the attainment of that end. We ought to do good for God’s sake.
A good work has all the more value in God’s sight the less it is done in hope of earthly reward.
He who does good to the poor who cannot requite him, does a work which is great in God’s eyes, however contemptible it may be in the eyes of the world, because it is done for God. Good works which cost us a great sacrifice are more valuable than others. For this reason Abraham’s obedience in promptly offering his only son at God’s command was so highly praised. Therefore what we do in spite of outward contradiction or inward opposition has more worth before God. Thus the value of our works depends entirely upon whether they are or are not done for the love of God. He does not consider the magnitude of the work, but the amount of love wherewith it is performed.
2. The good works most pleasing in God’s sight are these: Prayer, fasting, and almsdeeds.
By these works the centurion Cornelius merited the praise of the angel (Acts 10), and Tobias the approval of Raphael (Tob. 12:8). In the sermon on the mount Our Lord lays special stress on these works (Matt. 6). Prayer includes every kind of divine worship, the reception of the sacraments, hearing Mass, attending sermons, etc. Fasting is not merely abstaining from food, or some sort of food, but the repression of sensual desires in general, e.g., restraining curiosity, the avoidance of idle conversation, denying one’s self some pleasure. As alms may be reckoned every service rendered to one’s neighbor, pre-eminently the spiritual and corporal works of mercy.
Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving are the principal means of attaining perfection, because they combat the three evil appetites, the concupiscence of the flesh, the concupiscence of the eyes, and the pride of life; and thus the soul is enabled to rise more freely to God.3
By prayer the pride of life is suppressed, by fasting the craving for sensual enjoyment, by almsgiving the desire for earthly riches. Thus by prayer, fasting, and almsdeeds, more than by anything else, we shake off the bonds of earth and consequently draw nearer to God.
St. Paul exhorts us: “Whether you eat or drink, or whatsoever else you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31). This includes work, recreation, sleep, etc. Midas, King of Phrygia, is said to have asked of the gods that whatsoever he touched might be turned to gold. This power is granted to the Christian; for by purity of intention all his good works do in reality become golden, i.e., supernatural, and consequently highly valuable and meritorious. The intention determines the worth of every action. Witness the kiss Judas gave Our Lord; a kiss is a token of love and friendship, but his evil intention made it a vile action. The intention is to the action what the root is to the tree. If the root is healthy the tree flourishes and its fruit is good; but if the root is unsound, the sap does not circulate or the fruit mature. The decorations of the streets when a monarch makes his entry into a city, are a matter of no moment to him, except in so far as they display the affection and loyal devotion of his subjects. So it is with the actions we perform for the glory of God. Be careful therefore to direct your intention every morning, and renew it occasionally throughout the day. An action without a good intention is like a body in which the life is extinct.
4. Good works are necessary to salvation.4
Our Lord says: “Every tree that doth not yield good fruit shall be cut down and cast into the fire” (Matt. 3:10). At the Last Judgment He will require good works of us. Remember the parable of the barren fig-tree (Luke 13:6); of the ten virgins (Matt. 15:), and of the talents (Matt. 25:16). God is not satisfied with mere integrity of life (which consists in not being guilty of murder, or theft, or cheating, or evil practices of any kind). At the Last Judgment many will be sentenced to everlasting misery, not because they have done what is evil, but because they have not done what is good. St. John Chrysostom says that to do no good is tantamount to doing evil. Heaven is the recompense of labor; he that has done no work can claim no guerdon. If you had a servant who did not indeed steal your goods, but who neglected his work, would you not dismiss him? Look to it, therefore, that you appear not before God with empty hands. Every man has three friends: (1), Money, which is taken from him by death; (2), Relatives, who part from him at the grave; (3), Good works, which alone follow him to the judgment seat of God (Rev. 14:13). By good works we may make sure our calling and election (2 Pet. 1:10). Good works are like bulwarks which protect the city from hostile incursions. On account of our good works God grants us the grace of perseverance, or, if we fall into grievous sin, actual graces to bring us to repentance (2 Chron. 19:3). The prophet Nathan was sent to David after he fell into sin; Our Lord looked with compassion on St. Peter after his fall.
5. Through good works the sinner obtains the actual graces which are necessary for his conversion; the just man obtains an increase of sanctifying grace, eternal felicity, and the remission of the temporal penalty of sin; furthermore his prayers are heard, and sometimes earthly blessings are bestowed on him.5
The good works performed by the sinner contribute to his conversion. When our hemisphere is turned towards the sun, we experience light and warmth. So it is with the sinner; when by good works he turns from creatures to the Creator his mind is enlightened, his heart is softened, and he enters upon a new life. The prayer of the sinner, although without merit, earns the grace of pardon; it has power with God, not on account of the merit of the petitioner, but on account of the divine promise: “Every one who asketh receiveth.” The good works of the sinner will not in themselves be rewarded hereafter, but are only conducive to his conversion. By his good works the just man obtains an increase of sanctifying grace and eternal felicity. Our Lord says: “Every branch in Me that beareth fruit, My Father will purge it, that it may bring forth more fruit” (John 15:2). “To every one that hath shall be given, and he shall abound” (Luke 19:26). By these words Christ signifies that the sanctifying grace which he already possesses will be increased. He also receives new actual graces. Christ promises as the reward of good works a hundredfold and life eternal. As the good works of the just are rewarded hereafter they are called living works. The more good works he has done in time, the greater will be his felicity to all eternity. Our Lord says: “The Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then will be rendered to every man according to his works” (Matt. 16:27). St. Paul declares: “He that soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly” (2 Cor. 9:6). The Council of Florence asserts that all the redeemed in heaven enjoy the beatific vision of the triune God, but in a different degree of perfection, according as their merits are greater or less. Good works cancel the penalty due to sin, because on account of original sin it is difficult to man to perform them, and the devil seeks to deter him from them. The monks of a certain convent, having risen early to pray, beheld to their astonishment a number of demons approaching, who said to them: “If you will but betake yourselves to your beds again, we will immediately go away.” Inasmuch as good works are onerous to perform, they make satisfaction for sin, and appease the retributive justice of God; inasmuch as they conduce to the honor of God and the welfare of our fellow-men, they are meritorious, and serve to glorify the remunerative justice of God. They also exalt the loving kindness of God, for they procure for us a gracious answer to our petitions. The temporal reward of good deeds consists generally in the increase of riches, the improvement of health, the prolongation of life, the esteem of men, and above all interior peace and joy, etc.
He who commits a mortal sin, loses the merit of the good works he has done in the past.6
“If the just man turn himself away from his justice, and do iniquity, all his justices that he hath done shall not be remembered” (Ezek. 18:24). But when the sin has been washed away in the Sacrament of Penance, the good works of the past are revivified, as the leaves come out again in the spring sunshine. It is not so with sins; once forgiven, they are effaced completely. How great is the mercy of our God!
6. We can apply to others, either to the living or to the dead, the merit of our good works.
Thus we can offer the holy sacrifice of the Mass, communion, fasts or almsdeeds for others. In this manner the good work, inasmuch as it be satisfactory or propitiatory, benefits another; the merit of it, however, remains with the doer. Nor is it wholly lost to us as a satisfaction for sin, for in applying it to another we perform a work of mercy, and works of mercy procure for us remission of sin and entitle us to an eternal reward. Hence we see that in applying good works to others they are of twofold value.
7. We ought to let our good works be seen of men, in order to set them a good example.
In the life of St. Pachomius we see how powerful is the effect of good example. When a soldier, he was quartered in a Christian family. Here he was treated with the greatest kindness, and the behavior of all the members of the household was so exemplary, that he was vastly impressed by it, and was led to inquire into and finally embrace the Christian religion. Pachomius was an active promoter of monasticism in Egypt. Our Lord admonishes us to let our light shine before men, so that they may see our good works, and glorify Our Father Who is in heaven (Matt. 5:16). It is His will that our influence should make itself felt by those around us; that by our light we should illumine the darkness, and become teachers and guides to our brethren. The Christian should not only be a burning but also a shining light, that he may be of use to others. At the same time all works of an extraordinary nature should be hidden, such as praying with one’s arms outspread, rigorous fasting, etc. All singularity is to be avoided, it is a fault whereby piety is made ridiculous and contemptible. But those works which are binding on all, such as the reception of the sacraments, should not be done in secret. If Christ denounced those who give scandal, what a rich blessing must be in store for those who by their edifying and virtuous life lead others into the right way!
8. We ought to make diligent use of our earthly riches, as well as of our life here below, for the performance of good works.7
We ought to make friends by means of our wealth, that after our death they may receive us into everlasting dwellings (Luke 16:9). On how short a span of this transitory life our whole eternity depends! (St. Jerome.) “We ought to work while it is day; the night cometh when no man can work” (John 9:4). The period of man’s existence upon earth is his seed-time. The lost in hell would give up all the treasures of the world, for one short moment to spend as they please in which to reconcile themselves with God. How foolish are those who pursue sensual pleasures instead of doing good works! They are like men who, in a gold mine, pick up stones and earth instead of the precious metal. You are sorry if perchance you have spent a small sum of money unwisely, but you consider it no matter for regret to have wasted a whole day in the service of the devil. The hour will come when we shall become alive to the inestimable value of time, but alas, it will come too late!
1. Virtue consists in proficiency in the practice of good works and the tendency of the will towards what is good, resulting from persevering exercise.8
By good deeds is meant whatever is done in obedience to the will of God, or is pleasing in His sight. By practice in writing, painting, athletic and other sports, etc., proficiency and dexterity is attained, and the will becomes disposed towards the action in question. Practice makes perfect. Habit is second nature. It is difficult to break off any habit to which we have accustomed ourselves. One or two isolated good deeds do not constitute virtue, any more than two or three vines constitute a vineyard.
Certain good qualities or propensities, the gift either of nature or of grace, are often called by the name of virtue.
There are natural, inborn good qualities, dispositions or virtues. Many men are naturally meek, obedient, liberal or honorable. Hence it is that some of the heathen were distinguished for their virtues. There are also supernatural dispositions, which are imparted by the Holy Spirit when we receive sanctifying grace, that is, the Sacrament of Baptism or of Penance. The Holy Spirit renders us capable of accomplishing what is good for the love of God. This supernatural capability is something more than a mere qualification for the performance of what is good; a certain inclination thereto is also given us. But this disposition or inclination is not the same as proficiency or ease in the exercise of virtue; the latter must be won by practice. The capabilities imparted by the Holy Spirit stand in the same relation to actual virtue as the seed does to the plant, or the gift of one of the senses, e.g., the sense of sight, to the use of that sense. The good dispositions imparted by the Holy Spirit are also called infused virtue, and the proficiency attained through practice is called acquired virtue. The powers imparted by the Holy Spirit do not at once cause us to act aright; it is requisite for us to employ them frequently in order to gain proficiency in virtue.
2. It is only perfect virtue, i.e., those acts of virtue which are performed for the glory of God, which will be rewarded after death.9
God does not merely require of us good deeds, but a good intention in accomplishing those deeds. Only when done with good intention, with a view to His glory, are they pleasing to Him, and entitled to a reward. Without the love of God there is no true virtue. The actions we perform for the love of God are acts of perfect, supernatural, Christian virtue. There are, as we have seen, natural virtues, which are inspired by earthly motives and are not done with a view to the glory of God. These only receive a temporal recompense (Matt. 6:2), and have no value for the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 5:20). The difference between natural and supernatural virtues may be compared to the difference which exists between objects which are merely gilt, and those that are fashioned out of solid gold.
3. Virtue can only be acquired and increased by dint of struggle and self-conquest; for many obstacles have to be encountered, inward hindrances, the evil proclivities of the human heart, and outward hindrances, the contempt and persecution of men.10
Nothing else is wanted to cause a boat which is launched on a fast-flowing river, to be carried away by the stream and swallowed up in the waters, than that the rowers should cease to ply their oars; but if the boat is going against the current, strenuous exertion on the part of the crew is required to bring it to its destination. So it is with man; he needs but to give way to the frailty of his corrupt nature to be borne to eternal perdition; but to contend against the force of his passions, the seductions of the world, and the temptations of the devil, and guide his bark to the haven of everlasting felicity, calls for no slight effort on his part. “The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence” (Matt. 11:12). The path of virtue is a difficult ascent, not an easy descent. Virtue is won not in times of peace, but of warfare. Many appear to be virtuous, but are not so in reality, because their virtue costs them nothing. Those who desire to attain proficiency in an art, or dexterity in a trade, must give themselves much trouble in learning it. Only in proportion as you do violence to yourself will you make progress in virtue. The most formidable obstacles have to be overcome at first, afterwards advancement becomes more easy. And as we advance in virtue, it brings happiness, and thus we are stimulated to greater efforts. But suffering is inseparable from virtue; wherefore he who shrinks from sufferings and persecution will never be rich in virtue. “He who fears the world,” says St. Ignatius, “will never accomplish anything worthy of God’s acceptance; for nothing great can be done in God’s service without provoking the enmity of the world.” He who strives in earnest to attain to virtue, will necessarily be humble, for he will feel his own frailty, as one who climbs a steep ascent becomes conscious of his bodily weakness. Consequently the most virtuous are the most humble.
4. Virtue procures for us real happiness both in time and in eternity.11
The Greeks related of Heracles, one of their heroes, that at a spot where two roads met he found two maidens awaiting him, Pleasure and Virtue. The former spoke flattering words to him and promised him a life of enjoyment. The latter gravely warned him that many sorrows awaited him, but they would be followed by an everlasting reward. Heracles wisely followed where this one guided him. Sin, although it leads to perdition, is unquestionably most alluring; virtue is difficult and laborious, but it is attended with blessings. The fear of the Lord, the practice of virtue, is the way to attain true happiness even on earth (Ps. 127[128]:1). “Much peace have they that love Thy law” (Ps. 118[119]:165). Above all, the virtuous man will have joy at his latter end (Sir. 6:29). How joyfully St. Paul spoke of his approaching dissolution (2 Tim. 4:7). Nothing can really harm one who loves God; all things, however adverse they appear, work together unto good (Rom. 8:28). Many temporal blessings are bestowed on him (Ps. 127[128]:4); he is compared by the Psalmist to a tree planted by running waters. A virtuous life contributes to one’s physical well-being; the practice of virtue, moreover, enlightens the understanding, and gives intelligence of the teaching of Christ. He Himself says: “If any man will do the will of God, he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God” (John 7:17). The practice of virtue entitles us to eternal salvation (Ps. 36[37]:29). Godliness has promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come (1 Tim. 4:8). Virtue makes us rich and honorable in God’s sight. She is to be preferred before kingdoms and thrones, and riches are nothing in comparison with her (Wisd. 7:8). It is a treasure which cannot decay or be stolen from us (Matt. 6:20). Noble ancestry, high position, does not make us renowned before God; virtue alone procures for us immortal honors, eternal riches, never-ending felicity.
5. Virtue makes us resemble God, and admits us to the friendship of God.12
If we are humble, gentle, generous, and otherwise virtuous, we shall be like to almighty God, in Whom is the perfection of every virtue. We should therefore be careful to study the divine attributes, that we may imitate them and become true children of our heavenly Father. The virtuous man is a friend of God, for Our Lord says: “Whosoever shall do the will of My Father that is in heaven, he is My brother, and sister, and mother” (Matt. 12:50). Similarity of tastes and feelings makes men friends. Virtue renders us beautiful in God’s sight. Physical beauty is deceitful and vain (Prov. 31:30); true beauty is that of the heart. All the glory of the king’s daughter is within (Ps. 44[45]:14). This loveliness is not apparent now, but it will be made visible one day. In winter all the trees are bare, though they are not lifeless, but when the summer comes they are clothed with verdant foliage. So the virtuous now appear insignificant and contemptible, for their true glory, their inner life, is hidden from human ken. But when this life is done, those who were counted dead shall shine as the sun in the kingdom of their Father (Matt. 13:43), while the wicked who were deemed happy shall mourn and weep. Virtue alone makes us true Christians. The seal of Baptism is not enough, nor even the sacerdotal robe. A Christian without virtue is a husk without a kernel, a spring without water, a vine without grapes. In vain do we call ourselves Christians, if we are not imitators of Christ.
The Different Kinds of Christian Virtue
One and the self-same virtue has reference to different objects and consequently receives different names.
Many virtues, such as liberality or prudence, are lauded by men of the world; others, such as meekness, humility, love of one’s enemies, are regarded by them with contempt. In some virtues the understanding is the chief factor, as in faith; in others, the will, as in temperance.
1. The virtues that unite our soul to God are the three theological virtues: Faith, Hope, Charity.13
These three virtues are symbolized by a flame; faith is signified by the light it emits, hope by its upward tendency, and charity by the heat it radiates. A tree is also an emblem of these virtues: faith is its root, hope its stem, charity its fruit. Faith lays the foundation of the temple of God, hope raises the walls, and charity crowns the structure. The cross is a symbol of faith, the anchor of hope, while charity is denoted by a burning heart. The greatest of these virtues is charity (1 Cor. 13:13). Without charity, faith and hope are valueless, for God only grants eternal felicity to those that love Him.
a. The three theological virtues are manifested in the following manner:14
The effect produced by the virtue of Faith is to make us believe in the existence of God and in His divine perfections.
The effect of the virtue of Hope is to make us look for eternal salvation from God, as well as the means that are necessary for its attainment.
The virtue of Charity causes us to find satisfaction in God, and to seek to please Him by keeping His commandments.
b. These virtues are fitly termed theological, because God Himself is their object, their motive, and their Author.15
God is the object of faith; that is to say, we believe what God has revealed, and all that has reference to God Himself, to His being, His attributes, His works and His will. God is the motive of faith, for we believe that which He has revealed because He is omniscient and the highest truth. God is the object of hope; for we hope for eternal happiness after death, to see God and enjoy Him forever. God is the motive of hope, for we hope for eternal felicity because He is almighty, most bountiful, and faithful to His promises. God is the object of charity, for all our love centres in Him. God is the motive of charity, since we love Him because He is supreme beauty and sovereign goodness. God is also the Author of the three theological virtues, as the following reasons demonstrate:
c. We receive the three theological virtues to render us capable of performing good works simultaneously with sanctifying grace.16
When the Holy Spirit enters into the soul, He transforms the powers of the mind, so that it can rise to God with greater facility. When He comes and imparts to us sanctifying grace, a light shines in our heart that awakens faith and hope (2 Cor. 4:6), and a fire is ignited, that kindles a flame of charity (Rom. 5:5). This action of the Holy Spirit within the soul is called the infusion of the three theological virtues. The three theological virtues are infused into the soul (Council of Trent, 6, ch. 7). The infusion of these virtues has a similar effect as have the rays of the sun in imparting light and warmth to the atmosphere. God does not force these virtues upon us; the freedom of the will is in no wise interfered with. The power of exercising the three theological virtues is imparted in Baptism, and if it be lost, it is given again in the Sacrament of Penance. As the seed lies dormant in the bosom of the earth, until, under the influence of sun and rain, it germinates and grows, so the three theological virtues at first lie dormant in the soul of the child until he attains the use of reason, and through the action of grace and religious instruction they are developed and come to sight (in works). The baptized child resembles one who is asleep, who possesses the power of sight, but sees nothing, until he awakens from sleep and makes use of that power. So the power to exercise faith, hope, and charity are latent in the soul of the child, until with the use of reason they are brought into play, and their existence is made apparent.
d. We ought to make acts of the three theological virtues frequently in the course of our life, especially before approaching the sacraments and at the hour of death.17
The means of making acts of the three theological virtues is to place before the mind the object and the motive of these virtues. In doing so, it is well not to employ the usual formula, but to express one’s self in one’s own words. Every time we make the sign of the cross, utter a prayer, or do a good deed, we make implicitly at least, an act of one or more of these virtues.
2. Those virtues which have the effect of bringing our actions into conformity with the moral law, are called moral virtues. These we gain for ourselves by our own exertions and the assistance of divine grace, after we have received sanctifying grace.18
These virtues are called moral virtues, because they order our actions in a manner pleasing to God. As the three theological virtues perfect our interior being, so the moral virtues perfect our exterior. The three theological virtues have immediate reference to God, the moral virtues bear in the first place upon our neighbor or upon ourselves. Liberality, for instance, has reference to our neighbor; temperance in eating and drinking to ourselves exclusively. The three theological virtues were infused into us with sanctifying grace, whereas we have to gain for ourselves the moral virtues at the cost of our own labor, and with the timely aid of divine grace. At Baptism, it is true, our will is disposed by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to the practice of the moral virtues; yet the habit of their practice must be acquired by repeated good deeds, and the conquest of our evil proclivities. At Baptism the seed of moral virtue was implanted in the field of our heart; we must diligently cultivate that field if the seed is to bear fruit. At the same time we need the sun of God’s grace, the vivifying influence of the Holy Spirit, or our labor will be in vain.
Humility concerns our honor, obedience our liberty, meekness and patience the attitude of the soul, liberality has reference to our property, temperance in eating and drinking and chastity to our bodies, diligence in what is good to our work. Among these virtues meekness and liberality ought pre-eminently to mark the Christian, and for this reason Christ speaks of His followers as sheep or lambs, because the sheep is the most patient and harmless of animals. The seven capital virtues are opposed to the seven capital or deadly sins.
4. All the moral virtues proceed from the four cardinal virtues: Prudence, justice, temperance, and fortitude (Wisd. 8:7).19
The four fundamental virtues are called cardinal virtues, from the word cardo, a hinge, because all our moral actions turn on them as a door turns upon its hinges. They are called fundamental virtues because the whole fabric of virtue rests upon them; they are the cornerstones of the edifice of Christian virtue. The four cardinal virtues are inseparable parts of each and every virtue; on them all the moral virtues rest, for instance moderation in eating and drinking and meekness spring from temperance, diligence is what is good from fortitude, etc. These four virtues may be said to be the parents of every other virtue. Prudence is a virtue of the understanding, justice of the will. Temperance and fortitude support the will. Prudence fixes its gaze upon heaven; temperance seeks what is eternal and employs temporal things only as a means of attaining what it seeks; fortitude allows no obstacles to hinder it from attaining its goal. The philosophers of antiquity recognized the value of temperance and fortitude; they asserted that to renounce and to endure was the compendium of all worldly wisdom, for they considered that the practice of these two virtues would preserve a man from sin and conduct him to supreme felicity.
a. Prudence is the capacity of the intellect to apprehend the good things of eternity and the means of attaining to them.20
That is the truest prudence which can best distinguish what is divine from what is human. The prudent man always looks to his final end. Like a wise merchant who thinks continually of what profit he can make, the Christian’s thoughts are fixed upon gaining riches for eternity. The serpent looks out afar, and exposes its body if only it can shield its head; so the Christian keeps the end of life always in view, and scorns earthly things in order to preserve its true treasure. Our Lord bids us “Be wise as serpents” (Matt. 10:16). How cleverly the saints contrived to carry out their undertakings and obtain the end they desired! St. Paul displayed this prudence when he made use of the superscription he saw at Athens: “To the unknown God,” to afford him an opportunity of preaching the Gospel (Acts 17). Prudence is a most important virtue, for the will is guided by the reason. If the understanding is not capable of judging between good and evil, the will deviates from the right way and transgresses the commandments. Prudence is said to be the eye of the soul (St. Thomas Aquinas). Without the light of the eye we cannot find our way, nor without prudence can we discern the path to heaven. Without the eye we cannot make full use of our limbs, nor without prudence can we practice virtue aright. Prudence is the rudder that directs the course of the vessel; without it we shall make shipwreck of virtue. The contrary of prudence is worldly wisdom (Luke 168), or the wisdom of the flesh. The wisdom of this world consists in discerning what will bring a man temporal advantage or sensual enjoyment; this wisdom is foolishness with God (1 Cor. 3:19).
b. Justice is the steadfast inclination of the will towards that which is just.21
Justice makes us willing to walk in the narrow path of the commandments; the just man dreads the slightest deviation from it. The foster-father of Christ was termed a just man. (The word “just” is often used to signify that one is in a state of grace, but in this sense it is not employed here.) The just man is upright, he gives to everyone his due; to God he gives worship, to the authorities obedience; to his subordinates he metes out rewards and punishments; to his equals he shows fraternal charity. But as both from within and without he encounters opposition and obstacles, he needs temperance and fortitude to sustain him and regulate his actions.
c. Through temperance man only makes use of temporal good things, in so far as is necessary for the attainment of those which are eternal.22
For instance, a man does not eat or drink more than he needs to support life and preserve health and fulfil his duties. He does not strive with excessive eagerness after honors, pleasures, or other sensual enjoyments. He is like the eagle, that has its eyrie on the heights, and only descends to the valley in search of food. We should use this world as if we used it not (1 Cor. 7:31). Would that every one could say with St. Francis de Sales: “I desire very little, and that little I desire but little.” Temperance does not, however, consist in refusing one’s self what is necessary, and thus unfitting one’s self for good works; such temperance lacks prudence.
d. Fortitude enables a man to make sacrifices willingly for the sake of attaining eternal riches.23
He who possesses the virtue of fortitude does not allow himself to be intimidated by ridicule, threats, or persecution. He is ready even, if need be, to suffer death. On the other hand he endure patiently all the afflictions that come upon him. In this he resembles the diamond that no stone can break. Fortitude is more strikingly displayed in bearing great suffering than in undertaking great achievements, for suffering is more difficult than doing. An example of heroic fortitude is given us, in the story of the Maccabees, by the mother with her seven children, who “esteemed torments as nothing” (2 Macc. 7:12); by Abraham, who was ready to offer up his son Isaac; by Pope Leo the Great, who fearlessly went to meet Attila, the King of the Huns. No saint was ever a coward. The holy martyrs showed fortitude in its highest degree. There is the spurious fortitude of the reprobate; when a man cannot be made to desist from the love of transitory things by the chastisements of the Creator and pursues them at the cost of his life.
5. All perfect virtues spring from the love of God and are inseparably united together by that same love (1 Cor. 13).24
As all the different branches of a tree grow from the same root, so the various virtues spring from the love of God. All virtue is rooted and grounded in charity (Eph. 3:17). Charity may be called the queen of virtues, because it incites the will to the performance of good deeds; as flowers of various hues are bound together to form a wreath, so the different virtues form a harmonious whole; only they cannot be severed one from the other, and the bond that unites them so closely is charity.
Therefore he who is devoid of charity towards God does not possess a single perfect virtue; while he who has charity possesses them all, if not all in the same degree.
The love of God may fitly be compared to the sunshine. When in winter the sun withdraws its rays, the face of nature loses its beauty; so in the absence of charity, virtue loses its supernatural beauty. But it is quite possible to possess imperfect, natural virtue without the love of God. For every man has by nature a certain inherent knowledge of what is good, and a desire for what is good, by reason of which he can perform many a good action and by habit acquire ease in the performance of it. One may also possess imperfect moral virtues without the love of God; this was the case with the pagans of antiquity, and now we often meet with people who are naturally gentle, abstemious, liberal, etc. Moreover, one may even possess imperfect theological virtues without the love of God. For faith can exist without hope, and both faith and hope without charity (Council of Trent, 6, 7, 23). For faith and hope can only be lost by falling into the sins opposed to them; faith is lost through unbelief, hope by despair. But he who possesses the love of God possesses all and every virtue, if not all in an equal degree. As soon as the sun shines upon the earth, the flowers, the meadows, all things are once more decked in their former beauty; so when charity fills the soul, it will be adorned with all virtues; supernatural divine virtues, worthy of an eternal recompense. All the saints possessed every single perfect virtue that there is, but they excelled in one more than in the others. Job possessed patience in a high degree, David the virtue of forgiveness, Abraham obedience, St. Aloysius was remarkable for purity, St. Francis de Sales for meekness, St. Ignatius for zeal.
He who is lacking in one single perfect virtue is devoid also of all the others, for he has not the love of God. And he who possesses but one single perfect virtue, possesses all.
One virtue alone is either no virtue at all, or an imperfect one. For instance, a man who is given to anger possesses neither the virtue of meekness, nor of liberality, nor of humility, nor any other. It is only natural virtues that are alone. For instance one may meet with an avaricious man who is gentle and meek.
6. The greatest and noblest of all the virtues is charity.25
Because it alone unites man to God, it alone gives value to the other virtues, and it alone will last beyond the grave.
The three theological virtues hold the highest place among the virtues because they have direct relation to God. Charity is the greatest of them, as St. Paul declares (1 Cor. 13:13). It takes precedence of all the rest, as fire does of the other elements, as gold of the other metals, as the seraphim do of the other angelic choirs—charity unites man to God. Our Lord says: “He that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him; we will come to him and will make our abode with him” (John 14:21–23). Again, St. John says: “He that abideth in charity, abideth in God and God in him” (1 John 4:16). Charity alone gives value to the other virtues. St. Paul declares that to speak with tongues, to possess all knowledge, to have the gift of prophecy and of miracles, to perform almsdeeds and austerities, profits nothing, for all these are worthless unless inspired by charity (1 Cor. 13:1–3). Charity lasts beyond the grave; St. Paul tells us: “Charity never falleth away” (13:8). Faith on the other hand passes into the vision of God; hope into the enjoyment of God. The moral virtues do indeed remain in the life to come, but in another and more excellent manner, for eternal blessedness does not destroy the perfection human nature has attained.
7. The virtues can always be increased.26
Virtue resembles an estate, situated on the highest point of a mountain. He who is ascending this mountain is sometimes nearer, sometimes farther from the summit, and there are many travelers before and many behind him. For we do not always possess the same degree of virtue, neither do all men possess it in an equal measure. If anyone has attained so high a degree of virtue that his state approximates to that of the blessed in heaven—nay more, if to a certain extent he becomes like unto God, that virtue is termed heroic. Heroes, among the ancients, were men who had achieved more than ordinary mortals could accomplish. For the beatification or canonization of any individual it is necessary to prove that he practiced the three theological and the four cardinal virtues in the fulfilment of the duties of his calling in an heroic degree. Heroic virtue is neither understood nor appreciated, but rather contemned by those who do not live a godly life.
The three theological virtues are increased through the increase of sanctifying grace.
That the increase of the three theological virtues is possible, we learn from the collect of the Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost, in which the Church prays: “Almighty and everlasting God, give unto us an increase of faith, hope, and charity.” If the atmosphere receives more light and heat from the sun, we see more clearly and experience more warmth. In like manner when grace is augmented in the soul, the power of belief becomes stronger and we are stimulated to the exercise of charity. We also find that frequent acts of the three theological virtues serve to increase them; or if they do not immediately produce this effect, they dispose the soul to growth in virtue.
The moral virtues are increased by frequently performing good actions, and also by the increase of sanctifying grace.
Frequent acts will increase the facility in the practice of good, while the increase of grace will render the will more disposed towards what is good. The more proficiency we attain and the greater the measure of sanctifying grace we receive, the greater will be our moral virtues. We should endeavor to increase at least in one virtue, for the increase of one will be accompanied by the increase of all the rest. We can and ought to cultivate more especially that virtue for the exercise of which our circumstances afford most opportunity, or for which we have a particular admiration. The more we advance in our favorite virtue, the greater progress we make in every other virtue.
8. All perfect virtue is lost immediately upon falling into mortal sin, for thereby the love of God is lost, without which there can be no perfect virtue.27
He who suffers shipwreck (1 Tim. 1:19), loses all that he has; and so the man who falls into mortal sin loses all the perfection in virtue and all the merits he has acquired. However great the proficiency attained in the practice of virtue, the freedom of the will is not impaired; man is always liable to sin. “He that thinketh himself to stand, let him take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor. 10:12). Remember how David sinned, and St. Peter fell. Virtue is far more easily lost than won. How swiftly a stone rolls down hill, and yet how slowly it is rolled up! One single mortal sin suffices to obliterate virtue, just as one string out of tune in an instrument spoils the melody. Yet suffering is not of itself calculated to destroy virtue. Virtue is like a precious pearl, which if it falls into the mud retains its pristine beauty unmarred. In fact virtue stands out in stronger relief in the season of affliction; just as the stars shine at night and are not seen by day, or spices give out their aroma most freely when they are crushed. The outward semblance of virtue often remains when one has committed a grievous sin, but it then resembles a corpse, for the soul, the life, has departed from it. One may, therefore, be extremely pious, and yet corrupt at heart.
The perfect virtues will be diminished if one desists from the practice of good.
He who makes a parade of his virtues is in danger of losing them. The man who carries his treasures openly on the highway is sure to be robbed of them. As the display of gold or costly apparel invites the thief, so the display of virtue attracts the devil, who seeks to take it from us. Moreover, sweet-scented things lose their perfume if they are exposed to the air. Consequently, if we cannot avoid doing good in the sight of man, let our only desire be to please God. Unless we are constant and persevering, we shall gradually fall off in virtue. Trees that are continually transplanted cannot grow properly, much less bear fruit; on the contrary, they are likely to wither and die. So continual change of place, of position, of office, is highly prejudicial to progress in virtue.
1. He who wittingly and willingly transgresses one of God’s commandments is guilty of sin.28
Adam and Eve in paradise transgressed the commandment of God; they knew it well, and no one, not even the serpent, compelled them to violate it. Thus they committed a sin. The commandments of God are principally the Ten Commandments, and the precept to do works of mercy, besides all other precepts enjoined upon us in God’s name. The commandments either enjoin or prohibit some act, therefore they are divided into sins of commission and sins of omission. As the divine law is for the safeguarding of the majesty of God, or for our own welfare or the good of our neighbor, we sin in transgressing that law, either against God, our neighbor, or ourselves. Sin is nothing else but revolt against and disobedience to God (Rom. 4:15; 1 John 3:4). The sinner throws off the yoke of God, saying: “I will not serve” (Jer. 2:20). He attacks God, he would fain destroy Him, that He might no longer see and punish his transgressions. When we commit sin, we take up arms against God, we crucify again the Son of God (Heb. 6:6), by making the Redeemer’s blood of no avail. The malice of the sinner pains Our Lord more deeply than all the sufferings of His Passion, just as the loss of his wages is more grievous to the workingman than all the toil he has gone through. How foolish it would be of any one in the world to offend an individual on whom his whole future happiness depended; how much more foolishly then do we act, when we make Him our enemy Whose aid is indispensable to us for all things and at all times, and on Whom our eternal salvation depends. If your life was at another man’s mercy, would you venture to insult that man? Remember your existence depends entirely upon the will of God; it hangs as by a thread, at any moment He could cast you back into the nothingness whence you came, and yet you do not fear to provoke His anger. Miserable mortals that we are, we cannot tolerate the slightest indignity offered us by our fellow-men, who are our equals, and yet we ourselves show the utmost disrespect to the Lord of heaven!
It is not counted as a sin if we commit an evil action, of the sinfulness of which we are ignorant, through no fault of our own, nor if our will does not consent to the evil deed.29
Noah’s intoxication was guiltless, because he was not aware of the inebriating qualities of wine. If one eat meat on Friday, forgetting that it is Friday, it is no sin. But it is quite otherwise if it is in consequence of a long-continued habit of sin that one fails to see the guilt of an action, or if one’s ignorance of its sinfulness is due to culpable negligence. “It is one thing,” says St. Gregory, “not to know, another to wish not to know; for he who closes his eyes that he may not see the truth is a despiser of the law.” Those who in the present day avoid hearing sermons will have no excuse before God. We do not commit sin so long as we do not consent to what is evil. The early Christians had incense forcibly thrust into their hands, and were compelled to cast it upon the altar; were they to blame? Evil thoughts are suggested by the devil, but if we do not consent to them, we commit no sin, any more than we are responsible for what we do in our dreams. We should not allow these thoughts to disquiet us, but simply put them out of our minds. But actions done without our will most certainly are sinful, if we are to blame for the cause of those actions. The misdeeds of a drunken man are unquestionably sins, if in any way he foresees them as a consequence of his intoxication.
2. Sin is in its essence an unlawful turning towards the creature and turning away from God.30
St. Bonaventure says that turning towards creatures is the source of all sin. Earthly creatures are only a means for the attainment of everlasting felicity; they are in no wise the final end of man. It is with them as with drugs; used in moderation they are beneficial, but used immoderately they are injurious and a hindrance in the way of our salvation. Therefore God only allows us to use creatures within a certain limit, and in fact only in so far as they are necessary or helpful to our eternal happiness; for instance, He permits us to take such nourishment as is needful for the support of nature, but forbids excess in eating and drinking; He permits us to have possessions of our own, but not to take what belongs to our neighbor. He who uses creatures to a greater extent, or otherwise than God ordains (doing violence to the creature, Rom. 8:22), wanders away from God and from his final end; he prefers transient joys to eternal bliss (Wisd. 2:1–9). Thus a child, if a lump of sugar and a piece of gold be offered him, chooses the sugar. The sinner forsakes God, the fountain of living waters, and digs to himself broken cisterns that can hold no water (Jer. 2:13). Sin is a species of idolatry; for the sinner worships the creature in the place of the Creator; his sin is his god. By sin man becomes the servant of the creature, he becomes dependent upon creatures; he is like a fish caught upon a hook, and held fast by it. Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin (John 8:34). He is worse than a servant, for a servant can run away; but the servant of sin cannot escape from sin; he carries it with him whithersoever he goes.
3. Sin is the one only evil upon earth; it robs man of the supernatural beauty of the soul, it makes him resemble the devil, and brings misery upon him even while he is on earth.31
Sin is the one only evil in the world. We mortals are accustomed to regard the sufferings and contradictions of this life as evils, whereas they are graces in reality; since, far from separating us from God, they bring us nearer to Him. Through sin man, who is made of nothing, returns to his original nothingness. St. John Chrysostom says: “Many consider eternal damnation to be the greatest of all evils; but for my part, I always assert that to offend Jesus Christ is a far greater evil.” Sin is a greater evil than the annihilation of the world, nay, of a million worlds, with their countless inhabitants. Sin is the only real disgrace. When it was said to St. Francis Xavier, the apostle of the Indies, who bore the title of Apostolic Legate, that it was a degradation to him to wash his own linen, he replied: “Nothing degrades the Christian except sin.” Through sin the supernatural beauty of the soul is lost. As a white robe is soiled and stained if it comes into contact with the mud of the streets, so the soul loses her supernatural beauty, which consists in sanctifying grace, and contracts a hideous stain, through the inordinate love of creatures. On some one observing to St. Francis Chantal, when she was nursing a leper, that she might easily take the disease, she answered: “I fear no leprosy but the leprosy of sin.” Sin renders man like to the devil. Sinners are imitators and followers of the devil (Wisd. 2:25). They are made one with him by sin. “He that committeth sin is of the devil” (1 John 3:8). They even become his children by sin (v. 10). Our Lord said to the Pharisees in the Temple: “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you will do” (John 8:44). Sin makes the misery of man even while he is on earth. If the heavenly bodies forsook their orbits, they would be dashed to pieces; if the train becomes derailed, a catastrophe ensues. So God’s rational creatures, the human race, are overtaken by disaster if they transgress the law God has laid down for them. The sinner rebels against the rules of his own reason, the rules of society, the rules that govern the universe; for this he has to endure the reproaches of conscience, the penalties of the law, and the chastisements of God.
A house does not fall all at once; at first a few drops of rain that are scarcely noticed soak into the walls, soften the mortar and loosen the stones; presently the whole building collapses. The devil sets to work in a similar way to destroy the soul. We learn from Eve’s example how sin begins.
Sin arises generally in the following manner:32
1. First of all an evil thought comes into the mind, which in itself is not sinful. (Temptation.)
Within the heart there are two masters, whose characters are diametrically opposed; what one praises, the other blames. One of these is concupiscence, the other conscience. Hence when an evil thought comes into the mind, a struggle immediately arises: conscience admonishes and holds us back, concupiscence incites and urges us to evil. We can no more prevent bad thoughts from coming into the mind, than an island in mid-ocean can prevent the waves from dashing on its shores; but as the island resists the force of the breakers, so we can withstand the assaults of temptation. We must instantly turn our thoughts elsewhere; by means of prayer, or the remembrance of death or of judgment. “In all things remember thy last end, and thou shalt never sin” (Sir. 7:40). Or we may recall to mind the terrible consequences of sin. What is of the greatest importance is to turn one’s thoughts at once; a fire just lighted is easily extinguished, a disease may be arrested in its first stage. Slay your enemy while he is young and feeble. Stifle evil thoughts at their birth; banish them the moment they present themselves.
2. If evil thoughts are not instantly expelled, they awaken in the mind complacency in what is evil, and that is already a venial sin.
Complacency or satisfaction in what is evil, may also be a mortal sin if we willingly take pleasure in something which is forbidden under pain of mortal sin. The evil thoughts which the devil puts into our mind may be compared to eggs; as after a period of incubation the young bird is produced from the egg, so sin is produced from evil thoughts if they are cherished in the breast and regarded with complacency. “When concupiscence hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin” (Jas. 1:15). “Evil thoughts are an abomination to the Lord” (Prov. 15:26). Forget not that God is omniscient; He sees all your thoughts. He knows them better than you do yourself, and at the judgment they will every one be disclosed.
3. The evil desire next arises; this has a turpitude corresponding to that of the sinful action towards which it is directed.
An evil desire is an act of the will, or deliberate consent. That which proceeds from the heart (i.e., the will), that is sin (Matt. 15:19). Before God the will to sin counts as the deed of sin. He who entertains an evil desire has committed the sin already in his heart (Matt. v. 28). He who has consented to a mortal sin is like a stag, fatally wounded by the huntsman, which, if it escapes capture, cannot escape death. Evil desires may be compared to the little worms which perforate the keel of a vessel and render it unseaworthy, if they do not cause it to sink. So evil desires arrest the course of the good and pious on their voyage to the celestial haven, or even cause them to sink into the nethermost abyss. Many evil desires are mortal sins (Council of Trent, 14, c. 5). He who knows not how to tame his evil lusts, is like a rider whose horse takes fright and bolts, dragging him through bogs and morasses, for he will be drawn into mortal sin and finally cast into hell. How unhappy are you, if you cherish sinful desires in your heart!
4. Finally comes the resolution to commit the sin.33
The evil concupiscence was merely a wish or longing for the sinful object. The resolution is a final decision to adopt the means necessary to the attainment of that object. Up to this point the sin is still an interior sin.
5. If occasion then presents itself for the sin, the exterior act is committed.
An exterior sin is attended by worse consequences than an interior sin; it augments the malice of the will, destroys the sense of shame, often gives scandal, brings misery on the sinner, and is more severely punished by God. A king has entrusted the defense of a fortress to his general. A messenger is sent in disguise to this general, bearing a letter, in which a large sum of money is offered him if he will surrender the fortress. Three courses of action are open to the general; either he will reject the offer and have the messenger hanged for a spy; or he may enter into negotiations with him at first, and presently break them off; or he may open the gates to the enemy. Our soul is that fortress; we are its commandant and our adversary is the devil. He sends out envoys seeking by all manner of promises and representations to estrange us from God. If we indignantly reject his advances, our loyalty to God is thereby confirmed; if we take pleasure in his suggestions, we begin to fail in fidelity to God and deserve punishment; but if we commit the sin, we surrender our soul to the devil, who enters in with all his satellites. After mortal sin, the soul is in a state of sin. When water is once frozen, it remains a block of ice, until it is melted by heat. Thus it is with the man who falls into mortal sin; he continues in a state of sin until he is brought to repentance. Hence we say: That man lives in sin, or, he died in his sins, etc.
6. By the repetition of exterior sins the habit of sin, or vice, is contracted.34
If mortal sin be repeated many times the habit of sin is formed; that is to say the sinner acquires a certain proficiency in wickedness, and the will is permanently inclined to evil. The Fathers point to the three instances in which Christ raised the dead as exemplifying mortal sin in its three stages: interior sin, exterior sin, and the habit of vice. Whoso only sins in his heart, is like the daughter of Jairus, who lay dead within the house; he who commits sin outwardly, is like the young man at Naim, who was carried out of the city gates; while he who is given up to vice is like Lazarus, who had lain several days in the grave. In the first two instances Our Lord merely bade the dead arise, in the last He was troubled in spirit, He wept, He caused the stone to be removed and called loudly into the interior of the sepulcher. This He did to signify the great difficulty of reawakening one who is sunk in vice to the life of the Spirit.
7. Every outward sin and every vice brings, as its own punishment, other sins and vices of a different nature in its train.35
The grace of God departs from every man who has fallen into mortal sin. Not so temptation. In fact the evil enemy bestirs himself the more to bind his captive more tightly. Now since temptation cannot be overcome without God’s grace, the sinner falls lower and lower, from one sin to another. The sins which follow upon a sin may therefore be called the chastisement of sin. Holy Scripture expresses the withdrawal of grace in words such as these: “God blinded the eyes, or hardened the heart of the sinner” (e.g., Pharaoh). “God delivered him up to a reprobate sense” (Rom. 1:28).
8. If any vice is firmly rooted in the soul, it oftentimes brings after it sins of the worst type, and those that are said to cry to Heaven for vengeance; finally it produces complete obduracy in the sinner.36
He who has for a lengthened period been given over to a life of sin, does not shrink from the greatest excesses. And just as perfection in virtue procures for mortal man upon earth happiness which is almost that of heaven, and exalts him to union with God, so there are different grades in vice, by which the soul descends to the condition of the reprobate and her complete separation from God is consummated. Finally he who is the slave of vice is often inspired by a bitter hatred against God, and willfully and of set purpose resists the influence and action of the Holy Spirit; and at last by final impenitence commits the sin against the Holy Spirit which cannot be forgiven.
There are different kinds of sin.37
Circumstances which alter the nature of a sin must be specified in confession (Council of Trent, 14, 5).
All those sins which violate different commandments, or which are opposed to different virtues, are distinct in their nature one from the other; as also are those sins by which one and the same commandment is transgressed, or which are opposed to one and the same virtue, in different ways.
For instance, theft and lying are two different kinds of sins, because by theft the Seventh, by lying the Eighth Commandment, is broken. Pride and avarice are sins of a different kind, because they are opposed to two different virtues, humility and liberality. Theft and cheating are two sins of a different nature because they violate the Seventh Commandment in two several ways. Presumption of God’s mercy and despair are two sins of a different nature, because they are opposed to the virtue of hope in two different ways.
1. Sins are generally divided into sins of word, of thought, and of deed.38
Hatred and murder are two different kinds of sin, because the Fifth Commandment is transgressed by them in two different ways, by thought and by deed. Boasting in speech and ostentation in dress are two different kinds of sin, because they offend against the virtue of humility in two different ways, by word and by deed.
2. A distinction also exists between our own sins, and the sins in which we co-operate.39
Our own sins are those which we ourselves commit.
The sins in which we co-operate are those which we do not indeed commit ourselves, but for which we are to blame. We may be accessory to another’s sin by command, counsel, consent, praise, assistance, defense; by provocation or by silence, or by abstaining from punishing the ill done, although we might and ought to have prevented it.
The sinner is like a man with the leprosy; he leads others into sin as the leper infects others with his loathsome disease. In that case the guilt of their sin lies at his door. If a man sets fire to a house, he is to blame for the conflagration; if he gives his neighbor poison, he is answerable for his neighbor’s death. The same is true of us if we lead any one into sin, or even if we do not endeavor to prevent the sin. To leave a crime unpunished is to teach others to commit it. If the bodyguard of an emperor were to hear that an attempt had been made on the person of their imperial master, they would be sorely alarmed, for they would know that to allege that they had no part in it would be of no avail as an excuse; in like manner we shall have good cause for apprehension, if through our cowardice or negligence an affront has been offered to the divine majesty. He who might prevent an evil deed and does not do so, is to blame for that deed. In illustration of this remember how Herod commanded the murder of the holy innocents. Aaron consented to the Israelites’ demand and made the golden calf. The Jewish leaders were pleased because Herod had put the Apostle James to death; this induced him to apprehend St. Peter, with the intention of executing him also (Acts 12). Saul assisted the men who stoned Stephen, by taking care of their garments. Job’s wife provoked her husband to anger and impatience. Heli, the high priest, did not rebuke his sons for their misdeeds nor correct them; for this God reprimanded him by Samuel’s mouth (1 Sam. 3). Those, too, who, being members of a council, through human respect do not protest against the passing of unjust decrees, are guilty of sin; the prophet compares such persons to dumb dogs, not able to bark (Is. 56:10).
Earthly potentates, legislative bodies, parents and superiors, employers of labor, editors of periodicals, and publishers, may easily render themselves guilty of the sin of others.
If the ruler of a nation enters upon an unjust war, is he not answerable for all the crimes which are perpetrated in that war? Who is to blame when laws are passed antagonistic to religion, whereby the salvation of many is imperiled? Who is to blame when the daily papers are the means of stirring up national and religious animosities and rousing the spirit of persecution? Whose in such cases is the greater sin?
He who is to blame for another man’s sin deserves punishment quite as much as if he had committed the sin himself.
He who tempts another to sin is perhaps the more blameworthy of the two. To tempt others to sin is also a sin against charity. It is like the devil who, not content with being evil himself, seeks to make others evil. For this reason Our Lord exclaims: “Woe to that man by whom the scandal cometh. It were better for him that a millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matt. 18:6).
THE COMPARATIVE MAGNITUDE OF SIN
1. All sins are not equally great.40
Our Lord compares some sins to camels, others to gnats (Matt. 23:24); or again He compares some to motes, others to beams (Matt. 7:3); He contrasts the depth of ten thousand talents with that of a hundred pence (Matt. 18:23 seq.). He said to Pilate: “He that hath delivered Me to thee hath the greater sin” (John. 19:11).
a. A sin is all the greater the more important is the object it injures, the clearer the knowledge of the sinfulness of the deed, and the greater the liberty of action enjoyed by the doer.41
In the first place, much depends on the value and importance of the object against which the evil act is directed. If God is thereby offended, it is much more sinful than if the offence were against one of our fellow-men. Or if it be directed against a man’s life, it is worse than if his property alone was attacked. A great deal depends also on the knowledge possessed of the sinfulness of the action. Sin is much greater in a Christian than in a heathen. If a priest commits a sin, it is worse for him than for an ordinary man, little versed perhaps in religious matters, because the priest has a closer knowledge of the will of God. Our Lord says: “The servant who knew the will of his lord and did not according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes; but he that knew not, and did things Worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes” (Luke 12:47–48). The greater your knowledge, the more rigorously will you be judged, if your life is not holy in proportion to your knowledge. The more abundant the graces bestowed on you, the more heinous your transgression. Finally much depends upon whether a man has or has not been a perfectly free agent. Anyone who was intimidated, or who was exposed to fierce temptation, is far less culpable than one who was free to act as he pleased. St. Peter’s denial was consequently a lesser sin than Judas’ betrayal of Our Lord.
b. Circumstances of person, cause, time, place, means, object, or the evil consequences of a sin may enhance its guilt.42
For instance: it is worse for a monarch to sin openly than for one of his subjects; offences committed in the presence of several persons are graver than if they were done in secret; to work hard all day long on Sunday is more sinful than to work for one hour only. Robbery with violence is a greater sin than surreptitious purloining; to take from a poor man is a greater sin than to steal from a rich man. It is far more wrong to steal in church than out of it.
2. Many sins are so great that they separate us entirely from God, and deprive us of His friendship; they are called mortal or deadly sins. Sins of lesser moment are called venial sins.43
Some diseases only weaken the bodily strength, others destroy life. It is the same with sin; some sins only impede the soul in her efforts to attain her final end, others again extinguish within her sanctifying grace, the life of the soul. In our intercourse with our friends, it often happens that some difference arises; if the offence is but slight, it does not seriously affect our friendship; if it is grave, it puts an end to the friendship. Holy Scripture speaks of some sins whereby the grace of God is completely lost (as David’s sin), and of others into which the just man may fall seven times, that is frequently (Prov. 24:16), without ceasing to be a just man (Council of Trent, 6, 11). Again, it speaks of sins which exclude from heaven, by which eternal punishment is incurred, and of others which have not these fatal consequences. St. Paul reckons among mortal sins, idolatry, murder, covetousness, drunkenness, etc. (1 Cor. 6:9; Gal. 5:19.) In the present day there is no sin so grievous but it finds some ready to palliate and excuse it. Beware lest you be led astray by the false maxims of the world; hold fast by the word of God, the teaching of the Church. God, not the world, will one day be your judge. Mortal sin is so called because it causes the death of the soul; the soul does not, it is true, cease to exist, but it loses the presence of the Holy Spirit. As the body dies when the soul departs from it, so the soul dies when God departs from it. Thus mortal sin may to a certain extent be said to be spiritual suicide. Venial sin is so called, because it is easily forgiven. Yet venial sin must not be underrated. It cannot withdraw us from the way which leads to God, but it can arrest our progress in that way. Venial sin is, moreover, an offence against the infinite majesty of God. St. Jerome says no offence against Our Lord God, however slight, is to be thought of little moment. The destruction of the heavens and the earth would be a lesser calamity than one venial sin. Many theologians assert that the blood of all the martyrs and all their merits would not suffice to make satisfaction to the divine majesty for one venial sin; only the precious blood of Christ can do this.
Mortal and venial sin differ essentially from each other.44
Mortal sin is like a severe wound, from which a man rarely recovers, whereas venial sin is a slight wound, which at the most makes him ill. By mortal sin the axe is laid to the root of the tree; by venial sin a cut is made in the bark, which may perhaps prove prejudicial to its growth.
It is an exceedingly difficult and dangerous matter to decide whether a sin is mortal or venial. Only one thing is certain:
Mortal sin is not possible unless God is no longer the final end towards which our intention is directed.45
It is difficult and dangerous to decide what is mortal and what is venial sin. It is often impossible to determine about any act whether it is a mortal or a venial sin. “Let no one presume,” says St. Alphonsus, “to assert any sin to be mortal, unless he is quite certain of it; otherwise he may lead men to despair, and even cast them into hell; instead of raising them out of the mire of sin, he will plunge them the deeper into it.” No man can be guilty of mortal sin, unless God has ceased to be the centre towards which all his affections converge. Mortal sin is a turning away of our whole being from God, and a turning to creatures as our ultimate end.46
3. He commits a mortal sin who consciously and of his own free will does grievous dishonor to God or wrong to his neighbor in a weighty matter; who does injury to his own life, or to the life, the property, or the reputation of his neighbor.47
Idolatry, heresy, blasphemy, perjury, serious desecration of Sundays and holydays, come under the category of mortal sins, because they are a direct affront to the majesty of God. To injure one’s health slightly through thoughtlessness is a venial sin; suicide is a mortal sin. A man who beats his neighbor commits a venial sin, but if he injures his body to any great extent, it is a mortal sin. To steal a halfpenny is a venial sin, to defraud one’s neighbor of a large sum of money is a mortal sin. To disclose the faults of another without necessity is a venial sin, but to lodge a false accusation against him is a mortal sin, because in that case the wrong done him is in an important matter. We cannot commit a mortal sin, unless we are conscious of the sinfulness of the act. Thus children who have no conception of the abominable nature of some act which as a rule is a mortal sin, cannot be guilty of grievous sin. It is also requisite that a man should act of his own free will. One who perhaps does a very sinful deed under the mastery of intense fear, having been intimidated by threats, can scarcely be said to have committed mortal sin. A man may also be so distracted in consequence of illness that he scarcely knows what he does. Beware then how you pass judgment upon your neighbor’s misdeeds; you are not omniscient!
4. He commits a venial sin who only injures something of trifling consequence; or who, though he injures something of great importance, injures it very slightly, or does so almost unconsciously and to some extent unwittingly.48
Yet that which is ordinarily only a venial sin, may become a mortal sin; if, that is to say, great scandal is given thereby, or great harm done, or if the venial sin is committed out of contempt for the law.
Attacks upon religion or upon a man’s good name in the public journals can scarcely be reckoned as venial sins, as they give rise to great scandal and occasion no small mischief. If a man were to do wrong and say boastingly, I do it precisely because it is forbidden, he is guilty of grievous sin.
Venial sins if repeated may become mortal, if they are the means of doing great harm.49
He who steals a trifling sum time after time from the same person does very wrong, if the small sums mount up to a considerable figure. As water that gradually filters through a tiny leak in the vessel finally causes it to sink, so venial sins affect the destruction of the soul. Many fibres of hemp twisted together form a strong rope fit to hold back a mighty ship; so a number of venial sins form a cord that keeps the soul back from journeying towards heaven.
5. All mortal sins are not of equal magnitude, nor are all venial sins of the same importance. The most heinous sins are the sins against the Holy Spirit, and those that cry to heaven for vengeance.50
6. He commits a sin against the Holy Spirit who persistently and willfully resists the action of the Holy Spirit.51
It often occurs in the course of one’s life, that the Holy Spirit incites us to prayer or other good works, and by reason of distractions or the cares of this world we do not obey His voice. This is not, however, the sin against the Holy Spirit. That sin is only committed when a man persistently and willfully withstands the inspirations of the Holy Spirit and dies in an attitude of resistance to Him. The Pharisees and Scribes were perfectly aware that Christ was the Messiah; they were convinced of it by the miracles He worked, by the excellence of His doctrine, by the sanctity of His life, by the fulfilment of the prophecies, by His own utterances, but their arrogant pride did not allow them to recognize Him, for then they would have been obliged to alter their lives. Although they knew better, they declared Him to be possessed of the devil (John 8:48), His works to be the work of the devil (Matt. 12:24), and persecuted Him as much as was within their power. Thus they resisted the known truth. King Pharaoh knew the exit of the Israelites from Egypt to be the will of the true God, from the intrepid conduct of Moses and the wonders he wrought; yet in spite of Moses’ admonitions he adhered to his own will. He hardened his heart against salutary exhortations. Freemasons will not allow a priest to approach them when they are on their death-bed. “They stop their ears, not to hear, and make their heart as the adamant stone” (Zech. 7:11). They persist of set purpose in impenitence. The Holy Spirit acts like a man who finds his enemy asleep in the snow, and wakes him, lest he should die of cold. But the sleeper, far from being grateful for this act of kindness, thrusts away his benefactor, and settles himself again to sleep. Thus he who sins against the Holy Spirit, refuses to be aroused from his spiritual torpor by the influence of grace. He may also be likened to a sick man, who not only will not have his wounds healed, but accelerates his own death.
The sin against the Holy Spirit is for the most part the result of a wicked course of life.
It belongs essentially to mortal sin to darken the understanding, and alienate the will from God. The more sins a man commits, the more his understanding is darkened, and the more his will, already estranged from God, is hardened, until at length he finds himself in a deplorable state of blindness and impenitence. The soul is like a room of which the shutters are closed; sin prevents the light of the Holy Spirit from penetrating into it. Holy Scripture says of Pharaoh that God hardened his heart (Exod. 9:12). That is, He allowed his heart to become obdurate, as the penalty of his sins. Like ill weeds, which not merely continue what they are in spite of fair weather and fertilizing rains, but grow all the more rank on account of these favorable conditions, the wicked only become worse under the gracious influences of the Holy Spirit. A pillar that is straight stands all the firmer if a weight be placed upon it, but if once it leaves the perpendicular, pressure upon it will cause it to fall. So if the heart is upright, the teaching of wisdom confirms it in integrity, but the depraved heart only sinks lower in vice. A neglected education, bad books, or pride, are often the cause of the heart being closed against the action of the Holy Spirit. The heathen persecute missionaries and put them to death, because they are so blinded by idolatry that they will not renounce their foolish ideas. Anti-Christian periodicals are the means of prejudicing many of their readers against the doctrine and practice of holy Church. Pride caused the so-called Old Catholics to refuse to accept the dogma of Papal Infallibility when it was defined by the Vatican Council in 1870.
Whosoever has committed the sin against the Holy Spirit cannot obtain forgiveness of sin from God, and for this reason: Because he thrusts from him the grace of conversion.52
Our Lord says: “The blasphemy against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven, neither in this world or in the world to come” (Matt. 12:32). The sick man cannot be cured of his malady if he refuses to take the remedy which is known to be unfailing; nor can the soul recover from its sickness if it reject grace, the infallible means of cure. Final impenitence is the only offence which God will not pardon; it is a greater insult to Him than sin itself.
Those who sin against the Holy Spirit often come to a miserable end here, and are consigned to eternal damnation hereafter.
The sin against the Holy Spirit is not a sin of frailty, it is a sin of diabolical malice, and therefore it is deserving of more severe punishment. King Pharaoh, with all his army, was drowned in the Red Sea (Exod. 14); the Jews, who rejected and even killed the prophets (Matt. 23:37), had to expiate their impenitence bitterly in the year 70, on the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, when there came upon them the tribulation Our Lord predicted, “such as had not been from the beginning of the world, neither shall be” (Matt. 24:21). A clever physician continues to prescribe for his patient although his medicines produce no immediate improvement, trying to save him by every expedient his skill can devise; but if the patient cannot be induced to swallow the drugs, and even goes so far as to throw them out of the window, the physician discontinues his visits. God acts in a similar manner towards the sinner who resists actual grace; He forsakes him entirely. To him may be applied the words the prophet Samuel addressed to King Saul: “Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, the Lord hath rejected thee” (1 Sam. 15:26). He who has committed the sin against the Holy Spirit cannot be saved, because at the hour of death he is without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and sanctifying grace. His spiritual condition is that of the reprobate.
7. Sins that cry to heaven for vengeance are sins of great malice. They are: willful murder, oppression of the poor, defrauding laborers of their wages, and the sin of Sodom.53
These sins are of so abominable a nature, that every man’s feelings must revolt against them. When Cain killed his brother Abel, God said to him: “The voice of thy brother’s blood crieth to Me from the earth” (Gen. 4:10). Every nation on the face of the earth punishes murder with exceptional severity, generally by the execution of the criminal. The oppression of the helpless Israelites in Egypt was a sin that cried to heaven (Exod. 3:7). The Pharisees were guilty of this sin; they oppressed the poor and prayed long prayers (Matt. 23:14). God expressly forbade the Jews to injure the widow and orphan (Exod. 22:22; Sir. 34:26). To keep back the wages of the needy (Deut. 24:14), is a sin that cries to heaven, also on some pretext or other to defraud them of the whole amount (Jas. 5:4). In the Middle Ages an action brought by a working man took precedence of all others in the law courts, and judgment was given within three days. The sin of Sodom takes its name from the inhabitants of Sodom, who were guilty of unnatural sins, by reason of which they were destroyed by God, Who rained down upon them brimstone and fire (Gen. 19:24). The Dead Sea is still a mournful memorial of their sin; one so shameful that it must not be named among us.
In the present day sins that cry to heaven are sometimes committed by employers, in their conduct towards their defenseless workpeople.54
Many employers make their people work in unhealthy and overcrowded rooms, unheated in winter time; they do not allow them a proper interval for rest and for their meals; they do not pay them enough to enable them to live decently; they require of them more work than they can do, and of a kind which they have no right to demand of them. The exploitation and oppression of the laborer has in our day given rise to the abuses of social democracy.
8. A distinction must be made between venial sins and imperfections. Imperfections are faults which are due not to a bad will, but to human frailty.55
Uncivil manners, lies told in joke, involuntary distractions in prayer, etc., are imperfections. “Venial sins,” says St. Francis de Sales, “arise from a bad will, imperfections do not.” But, although imperfections are not actually sins, yet they are wrong and ought to be avoided.
Mortal sin makes a man supremely unhappy. Many are the scourges of the sinner (Ps. 31[32]10). God calls to the sinner, saying: “Know thou and see that it is an evil and bitter thing for thee to have left the Lord thy God” (Jer. 2:19). A man who has forsaken God meets with a similar fate to the man who went from Jerusalem—the dwelling-place of the living God—down through rough ways to Jericho. The punishment of sin follows immediately upon it, although the Day of Judgment is not yet come.
1. Mortal sin deprives a man of sanctifying grace, and delivers him into the power of the devil.56
The Holy Spirit departs immediately from one who has committed a mortal sin. As the dove will not remain in unclean places, so the Holy Spirit will not remain in a heart that is defiled by mortal sin. The ungodly say to God: “Depart from us” (Job 22:17). Mortal sin is a thief, for if it gains access to the soul, it robs it of grace, its most precious treasure. It is the death of the soul; a man killeth indeed through malice (Wisd. 16:14). Sin when it is completed, begetteth death (Jas. 1:15). Thus there are men who live and yet are dead. “Sinners,” says St. John Chrysostom, “are dead while they live, and the just live after they are dead.” “Thou dost weep,” says St. Augustine, “over a body from which the soul has departed, but not over a soul from which God has withdrawn Himself.” When God abandons the soul, the devil enters into it. By mortal sin the temple of the Holy Spirit is transformed into a den of robbers, the sister of the angels into the companion of fallen spirits. As a ship that has lost her rudder is driven about at the mercy of the current, so the soul that has lost divine grace is driven by Satan into perdition. Sin gives the devil power over the soul, for through sin man places himself under servitude to obey the devil (Rom. 6:16). As everyone thinks he may treat a widow as he chooses, as she has no one to protect her, so the demons do not hesitate to set upon the sinner; they cry: “God hath forsaken him; pursue him and take him, for there is none to deliver him” (Ps. 70[71]11). The loss of sanctifying grace entails upon the sinner the following terrible consequences: (1) He loses the supernatural beauty of the soul and becomes unclean before God; (2) He loses charity towards God and towards his neighbor; (3) His understanding is completely darkened, and his will immensely weakened; (4) He loses the merit of all the good works he had previously performed, and none of those which he does in a state of mortal sin gain for him a reward hereafter; (5) Finally, he is liable to fall into other mortal sins.
Through mortal sin we lose the supernatural beauty of the soul and become unclean before God.
Mortal sin is to the soul what decay is to an apple; the rottenness destroys the color, the scent, the flavor of the fruit, all, in short, that gives it worth and beauty; so sin robs the soul of all that makes it fair and precious. It would be a sore blow to a bride if she were to be so much disfigured by a severe illness as to become an object of repulsion to her betrothed; it is much the same with the soul that is guilty of mortal sin; she is thereby so much disfigured that Christ, her Spouse, regards her with aversion.57 Through mortal sin charity to God and to one’s neighbor is lost. When the earth travels away from the sun, winter sets in; so the heart of man becomes cold when it is estranged from God by mortal sin; the flame of charity is then extinguished. The understanding is completely darkened by mortal sin. As heavy clouds hide the light of the sun from our sight and involve us in darkness, so mortal sin obscures the eye of reason, and renders us incapable of perceiving the brightness of the Sun of justice. A man who has fallen into mortal sin perceiveth not, as the Apostle says, the things that are of the Spirit of God (1 Cor. 2:14). As a mirror covered with mildew no longer reflects the objects presented to it, so the soul which is sunk in sin can no longer receive the impressions of divine grace. The sinner is blinded, and fails as fully to see the misery and danger of his condition as one who wanders in the darkness of night beside a quarry; were the sinner in a state of grace, and enlightened by the Holy Spirit, he would be no less startled and alarmed at his spiritual condition than the traveler would be on perceiving in the daylight what a perilous path he had trodden. By reason of this blindness sinners are often gay and light-hearted in spite of their deplorable state. As the maniac laughs frantically while he tears his own flesh, so our erring brethren make merry while in their madness they inflict serious injury on their soul. A living body feels the prick of a needle; not so a corpse. Thus it is with the soul: As long as it preserves its life, it is sensitive to the least sin; but if it be dead, it experiences no stings of conscience, even if it be guilty of grievous crimes. Through mortal sin the will is immensely weakened. When the cold is extreme one’s limbs are benumbed and paralyzed; so by mortal sin man loses the power to do what is good. He is held captive by mortal sin, as a bird is by bird-lime. Through mortal sin we lose the merit of all the good works we have previously performed. God says by the mouth of His prophet: “If the just man turn himself from his justice and do iniquity, all his justices which he hath done shall not be remembered” (Ezek. 18:24). The just man who falls into mortal sin, may be compared to a merchant who has accumulated great treasures, and whose vessel founders just as he enters the harbor. Mortal sin sweeps away at one stroke all our good works and our merits, as a sharp frost cuts off all the fair flowers in one night, or as a hailstorm ruins the crops of a whole year. He who falls into mortal sin earns no reward in heaven for the good works he performs while in a state of sin. As a branch cut off from the vine withers away and bears no fruit, so a man who has lost sanctifying grace can do no works that are meritorious. The apostles labored all night and took nothing; so the sinner during the night of sin cannot, in spite of his utmost exertions, gain any merit for heaven. The soul of a sinner is like a desert where nothing grows, but which is the haunt of reptiles and beasts of prey. How desolate is that spot where God is not! how parched without the dew of heaven, how sterile without the vivifying Sun of grace! One mortal sin makes it easy to commit others. When the soul has left the body, decomposition begins; and spiritual decay soon sets in when the Holy Spirit has departed from the soul. A grievous sin which has not been effaced by penance is the precursor of many others, which follow it as its punishment. “The man,” says St. Augustine, “who persists in his iniquity, adds sin to sin.”
2. Mortal sin brings down upon the sinner both eternal damnation and temporal chastisement.58
By mortal sin we incur eternal damnation. As one throws away an apple that is rotten throughout, so God repudiates the soul that is stained with mortal sin. He who has fallen into mortal sin has lost the wedding garment, i.e., sanctifying grace; he will be cast into the exterior darkness (Matt. 12:13). Mortal sin is an act of high treason against the King of kings. This crime of high treason is punished on earth by a long term of imprisonment; as the majesty of God infinitely exceeds that of any earthly monarch, the punishment of mortal sin is of eternal duration. The man who commits mortal sin is as foolish as Esau, who for one mess, sold his first birthright (Heb. 12:16), since for the sake of a momentary gratification he relinquishes his title to the kingdom of heaven. Blessed Thomas More, when sentenced to death, would not be persuaded to acknowledge the royal supremacy, for he said: “How foolish should I be, were I to barter everlasting honor and felicity for the transient happiness of a few fleeting years.” Mortal sin brings temporal chastisements upon the sinner. God sends earthly punishments to restore the spiritual health of the sinner. The temporal penalty most certain to follow upon mortal sin is interior disquietude. Mortal sin destroys the serenity, the cheerfulness of the soul, as a high wind disturbs and ruffles the smooth surface of a lake. “The wicked are like the raging sea, that cannot rest” (Is. 57:20). Apprehension and terror follow mortal sin like its shadow. He who lives in mortal sin, carries hell about with him (St. John Chrysostom). Remember the fate of the fratricide Cain (Gen. 4:14). The sinner’s evil conscience daily calls to him: “Where is thy God?” (Ps. 41[42]4.) What peace can the sinner enjoy when he knows that an almighty arm is uplifted against him? A flash of lightning, a peal of thunder, affects the sinner as much as the devout prayers of the faithful; in every sound he thinks to hear his sentence of condemnation. God has ordained that inordinate passions should be their own punishment. Spiritual consolations and sensual gratifications can no more co-exist than fire can mingle with water. Those who delight in worldly vanities are not capable of tasting spiritual joys. Mortal sin, moreover, brings temporal misfortunes on the sinner. Of this our first parents afford a striking example. They were driven out of paradise, condemned to labor in the sweat of their face, and made subject to death, because of their sin. The most ordinary consequence of sin is sickness; hence Our Lord said to the man whom He had cured: “Sin no more, lest some worse thing happen unto thee” (John 5:14). Want is sometimes the punishment of sin; witness the prodigal son (Luke 15). The loss of property and of reputation are also consequences of sin, as is the case with thieves and drunkards. The guardian angels cease to protect those who give themselves up to sin. St. Basil says that as smoke drives away bees, so sin causes our good angel to depart. If a slave betrays his master, not his master alone, but all the members of his master’s household are enraged with him. As David’s servants were angry with Semei, who threw stones at the king, so the holy angels are displeased with the sinner who offends God. How great is man’s folly! He is afraid of eating anything deadly, but he does not fear deadly sin, which causes the death of the soul.
THE CONSEQUENCES OF VENIAL SIN
Venial sin is a slight thing in itself, but it deprives us of much that is good; just as a hair, if it gets into the pen, spoils the best handwriting.
1. Venial sin gradually leads to mortal sin, and eventuates in the loss of sanctifying grace.59
Venial sin makes mortal sin easy. As a spot of decay in an apple gradually spreads until the whole fruit is rotten, so the man who does not heed venial sins will soon fall into mortal sin. As sickness precedes death, so venial sins precede mortal. He who begins by neglecting trifling faults, will end by committing grievous sins. Venial sins may be compared to the dust which settles on our clothes, and if it be not brushed off will spoil them in the end; it is the moth that frets away the garment of sanctifying grace. God permits those who make light of venial sin to fall into mortal sin as the chastisement of their negligence. “Avoid small sins,” says St. John Chrysostom, “for they will grow into great sins.” “He that is unjust in that which is little is unjust also in that which is greater” (Luke 16:10). As one who wants to cleave a log of wood makes a small incision, and then drives in the wedge, so the devil tempts us first to commit slight offences, and gradually leads us to greater transgressions. Venial sin is all the more dangerous because it deprives us of many actual graces, without which we cannot overcome the assaults of temptation. A mirror when covered with dust cannot reflect an image clearly, and the mirror of the soul, if its surface be obscured by the dust of venial sin, is almost impervious to the rays of the Sim of justice. A personage of distinction cannot be expected to approach a man who is frightfully disfigured by some cutaneous disease, much less to embrace him, or even suffer him to kiss his hand; so God will not admit you to His friendship or delight you with His consolations if your soul is defaced by venial sin. Venial sin lessens our diligence in the pursuit of what is good. A trifling indisposition often incapacitates us for the performance of the duties of our calling; in like manner venial sin weakens the will and indisposes it for good works. It diminishes the force of charity, and makes a man lukewarm in the service of God. To him may be applied the words of Holy Scripture: “Because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will begin to vomit thee out of My mouth” (Rev. 3:16).
2. There are temporal penalties due to venial sin, and these will come down upon us either on earth or after death in purgatory.60
Zachariah was struck dumb because he would not believe the message of the angel (Luke 1:20); Moses was not allowed to enter the Promised Land because of his incredulity (Numb. 20:12). Ananias and Saphira fell dead at St. Peter’s feet in consequence of the deception they practiced. Those who at their death are in a state of venial sin, will have to pass through the fires of purgatory in order to expiate them before gaining admittance to heaven. On this account the saints inflicted severe penalties upon themselves for the least sin. Venial sin must needs be a great evil, since God, Who is a merciful and gracious Father, punishes it with such rigor, namely by temporary exclusion from His kingdom, and prolonged suffering in purgatory.
1. Vice is proficiency in the practice of evil, and the confirmed tendency of the will towards evil which is acquired by habitual sin.61
Everything is evil which is contrary to the will of God. A horse when put into harness for the first time, tries to shake off the collar. By degrees he became accustomed to it, and in time, when led out of the stable, he goes of his own accord to be placed between the shafts, although he has to undergo toil and fatigue. So man becomes accustomed to the servitude of sin. A dog who is trained to the chase will in his eagerness outrun his master; so the man who is habituated to sin, makes more haste to sin than the devil does to incite him thereto.
The habit of vice is easily formed, but it requires a great struggle to give it up, and the longer a man has indulged in vice, the more difficult that struggle becomes.62
Nothing is so easy to learn and so difficult to unlearn, as are vicious practices. The vicious drift down with the stream, the virtuous swim against the current. Good works are arduous to perform, but it is easy enough to do evil. To cast off the yoke of vice requires a hard battle. It is easier to fall into a pit than to get out of it again. The devil entangles the sinner in his toils, as the spider makes the fly fast in his web. When the sinner tries to shake himself free, he finds the flimsy web has become a heavy chain. As a vessel which has got loose from its moorings in a river is swept downwards, snapping like threads the ropes that hold it, so neither admonitions nor any considerations whatever prevail to arrest the downward course of a man who is addicted to vice, when he is carried away by his passions. The longer he goes on in sin, the stronger will be the habit formed, and the more difficult his conversion. The deeper a nail is knocked in, the harder it is to pull out; so the longer a man persists in sin, the greater the effort needed to break off the habit. Those who shrink from jumping over the stream while it is a mere rivulet, will find themselves unable to cross when it has become a wide river. The repetition of a sin forms a habit, the habit becomes a necessity, and ere long it is impossible of eradication. This impossibility leads to despair and eternal damnation (St. Augustine).
A man who is addicted to vice cannot amend of his own power; he needs the mighty assistance of divine grace. Nor can he amend all at once; a long and strenuous exertion of the will is required to achieve his conversion. Furthermore he must commence by combating one fault only, that very one to which he is most prone.63
The snows do not melt unless the warm breath of spring passes over them, nor can man rise superior to his sins without divine grace. Those who have fallen into the pit of sin can only be lifted out of it by the help of God’s grace. An old tree whose roots have run deep into the soil, cannot be torn up or bent down by ordinary means, so powerful graces are needed to effect the conversion of a hardened sinner. Remember the circumstances of St. Paul’s conversion. For eighteen years St. Monica continued to weep and pray for her son’s conversion. The sinner must first of all implore the aid of divine grace, or he will never be able to reform; better still if others will intercede for him. A man cannot all at once throw off the yoke of vice; constant and persevering exercise of the will is necessary. Habit must be overcome by habit. A physical ailment of long standing takes a long course of treatment for its cure, and the maladies of the soul can only be removed by patient resolution. For even after the Sacrament of Penance, a propensity to the long-indulged sin still remains; evil passions are ready to spring up again unless one is ever on one’s guard. If one who is addicted to vice desires to reform, he must grapple first with one fault; and precisely that one which has most dominion over him. A bundle of wood cannot be broken unless the sticks are drawn out one after another and broken separately; the same course must be pursued in regard to our vices. If one is overcome, all the others are in great measure subdued. A military commander who is about to fall upon a hostile army, makes the attack at the point where the enemy is strongest, because if he takes that position, the conquest of the remainder will be an easy matter. Thus, if we overcome our dominant fault, we shall soon obtain the mastery over the lesser ones. If every year we rooted out one vice, we should soon become perfect men. Unhappily too many Christians only correct their lesser failings and allow their dominant fault to grow and flourish; or they rid themselves of one vice and become enthralled by another, like servants who leave one master only to take service with another.
The Holy Spirit does not dwell in the heart where vice reigns. Respectable people will not enter a tavern which is the resort of the drunken and dissolute, for the good have no fellowship with the evil. God will not make His abode in the sin-stained soul of the sinner. As one would rather live in the humble cottage, provided it be clean, than in a palace that was unclean and infected, so God will not visit the soul which is defiled and infected with the pestilence of sin. The vicious are completely under the dominion of the devil. The Roman emperor Valerian, having been taken prisoner by the King of Persia, was forced by the latter to make himself his footstool when he dismounted from his horse. Thus man, the son of the King of heaven, falls under the thraldom and servitude of the devil by the practice of vice. The just man is ever free, though he wear the chains of a slave; the sinner is ever enslaved, even on the throne; and every vice in which he indulges adds one more to his degrading fetters. A course of vice brings great misery upon a man in this life; loss of property, of health, of reputation; besides anxiety, discontent, etc. Sometimes God sends public calamities for the chastisement of nations that have sinned. Sin makes nations miserable (Prov. 14:34). Was not Attila, the King of the Huns, surnamed “the scourge of God”? Those who are the servants of vice shall not possess the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:9–10). “If you live according to the flesh, you shall die” (Rom. 8:13). They who do the works of the flesh shall not obtain the kingdom of God (Gal. 5:19). When the fatal results of sin come upon the sinner, he makes good resolutions; but before long he is again led astray. Each time he repeats his sin his power of resisting it is lessened. Finally it works his ruin both for time and for eternity.
The wicked do not possess sanctifying grace, consequently their understanding is greatly obscured, and their will greatly weakened.
The understanding of the sinner is completely clouded. As cataract destroys the bodily sight, so vice obscures the eye of the soul. The passions which make their home in the heart of the sinner cloud his spirit and darken his intellect. As one who looks through a colored glass sees everything colored, so one who is the slave of his passions cannot judge of things aright; he views them in a false light. Nor can he attain a true knowledge of himself; his mind is like troubled water, which reflects one’s countenance in a distorted manner. The habitual sinner is so blinded that he regards abhorrent vices as virtues, and is angry if his attention is drawn to his evil habits, their disgraceful nature, and their fatal consequences. Reason is, however, never completely dethroned by the rebellious passions. The will of the sinner is greatly weakened: he becomes powerless for good. The more a man sins, the weaker he becomes. If one who has fallen into a deep sleep is called to awake or otherwise roused, he opens his eyes, and makes an effort to rise up; but overcome by drowsiness, he sinks back on his pillow. So it is with one who is sunk in the slumber of sin. He may be seriously admonished; death, hell, judgment, and eternity, set before him; he listens to it all, acknowledges it to be true, and makes some slight effort to amend; but the habit of sin and the love of the world hold him captive; he presently relapses into sin. It is almost as impossible for one who lives in habitual sin to do good as for the Ethiopian to change his skin (Jer. 13:23). The habitual sinner ceases to struggle against sin. One is annoyed to see the first spot on a white garment; but after a second and a third and many others, one considers it as soiled, and one does not care what stains it contracts.
3. The most ordinary sins are the seven capital sins: Pride, disobedience, anger, avarice, intemperance in eating and drinking, unchastity, sloth.64
These are the seven sinful proclivities of the human heart, which are the origin of every sin. All other sins take their rise from them, as from their source. They are called vices, because they are productive of permanent disorder in the soul. They are also simply called sins, because their outward manifestation may be venial or mortal sin, according as the offence is in a more or less weighty matter. One isolated act of a sin does not prove that sin to be habitual. They are called capital sins, because each one of these propensities is the head or centre whence other sins proceed. They are like commanding officers, who come at the head of a whole army of sins to lay waste the heart. Each one is a poisonous root which will bear deadly fruit. The seven deadly sins in their turn originate in temptations to ambition, avarice, and luxury (1 John 2:16). A full enumeration of the principal sins is not possible, because the dispositions of every individual are utterly different, and the evil tendencies vary no less. Some reckon melancholy and vain-glory to be capital sins; envy is often placed among them, or again it is not mentioned as being the offspring of covetousness. Pride is universally acknowledged to be the queen of sins; to it is given the precedence over all the other sins. He who is under the permanent dominion of a capital sin is a server of idols (Eph. 5:5), because he makes a creature (self, a fellow-being, gold, the pleasures of the table, etc.), his final end. Such a one serves Mammon and not God (Matt. 6:24). As the seven deadly sins close the portals of heaven against us, they may be compared to the seven nations which opposed the entrance of the Israelites into the Land of Promise (Deut. 7:1). They are the seven devils whom Our Lord cast out of Mary Magdalen (Mark 16:9); the seven wicked spirits who enter into the man who has lost sanctifying grace (Luke 11:26); they are the seven fatal diseases of the soul, which end in death. Pride resembles madness, disobedience blood poisoning, anger fever, covetousness consumption, intemperance dropsy, unchastity the plague, sloth paralysis. He who will be a friend of God must divest himself of these vices. Before we lay out a beautiful garden, the thorns and weeds must be rooted up. So those who desire their own sanctification must first eradicate their faults.
1. There is no man upon earth without sin; consequently there is none who does not need the forgiveness of sin.65
“If we say we have no sin, the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). The just man falls seven times (Prov. 24:16). God permits us to fall into venial sin again and again, to keep us humble. As we sin daily, we must daily ask for the forgiveness of sin in the Our Father. Only by reason of an exceptional privilege, such as was bestowed by God upon His blessed Mother, can mortal man pass the period of his sojourn upon earth without committing venial sin (Council of Trent, 6, 2.3); nay more, without the succor of special grace it is impossible to avoid venial sin for any length of time. The highest perfection of which human frailty is capable is this: Not to commit any sin, even venial sin, with deliberate intention.
2. We can obtain forgiveness of sin, because Christ merited it for us by the death of the cross; and because He gave power to forgive sins to His apostles and their successors.66
There is nothing more consoling for mankind upon earth than the forgiveness of sins, for nothing causes us more misery than sin. Even in pagan times Socrates looked forward hopefully to the advent of a mediator who would teach mankind in what manner remission of sins was to be obtained. Christ earned the grace of forgiveness for us by His sacred Passion and death upon the cross (Council of Trent, 6, 7). Christ is the Lamb of God, Who taketh away the sins of the world (John 1:29). In Him we have redemption through His blood, the remission of sins (Col. 1:14). Christ is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world (1 John 2:2). Christ conferred the power to forgive sins only upon the apostles and their successors. He Himself exercised this power in the case of Mary Magdalen, Zacheus, the good thief; when He healed the paralytic He said expressly: “That you may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, I say unto thee, Arise, take up thy bed, and go” (Matt. 9:6). This same power which He possessed Our Lord gave to the holy apostles, when, after His resurrection He said to them: “Receive ye the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you shall forgive they are forgiven them, and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained” (John 20:23). He therefore who would have his sins forgiven must address himself to the bishop or to the priests whom Christ has appointed. In the Catholic Church alone is remission of sins, for she alone has received the Holy Spirit as a pledge of this grace (St. Augustine).
3. Mortal sin is remitted by Baptism and penance, venial sin, and the temporal penalties due to it, by good works done in a state of grace. These good works are: Prayer, fasting, almsgiving, hearing holy Mass, receiving holy communion, use of the sacramentals, gaining indulgences, forgiving offences.67
Baptism is the ship in which we embark on our voyage to heaven; if we commit mortal sin we are like men who are shipwrecked. The only hope for them of being saved is in laying hold of a plank, and clinging firmly to it; so for the Christian, the only means of reaching the port of eternal salvation is through the Sacrament of Penance. Not prayer, fasting, nor almsgiving in itself can procure for man the forgiveness of mortal sin; these can only lead to penance, by which sin is washed away. Angels and archangels have no power to alter this; nay, “The Redeemer Himself does not forgive sin without penance” (St. Augustine). Good works, do, however, avail for the expiation of venial sin. Thus St. Augustine declares: “A single Pater Noster said from the heart, will obliterate the venial sins of a whole day.” Venial sins can also be remitted by the use of holy water, indulgences, prayers, communion, the blessing of a bishop, etc.
4. There is no sin too great for God to forgive here below, if it be sincerely repented of and humbly confessed.68
God makes this promise to the contrite sinner: “If your sins be as scarlet, they shall be made white as snow; and if they be red as crimson, they shall be white as wool” (Is. 1:18). God makes no distinction between sinners; He permits the priest to forgive every sin without exception. Therefore no man is so godless and wicked but he may yet hope to obtain forgiveness, provided he is sincerely sorry for his transgressions. In fact God receives the sinner more graciously the greater his sin has been, just as a fisherman pursues his work more gladly, the bigger the fish he catches. The sin against the Holy Spirit is the only one which admits of no forgiveness, because the man who sins against the Holy Spirit is the man who will not amend. The fault does not rest with God, but with the man; for even if he acknowledges his sin he will not abandon it, and consequently does not bewail it. Without contrition and change of heart there is no forgiveness.
5. A sin once forgiven is effaced forever, even if the sinner falls again into mortal sin.69
This is not the case with good works. They are reckoned again to a man’s account, if he makes his peace with God. See how merciful is God almighty!
1. Temptation is the action of the evil spirit upon our soul, in order to induce us to sin; he excites within us the concupiscence of the eyes, or the pride of life.70
Remember the temptation of Eve in paradise, and the threefold temptation of Our Lord in the desert. All the saints were greatly tempted: St. Hugh, Bishop of Grenoble, was tempted to blaspheme; St. Francis de Sales was tempted to despair; St. Francis of Assisi was tormented by suggestions of impurity. Some saints experienced temptations against the faith; some temptations lasted for years. God tempteth no man (Jas. 1:13); He simply permits man to be tempted. It is the devil who hammers at you when you are tempted. “Our wrestling is against the spirits of wickedness in high places” (Eph. 6:12). On earth we are surrounded by robbers; many of us are overcome and wounded by them. The conflict with the spirit of evil is a more critical struggle; it is carried on covertly, and against a more powerful adversary—one who spares no pains and knows no shame; who, when he is repulsed, returns all the more defiantly to the attack. For six thousand years he has tempted mankind; such long practice has made him perfect. He excites within us concupiscence of the flesh, or concupiscence of the eyes, or the pride of life (1 John 2:16). In this threefold manner he tempted Our Lord. Many temptations come upon a man through no fault of his own (witness Job); some are the result of culpable negligence (witness Eve). The evil enemy as a rule attacks our weak point, our affection for creatures. Like a fowler, he attracts the birds to his net by offering them the food they like best. Physical infirmities give the devil more power over us; everyone knows how apt the sick are to be fretful, impatient and exacting. The devil sets to work craftily. He transforms himself into an angel of light (2 Cor. 9:14); that is, he deceives us by assuming an appearance of candor and piety. His artifices prove his weakness; he would not resort to them were he powerful enough to do without them.
Temptation is not in itself sinful, only acquiescence in the suggestions of the tempter is sin.71
Hence we ought not to be alarmed and uneasy when we feel the incentive to sin, but we should trust in God’s help, saying: “O Lord, make haste to help me! Jesus and Mary be my help!” To tremble in the hour of temptation betrays a want of confidence in the divine assistance; the devil will assail the fearful soul only the more fiercely. Unless we remain calm, we cannot possibly conquer. Those who lose their composure are like a bird caught in the net; the more it flutters and tries to escape, the more it becomes entangled in the meshes. Our Lord promises us: “In your patience you shall possess your souls” (Luke 21:19). The good Christian is like a soldier, who as a rule rejoices when war breaks out, in the prospect of gaining rich booty.
2. God allows us to be tempted out of mercy, for the good of our souls.72
As the schoolmaster examines his scholars in order to give them a good testimonial, so God deals with the souls of men; He allows us to be tried by temptation to give us the opportunity of manifesting our loyalty to Him, and acquiring a claim to the recompense He promises us. Thus He has only our welfare in view. The tempter however, the evil enemy, means no good to us; he aims at our ruin, as the history of Job testifies. Temptations may therefore be said to be a mark of the divine favor. The archangel Raphael said to Tobias: “Because thou wast acceptable to God, it was necessary that temptation should prove thee” (Tob. 12:13). God permits temptations to those whom He trusts; hence it is that those who fear Him are more sorely tempted than other men. The devil does not tempt those who are already in his power, but those whom he fears will elude his grasp or who may be injurious to him. St. Ephrem in a vision saw a large city, the inhabitants of which were very corrupt; only one devil was sitting on the wall, and he was half asleep. But in the desert he saw a whole swarm of devils busily engaged within the cell of a hermit. Thus the fact that a man is greatly tempted proves him to be a friend of God, and a stranger to, an enemy of the devil. Pirates do not attack an empty ship, but one which they know to be returning home with a valuable cargo. A king does not take up arms against loyal subjects, but against rebels who resist his authority. Temptations have besides the following advantages: They rouse us from a state of tepidity (they are what the spur is to the horse); they cleanse us from imperfections, as the stormy sea throws out foreign substances; they make us humble, by acquainting us with our frailty; they increase our strength, as a high wind makes the tree strike deeper root; they augment our charity, as the breeze makes the flame burn more fiercely; they afford us a means of expiating sin in this life; finally, they add to our glory hereafter, as the beauty of a jewel is enhanced by polishing. Thus we see that the tempter does us good service, and his temptations are steps in the ladder which leads to heaven. Therefore let him who is tempted rather pray for strength to resist the temptation than for its entire removal. We read that St. Paul thrice besought the Lord that the angel of Satan might depart from him, and asked in vain (2 Cor. 12:8).
God permits every man to be tempted, but He never permits us to be tempted beyond our strength.73
Temptations must come to every man. No one can be crowned unless he has conquered; no one can conquer unless he fight, and no one can fight without an adversary. Hence temptations must come. For this reason God subjected the angels to a probation, and also our first parents. And subsequently to the Fall trials have been the lot of mankind (witness Job and Tobias). “The life of man upon earth is a warfare” (Job vii. 1). The Apostle compares the Christian to one who runs in a race (1 Cor. 9:25). “Yet God will not suffer us to be tempted above that which we are able to bear” (1 Cor. 10:13). The devil can only tempt man within the limit God sets him, as we learn from the history of Job. And when God permits violent temptations to assail us, He gives grace sufficient to enable us to withstand them (2 Cor. 12:9). The stronger the temptation, the more abundant is the grace; the greater the danger, the more potent the divine assistance. No sinner can venture to say as his excuse that the temptation was too great for him to resist.
3. We ought to protect ourselves from temptation by assiduous work, by keeping our thoughts fixed upon God, and by continual self-conquest.74
In order to hold a fortress against the enemy two things are necessary: (1) Strong fortifications and well-guarded gates; (2) In case of attack valiant defense. In like manner we must protect our soul, to prevent the entrance of the evil enemy. Our fortifications will be: Continual occupation; this is the surest means of holding temptations aloof. Thieves do not break into a house where work is going on. Idleness is the parent of crime. We shall also find it easy to resist temptation, if we keep our mind fixed on God. A traveler journeying towards a fixed destination meets with few difficulties on his way, whereas the vagrant, wandering hither and thither, is sure to get in trouble. So it is with the Christian who makes God his final end, and one who has no aim in life. Hence Christ exhorts us: “Watch ye and pray, that you enter not into temptation” (Matt. 26:41). Wolves do not approach a watch fire and the devil leaves those alone who are on their guard. When Moses stood with arms uplifted to God, Israel was victorious; but when through weariness he let them fall, that moment the enemy prevailed. The majority of the sins good people commit come from forgetfulness of God’s presence; the habit of self-control also greatly helps us to conquer temptation. He who is accustomed to repress his impulses is like a soldier, well trained in the use of arms before he goes to battle. Practice in self-conquest strengthens the will. But attachment to creatures makes a man an easy prey to the devil; just as one who carries a heavy load cannot run away when robbers attack him.
4. When we are tempted we ought to betake ourselves immediately to prayer, or think of our last end, or of the evil consequences of sin.75
If the enemy dares to attack the fortress in spite of the ramparts raised about it, it behooves us to defend it manfully. When assailed we must instantly assume the defensive; for of all things it is most important to repulse the first onslaught. The greater our determination, the sooner will our adversary be discouraged. If we falter, he will force an entrance, and gain the mastery over our imagination. He acts like soldiers, who when they have taken the enemy’s guns, instantly turn them upon him. St. Jerome says that he who does not resist immediately is already half conquered. A conflagration can be extinguished at the outset, but not later on. A young tree is easily bent, not an old one. But since we can do nothing in our own strength, we must strive to obtain divine grace. Wherefore let him who is tempted have recourse to prayer; let him imitate the apostles when a storm arose on the sea of Genesareth; or the child who, when he sees a large dog coming, runs to his mother, He who neglects prayer in the time of temptation is like a general, who, when surrounded by the enemy, does not ask for reinforcements from his monarch. Adam fell into sin because when he was tempted he did not look to God for help. We should say a Hail Mary, or at least devoutly utter the holy names of Jesus and Mary. “These holy names,” St. John Chrysostom declares, “have an intrinsic power over the devil, and are a terror to hell.” At the name of Mary the devils tremble with fear; when she is invoked their power forsakes them as wax melts before the fire. Prayer is the weapon wherewith to ward off the assaults of our spiritual foe; it is more potent than all the efforts of the demons because by prayer we procure the assistance of God, and nothing can withstand His might. Prayer is exactly opposed to temptation for it enlightens the understanding and fortifies the will. The sign of the cross and holy, water have also great efficacy against the spirit of evil. He flies from the cross as a dog flies at the sight of the whip. Holy water derives its efficacy from the prayers of the Church. St. Thomas Aquinas and many other saints frequently made use of the sign of the cross with excellent results. St. Teresa on the other hand constantly employed holy water. It is well to sprinkle the sick and dying with holy water, and we should never omit to take it on entering a church. A second means of conquering temptations is to turn our thoughts elsewhere, above all to think of the last things: of death, of the judgment, of eternal punishment. “Remember thy last end and thou shalt never sin” (Sir. 7:40). Or we may consider the terrible consequences of sin. The Romans used to say: “Whatever thou doest, act wisely and think of the end.” In some cases, especially when temptations against the faith or against purity present themselves, the wiser course is to despise the temptation rather than grapple with it. Proud people, like the devil, are soonest got rid of by ignoring them altogether. If the passer-by takes no notice of the dog, he soon leaves off barking. If one keeps still the bees do not harm him, but if one drives them off, then they sting. Again, we may follow Our Lord’s example, and resolutely forbid the tempter to remain. Christ repulsed him with the words: “Begone, Satan” (Matt. 4:10). St. James bids us: “Resist the devil and he will fly from you” (Jas. 4:7). One may also retort upon the tempter by quoting the word of God, as Our Lord did (Eph. 6:17). St. Peter says: “Whom resist ye, strong in faith” (1 Pet. 5:9). Another means of overcoming temptation is by humbling ourselves before God. “To the humble He giveth grace” (1 Pet. 5:5). St. Augustine in the hour of temptation was accustomed to exclaim: “Thou knowest, O Lord, that I am but dust and my frailty is great.” When we are pressed hard by temptation, it is well to confess to the priest those sins of our past life of which we are most ashamed; this is a sure means of repelling the severest temptations. It is advisable to acquaint one’s confessor with all one’s temptations. Satan would have us keep silence concerning them, whereas it is God’s will that we should discover them to our superiors and spiritual guides, for if sinful thoughts are disclosed, the temptation is already half overcome. To open its griefs gives, moreover, great relief to the troubled heart.76
5. He who has conquered temptation will receive more graces from God.
When we have driven away the spirit of evil, the holy angels come and console us. We read that when the tempter had left Our Lord angels came and ministered to Him (Matt. 4:11). Fierce temptations are generally the precursors of special marks of the divine favor. Therefore, let us see that we make a good use of temptations, one and all. They are like examination at a school; examinations are not held every day, so the opportunity of gaining a prize does not come within the reach of the pupils every day.
1. By occasions of sin are meant such places, persons, or things which as a rule are the means of leading us into sin, if we go in quest of them.77
For instance, the society of the dissolute, the perusal of anti-religious books are an occasion of sin to every one; so is the drinking-saloon to the drunkard. Occasions of sin may be compared to a plague-stricken person, who gives the contagion to all who approach him; or to fire, which burns all that it touches, or to a stone in the way, which causes many to stumble.
Occasions of sin may be voluntary or involuntary.
The drinking-saloon is a voluntary occasion of sin to the inebriate, because nothing obliges him to frequent it; but to the landlord himself it is an involuntary one.
Everyone knows it is wrong to carry a burning torch into a place where hay, straw, and other inflammable materials are stored. To delight in occasions of evil and to fall into sin, St. Augustine declares to be one and the same thing. “He that loveth danger shall perish in it” (Sir. 3:27). “He that toucheth pitch shall be defiled with it” (Sir. 13:1).
In paradise Eve sinned by not going away from the tree. St. Augustine says our first parents ought not to have so much as touched the forbidden fruit. Cleomenes, King of Sparta, was once urged by a foreign prince to betray his country for a large sum of money. The king’s little daughter, hearing what was proposed, exclaimed: “Father, go quite away or the stranger will corrupt thee.” The king instantly left the room and would not suffer the stranger to enter his presence again. Let us be equally prompt in forsaking occasions of sin.
One who so acts has no contrition, that determinate turning away from creatures and turning to God, which is an indispensable condition for forgiveness of sin. Hence one who might give up an occasion of sin without great difficulty and does not do so, must not expect absolution from the priest. It is otherwise if giving up the occasion of sin involves loss of reputation, of property, of the means of livelihood; but even then he must promise either to abstain from the sin, or avoid the occasion of it. We know from Our Lord’s words that hell awaits those who will not forsake the occasions of sin: “If thy hand or thy foot scandalize thee, cut it off and cast it from thee. It is better for thee to go into life maimed or lame, than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into everlasting fire” (Matt. 18:8); that is to say, although any object be as dear to you as your hand or your foot, you must separate yourself from it, if it is an occasion of sin to you, or hell will be your portion. “What sacrifices men will make,” says St. Augustine, “to preserve their mortal life; they shrink from no expense, no humiliation; yet they will make no sacrifice for life immortal.” As a man consents to the amputation of his hand or foot if it is a question of saving his life, so the sinner must detach himself from what he loves best, in order to save his soul. Traders will cast all their merchandise into the sea to save the ship and their own lives from destruction; so we must part with all to which our heart clings most fondly, rather than imperil our eternal salvation.
Hence even the greatest saints did not venture lightly to expose themselves to the danger of sin.
Their watchword was: “Safety is in flight.” It is said that St. Peter on the outbreak of the persecution, fled from Rome, fearing lest he should again be tempted to deny Christ; not until Our Lord appeared to him outside the city gates did he venture to expose himself to the danger. And shall those who are the slaves of their senses consider vigilance to be superfluous? Will one who cannot swim dare to plunge into the water?
Those, however, who by reason of their calling or any other necessity, are compelled to expose themselves to occasions of sin, must put their trust in the protection of the Most High.
Officials, priests, doctors and others are often compelled by the duties of their office to incur many dangers. If they do not tempt God by presumption, they may count upon the assistance of His grace; but not so those who in an uncalled-for manner and without just cause expose themselves to the risk of sin.
5. The most common and the most dangerous occasions of sin are: liquor saloons, dancing saloons, bad theatres, bad periodicals, and bad novels.78
Someone may perhaps ask: Is one expected to live like a recluse or a misanthropist? St. Augustine answers this question: “Better and holier people than thou have forsworn those amusements; canst not thou do the same? The Christian’s pleasures are not taken from him, they are changed and ennobled.” Again he says: “How sweet it is to renounce the vain enjoyments of the world! I shrank from the obligation to forego them, and now I rejoice in having lost them.” “The worldling,” says St. Bernard, “sees our afflictions, but he knows not our consolations.” Those are no true joys which are not in God.
a. The liquor saloon is principally dangerous for those who go thither every day, and spend a long time there.
There is nothing sinful in frequenting a saloon as a recreation after the day’s work; in fact taverns are necessary for the entertainment of travelers. But one ought to be careful as to the character of the house one frequents, so as not to associate with hard drinkers, or men whose conversation is unseemly. Unfortunately those who spend much of their time in the saloon are apt to acquire the habit of drinking and gambling, to be involved in quarrels, and to neglect the duties of their calling.
b. The dancing saloon is chiefly a source of danger to those who carry dancing to an excess, or who have already been led into sin by it.
In the art of dancing there is nothing evil or reprehensible; it is in itself nothing more or less than an innocent means of enjoyment and relaxation, and of promoting good feeling and friendly intercourse among men. Among the Jews the dance was often made a part of divine worship; we read that when the Ark of the Covenant was removed, David danced with all his might before the Lord (2 Sam. 6:14). The Hebrew maidens performed round or processional dances on many religious festivals (Judg. 21:21; Exod. 15:20); and St. Basil and St. Gregory the Great state as their opinion that the angels move in the solemn measures of the dance before the throne of God in heaven. However the rule must be strictly observed of not dancing at prohibited times (in Advent or Lent)79 nor with persons of improper character (as is often the case at public balls), and of not taking part in dances which outrage modesty and decorum, as some do in the present day. Young people must, however, be warned against indulging in this amusement inordinately, as it has a tendency to arouse sensuality, to excite the passions, and lessen the sense of Christian modesty. Living as they did in heathen times, the Fathers of the Church denounced dancing in no measured terms. On the occasions of weddings, entertainments, or family gatherings, when dancing is proposed as the evening’s amusement, it would be unfriendly to refuse to take part. But those for whom dancing has often proved an occasion of sin, must if possible eschew it for the future; they may allege as an excuse that it is injurious to them.80
c. The theatre is a source of danger to those who frequent it, because some theatres are a school of vice rather than of virtue.
When dramas of an elevating and edifying nature are put upon the stage, plays in which virtue and innocence triumph, and heroic devotion to religion, the love of one’s country, the love of one’s neighbor, are held up to admiration, and the misery and shame attendant upon crime depicted in its true colors, the theatre becomes a school of morals. But good plays are rare: they ill suit the taste of the present day; and often they would be acted to an empty house. The majority of plays, more especially on the continent of Europe, are of a questionable tendency; in France, in Italy, vice—some illicit affection—is often represented upon the stage as attractive and delightful, while virtue is uninteresting and despicable. Even the freethinker Rousseau says that in the theatre our evil propensities are too often fostered and encouraged, our power to resist the force of our passions is diminished, we learn to regard work as irksome, and useful employment as distasteful. Moreover, it cannot be denied that the heated atmosphere of a crowded house and the late hours are prejudicial to the health of the habitual play-goer.
d. Bad periodicals are dangerous to all who read them; their effect is to gradually undermine the faith and awaken discontent in the minds of those who read them regularly; and whoever takes such journals, declares himself an enemy to religion.
The society papers of the day pander to the popular taste. Scandals in high life, political feuds, animadversions on the conduct of prominent persons, sneers at religious ordinances, the defense of wrong-doers, such is the pabulum too often provided for the reader. The writers in such papers are frequently those who have fallen low in the social scale. The Holy Father has said that a large proportion of the countless evils of the day and the unhappy condition of society are to be ascribed to the journals that issue from the press, and he exhorts the faithful to endeavor to counteract their corrupting influence by upholding those that are of an opposite tendency. Not only may this be done by subscribing to some Christian periodical, lending it to others, asking for it at reading-rooms and hotels, but by contributing letters and sending advertisements to journals of whose principles we approve. He who underrates the importance of the press displays little knowledge of the times in which he lives. The press is a gigantic power, especially since it has taken the telegraph and telephone into its service, and can thus supply the reader with the latest intelligence from all parts of the world. The daily papers are therefore taken in and eagerly read by all classes of society. And since, in addition to the latest news, they pronounce a verdict upon all questions of the day, concerning religion, politics, science, art, commerce, etc., the press is the great educator of the masses, the source whence the people derive their information and form their opinions. The press may well be said to be the organ of public opinion. Even as early as the commencement of the present century, when the press first began to be developed, the Emperor Napoleon spoke of it as a sixth great European power. He expressed himself thus because he was sensible of the influence exercised by the Rhine Mercury, which had just been started by Görres. Hence we learn how important a duty it is to support and encourage the Catholic press.
e. Bad novels are dangerous to all, for the novel-reader acquires a false and exaggerated view of life.
Indiscriminate novel-reading must be avoided, for a large proportion of works of fiction present poison in a golden goblet. Crime and vice, sins of immorality, are not only justified; they are arrayed in the most fascinating garb, depicted in the most charming colors. Thus they rouse and inflame the dormant passions of the human heart. A novelist once while being shown over a prison, was addressed by two young fellows. “You ought to be wearing these handcuffs instead of us,” they said to him, “for it was through you that we got here.” Many works of fiction are, it is true, of a perfectly harmless character. But even at the best the habitual reader of romances is transported into an unreal world, and is rendered incapable of judging justly of the world of actuality. Books of general interest, such as the lives of saints and of distinguished personages are far preferable to romances, for the facts they contain bear the stamp of truth, and are much more improving to the mind than fiction is.
VIII. THE SEVEN PRINCIPAL VIRTUES
AND THE SEVEN PRINCIPAL VICES
1. The humble man is he who acknowledges his own nothingness and the nothingness of all earthly things, and comports himself in accordance with this conviction.81
The heathen centurion at Capernaum displayed great humility when he said to Our Lord: “Lord, I am not worthy that Thou shouldst enter under my roof, but only say the word and my servant shall be healed” (Matt. 8:8). Notwithstanding his position, his wealth, his good works—he had built the Jews a synagogue—he thought nothing of himself. Humility is twofold; it consists of humility of the understanding, by which a man becomes conscious of his own abjection, and humility of the will, which causes him to manifest his consciousness in his conduct; he humbles himself, and takes the lowest place. That would be false humility which was merely external, not heartfelt. St. Bonaventure defines humility as voluntary self-abasement resulting from the knowledge of our own frailty.
We learn humility by the consideration of the infinite majesty of God and the transitory nature of earthly things.82
The poor man feels his poverty most keenly when he compares himself with his opulent neighbor. St. Augustine prayed for the knowledge of God, that he might thereby know himself. The majesty of God is most apparent in creation. In the firmament of heaven are many million orbs far surpassing in magnitude our earth, which is but a speck of dust in the universe. How insignificant then is each individual man! Must not the pride of every one be humbled at the sight of the endless myriads of worlds that people space, and which no man can count? And what is one single man among the hundreds of millions that inhabit the earth, not to speak of those that have lived in the past, and will live in the future. All earthly things pass away like a shadow and have no value before God. “The grave,” says St. John Chrysostom, “is the school wherein we learn humility.” Let no man pride himself on his riches; he may lose them in a single night; he must lose them at his death. Let no man pride himself on his physical beauty, for it may be disfigured by disease, and after death will be the prey of worms. Let no man pride himself upon his knowledge; how soon he forgets what he has learned, and how immeasurable is the amount of what he does not know! A philosopher of antiquity used to say: “All I know is that I know nothing.” “If it seem to thee that thou knowest many things and understandest them well enough, know at the same time that there are many more things of which thou art ignorant” (Imitation, Book 1, ch. 2). Besides all our knowledge is ignorance compared with the infinite wisdom of God. Let no man pride himself upon earthly honor, for today the people cry “Hosanna,” and to-morrow “Crucify him.” How shortlived is the power and prestige of earthly potentates (witness Napoleon). Let no man pride himself even upon the graces he has received from God, for they may be withdrawn at any moment, and they increase his responsibility. Neither let him pride himself upon his good works, for God has no need of his goods (Ps. 15[16]:2). After we have done all, we are unprofitable servants (Luke 17:10). Whatever therefore a man may possess, he in reality possesses nothing or next to nothing. The humble man is no hypocrite; he only forms a just estimate of things.
The humble man conducts himself in the following manner: He delights in abasement, he does not attach his heart to transitory good things, he trusts wholly in God, and does not fear man.
The humble man delights in abasement; he never unnecessarily attracts attention to himself, i.e., he avoids ostentation and singularity in his demeanor and deportment, in his conversation, his gestures, at prayer, in dress, at table. He never seeks to make his humility conspicuous by downcast eyes, a slouching gait, a dejected mien; he is humble of heart, like Our Lord; he only allows his humility to be observed when occasion requires, and then only simply and unaffectedly. He is not always calling himself the chief of sinners; uncalled for self-blame generally betokens pride. Furthermore he hides his talents, for he knows that what man reveals God conceals, and what man disclaims, God proclaims. St. Anthony of Padua concealed his great erudition until God made it known. The humble man does not think himself better than others; he esteems others above himself (Phil. 2:3). He does not publish the failings of others, he does not choose the highest place (Luke 14:10); on the contrary, he rejoices in being slighted, despised, humiliated, knowing that for this God will exalt him (Luke 14:10). Thus it was with the publican in the Temple (Luke 18:13); the humble man aspires only after eternal treasures, and does not attach his heart to what is transitory. Earthly good things, riches, dignities, pleasures, the praise of men, do not allure him; he is aware that he is none the better for them in God’s sight, and they may prove his ruin. Earthly sufferings, contempt, reproaches, ridicule, persecution, do not dishearten him; he glories in them, because they enable him to earn heaven. He despises contempt, because it cannot harm him. Thus St. Paul writes: “To me it is a very small thing to be judged by you, or by man’s day” (1 Cor. 4:3). The humble man trusts in God alone. Conscious of his own weakness he does not confide in his own strength, but only in the aid of divine grace; as Joseph did when required to interpret Pharaoh’s dream (Gen. 41:16). He does not take to himself the credit even of his virtues and good works, but ascribes all to God, knowing that it is God Who worketh in Him; as the sun calls vegetable life into being upon the earth. Yet he is ready to acknowledge the favors God confers on him, saying with the blessed Mother of God: “He that is mighty hath done great things to me” (Luke 1:49). The recognition of these favors makes him grateful to God and increases his love of God. “No one,” says St. Teresa, “will do great things for God, who does not know that God has done great things for him.” The humble man does not fear men, because, far from being cast down by any humiliation he may meet with at their hands he rejoices in it. Besides he knows that he is in God’s safekeeping, and to them that love God all things work together for good (Rom. 8:28). Discouragement and pusillanimity are not characteristics of true humility.
2. Christ gave us in Himself the grandest example of humility, for He, being the Son of God, took the form of a servant, chose to live in great lowliness, was most condescending in His intercourse with men, and finally, voluntarily endured the ignominious death of the cross.83
Christ emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, i.e., human nature (Phil. 2:7). In the Sacrament of the Altar He even takes the form of bread. And at the baptism of Our Lord the Holy Spirit assumed the shape of an animal, the dove. The prophets, in predicting the coming of Christ spoke of Him under the designation of the Lamb of God. Thus we see how almighty God humbles Himself. Our Lord lived in great lowliness; He chose for His birthplace not a royal palace but a stable; for His Mother, not a queen but a poor maiden; for His foster-father a humble carpenter; for His dwelling-place an obscure town; for His apostles, not the philosophers and sages of the world, but simple and unlearned fishermen. In His intercourse with men Our Lord was most humble; He encouraged children to approach Him, He even conversed with sinners (e.g., the Samaritan woman, Mary Magdalen, the woman taken in adultery); at the Last Supper He washed His disciples’ feet, and made not the slightest objection to go to the house of the centurion, when the latter entreated Him to cure his servant (Matt. 8:7). Crucifixion was at that time the most ignominious death by which a man could die, yet Christ chose that very death for Himself; showing by His own actions that humility is the royal road to God.
In His teaching also Our Lord exhorts us constantly to the practice of humility. “He that is the greatest among you shall be your servant” (Matt. 23:11), and again: “When you shall have done all these things that are commanded you say: We are unprofitable servants” (Luke 17:10).84
Moreover He commends humility in the parable of the Pharisee and the publican (Luke 18:13). On one occasion he took a child and said: “Whosoever shall humble himself as this little child, he is the greater in the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 18:4). He presents Himself to us as a pattern of this virtue: “Learn of Me, because I am meek and humble of Heart, and you shall find rest to your souls” (Matt. 11:29). Finally, He promises that the humble shall be exalted (Luke 14:11), and shall enter into the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 5:3).
3. Humility leads to great sanctity, to exaltation, and to everlasting felicity.85
Furthermore through it we obtain enlightenment of the understanding, true peace of mind, forgiveness of sin, a speedy answer to prayer, and are enabled to overcome temptation without difficulty.
God is with the humble. If any one has a lowly opinion of himself, and considers himself inferior to others, it is an unfailing proof that the Holy Spirit dwells within him. In the first place the humble man attains a high degree of perfection. The more humble he is the more perfect he is, and vice versa. Well-filled ears of corn bend downwards, the thin ears hold their heads aloft. Empty vessels make the most sound. “He who thinks much of himself,” says St. Teresa, “thinks much of little; he who thinks little of himself, thinks little of much.” Humility is the surest test of sanctity. St. Philip Neri was once sent by the Holy Father to a convent in the vicinity of Rome one of whose inmates enjoyed a reputation for sanctity, in order to test the truth of that report. As soon as he entered the parlor, he requested the nun in question to clean his boots, which were covered with mud. She replied in no very courteous manner that she was unaccustomed to such work. St. Philip returned to the Pope and said: “She is no saint and works no miracles, for she lacks what is most essential, humility.” Humility leads to exaltation. Our Lord says: “Every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted” (Luke 14:11). No man can ascend who has not first descended. “Be humbled in the sight of God and He will exalt you” (Jas. 4:10). The blessed Mother of God attributed all the graces she received from God to her humility: “He hath regarded the humility of His handmaiden; for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed” (Luke 1:48). Honor pursues him who flies from her, humility leads to everlasting felicity. Our Lord says: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:3). The gate of heaven is narrow, and only little ones, i.e., the humble, can pass through. Humility is also a means of obtaining enlightenment of the mind through the Holy Spirit. The humble alone can enter into the spirit of Our Lord’s teaching. He Himself says: “I confess to Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them to little ones” (Matt. 11:25). St. Peter says: “God resisteth the proud, but to the humble He giveth graces” (1 Pet. 5:5). The communications of the Most High are with the simple (Prov. 3:32), that is, He enlightens his mind. Hence it is that the poor and unlearned sometimes have a truer knowledge of the things of God than the learned. The shepherds were informed of Christ’s birth, the Scribes and Pharisees were not. He must stoop who desires to draw water out of the fountains of God’s grace. St. Teresa says that one day in which we humble ourselves before God is more fruitful in graces than many days spent in prayer. The humble man attains true peace of mind. Our Lord says: “Learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly of Heart, and you shall find rest to your souls” (Matt. 29). The humble are not lifted up by prosperity nor cast down by adversity. The humble man obtains forgiveness of sins. The publican who smote upon his breast and said: “God, be merciful to me a sinner,” went down to his house justified (Luke 18:13). The humble man obtains a speedy answer to prayer. “The prayer of him that humbleth himself shall pierce the clouds” (Sir. 35:21). The humble man overcomes temptation without difficulty. Humility is the most powerful weapon wherewith to vanquish the devil. It is the virtue he most fears, for it is the only one which he is unable to imitate.
2. THE OPPOSITE OF HUMILITY: PRIDE
1. He is proud who overestimates his own worth, or the value of his earthly possessions, and shows openly that he does so.86
The giant Goliath was proud; he exalted himself overmuch (1 Sam. 17). Many a one overrates the worth of his body, is proud of his fine physique, the beauty of his features; others over-rate the worth of their wealth, their learning, their birth, the virtues they imagine themselves to possess, etc. The proud man resembles the devil, or a drunkard, for pride is a kind of intoxication which fills one with strange fancies and makes one talk in a foolish manner and do irrational things. Pride is like a bubble that looks large, but whose size is deceptive; it is a color which fades in the sun, for the proud will appear in all their native vileness when, after death, they stand in the light of the Sun of justice. They are like the frog in the fable who puffed himself out in the hope of appearing as large as the ox.
The proud man manifests the undue opinion he has of himself in the following manner: He tries to attract notice by his conversation and his dress, he strives after honor, distinctions, and earthly riches, he despises the assistance and grace of God, and relies only on himself and on earthly things.
Pride is a mimicry of God. The proud man desires to appear greater than he is. If he has done anything good, he boasts loudly of it, as a hen cackles when she has laid an egg. Sometimes he speaks depreciatingly of himself, but only in the hope of hearing others praise him the more. He slanders others and thinks evil of them, as the Pharisee did in the Temple (Luke 18:11). Pride makes itself manifest in dress; the proud dress above their station, they dress showily, in the latest fashion, and wear a great many unnecessary ornaments. The people who attach so much importance to dress are not as a rule the most virtuous. They are extravagant, hard-hearted to the poor, and deceitful, for by dressing unsuitably to their class they give themselves out for what they are not. Love of dress often leads to worse sins, for those who spend so much care on the adornment of their person lose sight of their final end, and lead a godless life. He who stands well in God’s sight has no need of choice and costly apparel; good and holy people have generally dressed in a simple, quiet manner. The Emperor Heraclius found that he could not carry the true cross, which had been recovered from the Saracens, back to Jerusalem, until he had laid aside his rich garments; an unseen hand held him back. One ought however to dress properly and suitably to one’s position, and have a strict regard to cleanliness. The proud pursue honors as boys hunt after butterflies; and when they have gained them, they exult as loudly as if they had achieved something wonderful, although they have nothing to boast of in reality; for the honor and applause of men are like the morning dew, glittering with rainbow tints, but quickly disappearing in the sun, or like smoke which the wind carries away, flow foolish are they who covet earthly glory! The proud man despises the help and grace of God, and relies upon himself alone, trusting in the things of earth. He is his own deity. “The beginning of the pride of man is to fall off from God” (Sir. 10:14). The proud neglect prayer and the ordinances of religion; they are not sensible of their own sinfulness and misery, or if they are they will not apply to the physician, but try to heal themselves. Hence it is that God is the enemy of the proud. “God resisteth the proud” (1 Pet. 5:5). Pride is hateful before God and man (Sir. 10:7).
Pride leads to all manner of vices. Pride is the beginning of all sin (Sir. 10:15), the parent of vice; many and evil are her progeny. Pride leads more especially to disobedience (witness Absalom); to cruelty (as in Herod’s case, to the murder of the innocents), to apostasy (as with Luther, who was offended because he was slighted at Rome); to strife, envy, ingratitude and impurity. God punishes secret pride by open sin. He permits the proud to fall into sin in order that they may be humbled and amend. He who has vanquished pride has vanquished all other vices. When Goliath fell, the Philistines took to flight; when the root is torn up the tree withers. Pride leads to degradation. “He that exalteth himself shall be humbled” (Luke 14:11). The lightning strikes what is highest; a lofty tree is often struck down by the bolt. Apply that to the proud. Aman, the chief minister of the King of Persia, persecuted the Jews and arrogated to himself regal honors; he ended by being hung on a gibbet (Esth. 7:10). King Herod was delighted at being called a god; he was eaten of worms and died (Acts 12:22). God hath overturned the thrones of proud princes (Sir. 10:17). He often chastises the pride of nations, and even destroys them altogether (witness the fall of the Roman empire). God even abolishes the memory of the proud (Sir. 10:21) (witness the destruction of the tower of Babel). Abasement and disgrace follow in the footsteps of pride. Pride also leads to eternal damnation. It was the cause of the angels being cast out of heaven, and our first parents being expelled from paradise. As one scale in a balance drops as the other rises, so those will be abased in the world to come who exalt themselves in this world. Pride destroys the value of our good works. The proud have received their reward already (Matt. 6:5). Pride pulls down the structure that justice raises. As a drop of gall spoils the flavor of the most delicious wine, so pride ruins virtue. It is like the little worm that caused Jonah’s ivy to wither. Whatever good a man may have done, if he pride himself upon it, he is utterly destitute.
1. Obedience consists in being ready to fulfil the behest of one’s superior.87
Thus obedience does not merely consist in doing what is commanded, but in being ready and willing to do what is commanded. Many obey, but obey grudgingly; in that case obedience is no virtue. Moreover obedience is not a virtue unless it is for God’s sake that one subjects one’s will to that of another. Abraham was a pattern of obedience when he offered up Isaac. The Son of God Himself practiced obedience, for He was subject to two of His creatures, Mary and Joseph. The Creator of all things obeyed an artisan, the Lord of glory a lowly maiden. Who ever heard or saw anything to compare with that? Christ was moreover obedient to His heavenly Father even to the death of the cross (Phil. 2:8). By the obedience of one many shall be made just (Rom. 5:19). “I admire,” says St. Francis de Sales, “the Infant of Bethlehem; He is all-powerful, and yet does whatever He is told without a word.”
a. Children are required to obey their parents, or those who hold the place of parents to them, wives their husbands, servants their masters, and all men those who are placed in authority over them, whether ecclesiastical or secular rulers.88
In order to unite all His creatures to a harmonious whole God has established a certain relationship between them, and mutual dependence. The moon revolves round the earth and the planets of our solar system around the sun. The angels stand in the same relationship to one another as men do on earth. In the Fourth Commandment God enjoins upon children obedience to their parents; this is due to them as being God’s representatives. St. Paul says: “Children, obey your parents in all things” (Col. 3:20). And again: “Those who are disobedient to parents are worthy of death” (Rom. 1:30). Teachers are the parents’ representatives. Wives must obey their husbands, for so God has appointed. He said to Eve after the Fall: “Thou shalt be under thy husband’s power, and he shall have dominion over thee” (Gen. 3:16). The very origin of the woman proves her subjection to man, for she was made of his flesh. As a mark of this reality the woman’s head must be covered (1 Cor. 11:7). St. Peter teaches servants their duty towards their masters in the following words: “Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward” (1 Pet. 2:18). Our Lord admonishes us to obey our ecclesiastical superiors, saying: “Whoso will not hear the Church, let him be to thee as the heathen and the publican” (Matt. 18:17). Because of the obedience required of Christians, he calls them sheep and those who are set over them pastors. We ought also to obey the secular authorities, because they have their power from God. St. Paul says: “There is no power but from God, and those that are, are ordained of God. Therefore he that resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God” (Rom. 13:1–2).
b. Yet obedience has certain limits; we are not required to obey our superiors in matters that are not within their jurisdiction, and we ought not to obey them if they command us to do what the law of God forbids.89
(This subject is fully treated of under the head of the Fourth Commandment.)
2. Obedience is the most difficult and at the same time the most excellent of all the moral virtues (St. Thomas Aquinas).90
Obedience is the most difficult of virtues because all men are naturally inclined to command, and disinclined to obey. “Obedience,” says St. Bonaventure, “is the sacrifice of one’s own will, and it is a great sacrifice for man, when what is commanded is contrary to his inclination and to his advantage.” By obedience the understanding does penance; it is a kind of moral martyrdom. Original sin is the cause why men are under the yoke and dominion of one another. Where sin enters freedom is dethroned, and servitude takes its place. Obedience is the most excellent of all virtues. Man can offer to almighty God nothing greater than the submission of his will to that of another for God’s sake. Obedience is the most acceptable burnt-offering that we can sacrifice to God upon the altar of the heart. Obedience is better than sacrifices (1 Sam. 15:22); and for this reason, in a sacrifice we offer the flesh of another; in obedience the oblation is our own will, our own self.
3. By our obedience we accomplish the will of God most surely, and we attain certainly and quickly to a high degree of perfection.91
By obedience we accomplish the will of God most surely, for our superiors are God’s representatives, therefore their commands are God’s commands. Thus we serve as to the Lord and not to men (Eph. 5:7). We ought not to consider who it is who issues the behest, but only the will of God which is made known to us by the mouth of our superior. He who obeys will not be required to give an account of what he has done; the one who commands has to do that. Obedience gives value to all that we do. The simplest action done out of obedience has greater value in God’s sight than the most austere works of penance. Eating and sleeping, if done in obedience to the will of God, are more pleasing to him than the voluntary fasts and vigils of the hermit. By obedience we attain certainly and quickly to a high degree of perfection. Obedience is the means of avoiding many sins. It is the antidote to pride. By the practices of the other virtues we combat the spirits of evil, by obedience we vanquish them. And this is just, for since they fell through disobedience, by our obedience we show our superiority to them. St. Augustine calls obedience the greatest of virtues; it is the parent and source of every other virtue. St. Teresa declares that no path leads so quickly to the summit of perfection as the path of obedience; hence the evil enemy endeavors by all means to deter us from the practice of this virtue. Obedience is the key that opens the portals of heaven, the ship that carries us into the celestial harbor. Disobedience closed heaven and opened hell; obedience on the other hand opens heaven and closes hell. “Learn,” says St. Francis de Sales, “to comply willingly with the wishes of thy equals, and thus thou wilt learn to fulfil cheerfully the commands of thy superiors.” Above all, when you have to obey, obey promptly, do not stop to deliberate; for reasoning is only a hindrance to obedience. Remember that Eve began to waver as soon as she allowed herself to argue about the divine command.
1. Disobedience consists in not fulfilling the commands of one’s superiors.92
Our first parents in paradise are an instance of disobedience. He who does not obey his superiors, is like a palsied limb, which does not move as the will commands.
2. Disobedience brings temporal misfortune and eternal misery upon man.
Even in this world misery is the result of disobedience. Think of the fatal consequences of original sin! Adam’s offence was the means of bringing evil upon all his posterity. Pharaoh’s disobedience brought sad calamities upon himself and his subjects; remember the plagues of Egypt and the destruction of the king and his army in the Red Sea. The prophet Jonah had bitter cause to rue his disobedience. Eternal perdition is also the consequence of disobedience. God rejects the disobedient, as the money-changer rejects a counterfeit coin. The disobedient must expect a severe sentence in the Day of Judgment, for in despising their superiors, they have despised, not them, but Him Whose representatives they are. Disobedience deprives us of all merit. No virtue is acceptable to God if it is marred by the stain of disobedience; it then is changed from a virtue to a vice. Disobedience also deprives us of many graces which we might have obtained through obedience.
5. PATIENCE, MEEKNESS, PEACEABLENESS
1. Patience consists in preserving one’s serenity of mind amid all the contrarieties of this life for the love of God.93
Some persons are patient in order to make themselves admired. Many on the other hand, accept cheerfully only a part of their suffering: e.g., they will endure sickness patiently, but they cannot endure to be a burden to others on account of it. That is not being truly patient. Our Lord affords us the most exalted example of patience in His Passion. Our heavenly Father also exhibits Himself to us as a model of patience, for He bears with sinners, even with those who provoke His justice, as perjurers and blasphemers do. Job and Tobias were remarkable for their patience. The patient man is like a rock in the ocean, on which the waves break. Again, he may be compared to a lamb, which does not utter a sound when it is slain.
The trials of life in which it specially behooves us to maintain our tranquillity of mind are: Sickness and reverses, relapse into sin, the pressure of many and onerous duties appertaining to our calling.
Sickness and reverses are not really calamities; they are graces. God sends them upon us for the good of our souls. We ought therefore to welcome them. We must not be irritated with ourselves if by reason of our frailty we relapse into our old sins, and thus are forced to acknowledge that there is more of the human than of the angelic nature about us. We must have as much patience with ourselves as with our fellow-men. Our Lord says: “Bring forth fruit in patience” (Luke 8:15). We must not lose our equanimity when our work is pressing and difficult. Excitement creates haste, and hastiness always does harm, just as an overflowing stream, or violent rain, destroys and devastates. We ought to imitate the angels who minister to man without disquiet or hurry. We ought also to wait with patience for the end of our life and our entrance upon eternal felicity (Rom. 8:25).
Tranquillity of mind is displayed by not yielding to anger, or to sadness, or complaining to any great extent and calling for the commiseration of others.
We ought not to yield to anger. Anger obscures the reason and makes an act unjustly. “The anger of man worketh not the justice of God” (Jas. 1:20). Nor ought the tribulations of this life to render us sad. There is indeed a sadness which is pleasing to God, that which is caused by the loss of eternal things. Our Lord says: “Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matt. 5:5). But the sorrow of the world, i.e., that of the worldling over the loss of mundane things, worketh death (2 Cor. 7:10). “Sadness hath killed many, and there is no profit in it” (Sir. 30:25). It is, however, allowable to complain on account of severe physical or mental suffering, so long as we submit to the will of God. Our Lord uttered complaints about people’s lack of faith; our heavenly Father frequently complained of the conduct of sinners by the mouth of the prophets. But a medium must be observed; we must not lament over trifles, nor let our complaining be prolonged or exaggerated; to do so is to evince selfishness or cowardice. Complain to God as long and as loudly as you will, for your complaints are an appeal to Him for help, and consequently are pleasing to Him. But if you fill a fellow-creature’s ear with the sad tale of all your care, he will soon weary of your conversation. Not so God; He is ever ready to hear you, and to impart to you such consolation as will cause you to forget all your sorrow. Our Lord says: “Come unto Me, all you that labor and are burdened, and I will refresh you” (Matt. 11:28).
2. Patience produces many virtues and leads to salvation.94
St. Teresa says that if we bear slight things patiently, we shall acquire courage and strength to bear great things. The patient man displays fortitude equal to that of the martyrs. Patience is the guardian of all the virtues, for there are obstacles to be encountered in every good work, and they can only be overcome by patience. St. Gregory the Great declares that by unwavering patience the crown of martyrdom may be acquired without the sword. The patient man is greater than he who works miracles. Patience leads to salvation. “In your patience you shall possess your souls” (Luke 21:19). Fragile things are not so likely to be broken if they are wrapped in wool, nor are our souls so likely to be lost if they are safeguarded by patience. The patient man is like a ship at anchor in a peaceful harbor, protected from the stormy waves of the ocean.
3. If we would bear with patience the trials of life, let us place Our Lord’s Passion before our eyes; let us also consider that sufferings are a favor from God.95
Think upon the Passion of Christ. He drank of the bitter cup, in order to overcome our repugnance to drink of it; He suffered first, that we might not fear suffering. Frequently think of Christ crucified; your sufferings cannot be compared with His, either in intensity or in number. A soldier scarcely feels his hurt, if he sees his general to be severely wounded. “Let the sick man,” says St. Francis de Sales, “offer his pains to God, and pray Him to accept them in union with the sufferings of Christ.” Remember the words the archangel Raphael said to Tobias: “Because thou wast acceptable to God, it was necessary that temptation should prove thee” (Tob. 12:14). Without suffering there is no salvation, for “through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:21). As the bitter pill is coated with sugar to render it palatable, so when we look forward to the rich recompense in store for us the chalice of suffering loses its bitterness. The laborer could not labor all day long without the anticipation of the wages to be paid him, and the thought of our eternal reward enables us to bear the trials of life with patience. Think of the martyrs, and of others who have greater afflictions than you, and your thorns will lose their sharpness. Beware of losing merit by impatience; remember that you must suffer, either willingly or unwillingly; if you suffer willingly, you will earn great merit; if unwillingly, you do not diminish, but only add to your suffering. Patience is displayed pre-eminently by meekness and peaceableness.
1. Meekness consists in showing, for the love of God, no irritation when wrong is done us.96
Many persons are meek through timidity or for convenience’ sake, but that is no virtue. One who is meek does not excite himself when he is wronged, i.e., he bears injustice in silence, and is polite and obliging to the offender. There is something divine in meekness. God Himself is infinitely long-suffering; He does not exert His almighty power against transgressors. He bears with the sinner, and gives him ample time for repentance. God appeared to Moses in the burning bush (Exod. 3), to Elijah He spoke by the whistling of a gentle wind (1 Kings 19:12). This was not without a deep significance. The Holy Spirit also assumed the form of a dove, and Our Lord proclaimed Himself by the mouth of the prophets to be the Lamb of God (Jer. 11:19). Who can fail to be astonished at the meekness of God when we behold the Redeemer upon the cross? Meekness is agreeable to the Lord (Sir. 1:35). God chose Moses on account of his meekness and sanctified him (Sir. 45:4).
2. By meekness we gain power over our fellow-men, we attain peace of mind, and eternal salvation.97
Our Lord says: “Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the land” (Matt. 5:4), that is they shall gain command over others. Those who are meek gain the affections of their fellow-men, and render them kindly disposed. If one who is incensed against another is met with meekness, his anger vanishes as darkness is dispelled on the rising of the sun. A mild answer breaketh wrath (Prov. 15:1). Bad men may be won by kindness. He who subdues anger within himself will be able to conquer it in others also. A good example of the effect of meekness is given by the conduct of Blessed Clement Hofbauer when he was collecting alms for orphan children in Warsaw. Going up to a group of men at a card table in an hotel he asked them for a donation. One of the card-players spat in his face. Hofbauer quietly wiped his face, and said: “That, sir, was for myself; I ask you now for something for my poor children.” The man was greatly ashamed, and gave Hofbauer all the money he had about him; what is more, a few days later he went to him and made a general confession. St. Francis Xavier was stoned by the Indians while he was preaching. He went on without taking the slightest notice. The Indians who had thrown the stones were so amazed at his meekness that they were the first to be baptized. He who has complete mastery over himself will find all the world subject to him. Far more is done by meekness than by anger. “One catches more flies,” says St. Francis de Sales, “with an ounce of honey, than with tons of vinegar.” If two hard substances strike against one another, a loud crash ensues, but if a hard substance comes against what is soft, scarce a sound is heard. One must bear with the irate as one bears with the sick, for anger is a moral malady. “Anger resteth in the bosom of a fool” (Eccles. vii. 10). By meekness we gain peace of mind. For Our Lord says: “Learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly of Heart, and you shall find rest to your souls” (Matt. 11:29). Consequently the meek are always cheerful. By meekness we gain eternal salvation. The land promised by Christ to the meek is heaven (Ps. 36[37]:11). There was a servant who could not control his angry temper, despite all his master’s rebukes and admonitions. One day the latter promised him half a dollar if he would not utter an angry word all day long. The man refrained from a single outburst, although his fellow-servants were extremely provoking. When his master gave him the half dollar at night, he said: “If you can conquer yourself for the sake of so paltry a sum, how is it that you cannot do so in view of an eternal reward?” These words had the effect the speaker desired; he had no cause to complain of the man in future.
3. Meekness can only be acquired by the diligent practice of self-control.98
St. Francis de Sales, naturally of a choleric temperament, attained in the course of twenty years such perfect mastery over himself that he was thought to be phlegmatic by nature.
4. We ought to behave with meekness towards those with whom we live, and superiors ought to be gentle towards their inferiors.99
It is especially incumbent upon us to be meek in our intercourse with those with whom we live. Some do not observe this rule; they are angels abroad and devils at home. Superiors ought to show meekness towards their subordinates; but meekness in them is called gentleness. More is done by gentleness than by severity. For the human mind is so constituted that it resists force and yields to mildness. Superiors should be rigorous to themselves and lenient towards those under them. Meekness was the chief characteristic of the apostles. Our Lord said to them: “Behold, I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves” (Matt. 10:16). It ought also to be the chief characteristic of the Christian; for Christ speaks of the faithful as sheep (John 10:1), or lambs (John 21:15); both these animals are remarkably gentle.
1. Peaceableness consists in willingly making a sacrifice for the sake of remaining at peace with one’s neighbor, or reconciling one’s self with him.100
Abraham was content to take the worst portion of the land, in order to keep the peace with Lot’s servants (Gen. 13). St. Francis de Sales was unjustly expelled from a lodging he had taken in Home; he quitted it without a murmur, and the next night a hurricane destroyed the house. St. Ignatius of Loyola, when returning from Palestine, was rudely refused a passage in the ship on which he wished to embark. That vessel sank on its way to Europe; the one in which he sailed got safely to port. Peace is invaluable to mankind. The angels who announced the birth of Christ could wish nothing better to man (Luke 2:14). Our Lord promised to give His peace to His apostles (John 14:27), and He saluted them with the words: “Peace be to you” (John 20:26). This was also the salutation He placed upon their lips when He sent them forth to preach (Matt. 10:12). All the good things of this world cannot please us, if we are not at peace, for without peace we can enjoy nothing. Peacemakers are like God; He is not the God of dissension, but of peace (1 Cor. 14:33). He is the Lord of peace (2 Thess. 3:16). The prophets foretold His coming as the Prince of peace (Is. 9:6). And at the birth of Christ the temple of Janus was closed, because peace reigned everywhere.
2. Peacemakers enjoy the special protection of God, and receive a hundredfold as the reward of all that they give up for the sake of peace.101
Our Lord says: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God” (Matt. 5:9). God will replace a hundredfold all that we surrender for the sake of peace. We have seen how St. Francis de Sales and St, Ignatius were saved from disaster and death through their love of peace. Not only in this world, but also in the life to come, does God reward us for all that we do for His sake (Mark 10:29). Forgiveness and forbearance are better than contention and complaining.
We ought to put up with a great deal for the sake of peace. “Bear ye one another’s burdens” (Gal. 6:2). Many people are peaceable as long as no one interferes with them, and all goes on in accordance with their will; but the slightest contradiction irritates them terribly. Such people are like stagnant water, which is all well enough as long as it is left alone; but stir it up, and it emits a most unpleasant odor. We ought also carefully to avoid everything that may stir up contention. One should never contradict anyone without a good reason. St. Teresa bids us never to enter upon a strife of words about matters of no importance, especially at one’s own fire-side. A ship in which the timbers are not well joined will sink; so every community will fall to pieces whose members are not welded together with the bonds of love. However, one must not for the sake of peace omit or give up anything which God commands; that is not the peace God desires; hence Our Lord says: “Do not think that I came to send peace upon earth; I came not to send peace but the sword” (Matt. 10:34). Some people will not let you be at peace with them unless you acquiesce in their evil deeds, such peace is unlawful.
6. THE OPPOSITE OF MEEKNESS: WRATH
1. Wrath consists in exciting one’s self about something at which one is displeased.
The man who is in a rage is more like a beast than a man. His countenance is distorted, he gnashes his teeth, raises his voice, gesticulates wildly, stamps with his feet and knocks things over, etc. Were he to look in the glass, he would hardly know himself. Those who are of a choleric temperament carry their anger about with them everywhere, as the viper does its venom; they are like a surly dog which barks and bites if you do but touch him; like flint that gives out sparks when it is struck; like an empty vessel which cracks when put on the fire. Were the vessel full of water, it would not break; were the heart full of grace, its patience would not give way. Angry people always put the blame of their anger on others, but experience proves that they give way to irritability when they are alone. Zeal for God’s glory is called just anger; such was the anger Our Lord displayed, when He drove the sellers of doves and the money changers out of the Temple (John 2.), or Moses, when, returning from the Mount, he saw the people worshipping the golden calf. Just anger is not really anger; it is the offspring of charity, and like charity, is patient, kind, calm, and not actuated by hatred. Just anger is quite lawful. “Be ye angry and sin not” (Ps. 4:5). That anger alone is sinful which desires to take personal revenge.
2. Those who indulge anger injure their health, temporarily lose the use of reason, make themselves hated, and incur the danger of losing eternal salvation.102
How foolishly those act who are transported with anger! They punish themselves for another man’s fault. Anger is prejudicial to the health and shortens one’s life. It causes the gall to overflow, and poisons the blood. The man who is in a rage is like the angry bee which loses its sting, or like a volcano, that widens its crater and burns itself out. Anger exhausts the body in every part. When a man is in a rage, he trembles in every limb, his heart beats high, his tongue falters, his face burns, his eyes glow like fire, he shouts aloud. Anger cherished in the breast destroys life as the worm at the root of a tree. “Envy and anger shorten a man’s days” (Sir. 30:26). Many men have had a stroke brought on by anger, some have fallen down dead through rage. If anger is so hurtful to the body, what must it be to the soul! Anger temporarily deprives a man of the use of reason. Every violent emotion troubles the understanding. The mind of an angry man is like the surface of the sea when lashed into fury by the waves; it reflects nothing distinctly. Aristotle compares the effect of anger on the mind to that of smoke in the eyes, or it may be compared to a fog, through which it is impossible to see things in their true proportions. Anger is an intoxication, a temporary madness; for one who is thoroughly enraged is not master of his own actions. Hence St. Francis de Sales, speaking of one who was mad with anger, said: “Lord, forgive him; he knows not what he does.” Thus in his anger a man will act most unjustly; he will do what he afterwards regrets. The anger of man worketh not the justice of God. Men in their anger are worse than wild beasts, for the lion when he is enraged does not fall upon his companion lions, whereas the irate man vents his wrath upon his fellow-men. He is worse than the evil spirits, for they live in amity with one another, although they are the authors of all dissension. And how men rage against one another! Whence come blows, murders, feuds, lawsuits? A man who is easily provoked to anger is hated by his fellow-men; he is as little welcome as a hurricane or a waterspout; every one avoids an angry man as every one gets out of the way of a mad dog. He has no friends: “Be not a friend to an angry man, and do not walk with a furious man” (Prov. 22:24). Men are easily led by calm reason, but they resist if an angry man attempts to domineer over them. It is easier to deal with a brute beast than with a man who is prone to anger, for the beast may be tamed, but with the wrathful man one is never safe. He who gives way to wrath is in danger of eternal damnation, for he deprives himself of grace. The Holy Spirit does not dwell in the heart where anger abides, for where anger is there is no peace. As the inhabitant of a house constructed of wood is in constant danger of having it burnt down, so the choleric man is in constant danger of injuring his soul and being cast into everlasting fire. In fact hell has already begun for him, since he is a prey to unceasing agitation and unrest.
One must never speak nor act when one is angry. One should do as mariners do; when a storm arises they cast anchor, and wait until the tempest is over. St. Francis de Sales, on being asked how he could remain so imperturb-ably placid in regard to persons who were raging with anger, replied: “I have made an agreement with my tongue never to utter a word while my heart is excited.” A heathen philosopher once counselled the Emperor Augustus to repeat the twenty-four letters of the Greek alphabet when he felt within him the ebullition of angry passions. “Let every man be slow to speak and slow to anger” (Jas. 1:19). Silence is an act of patience; this enables one to conquer. When the excitement is allayed, one can act as one thinks best. Prayer is very efficacious as a means of dispelling anger. When we feel the rising of passion within us, we should do as the apostles did when a storm arose on the lake. They went to Our Lord for succor. If we do so, God will command the waves of anger to be still, and calm will ensue. The saints counsel us to repeat silently an Ave Maria as a means of driving away the devil who tempts us. Or one may recite the Gloria Patri; at any rate we must have recourse to prayer immediately, for if we delay, our anger will gain ground, and will not be easily quelled. If we have offended any one in our anger, we should make amends by extreme politeness. “Let not the sun go down upon your anger” (Eph. 4:26). Wrath frequently begets hatred. “It is better,” says St. Francis de Sales, “never to let anger into thy heart, than to keep it within the bounds of prudence and moderation; for it is like a viper which if it once gets its head through a hole, slips its whole body through; and once admitted, it is no easy matter to drive it out.”
1. Liberality consists in being ready and willing, for the love of God, to give pecuniary assistance to those who are in need.103
He who relieves the needy in order to elicit the praise of others has no claim to the virtue of liberality, for he is not actuated by the love of God. Even the poor may be liberal, for liberality does not depend upon giving largely, but upon giving with a good will; it is the disposition of the giver that makes the gift great or small. The liberal man is like God, for by showing mercy we resemble our heavenly Father, Whose mercy is perfect and infinite. The heathen sage Seneca used to say: “He resembles the gods who distributes to the poor.”
2. By liberality we obtain forgiveness of sin, an eternal reward, and temporal blessings, besides a speedy answer to prayer and the friendship of our fellow-men.104
This subject has already been considered. The liberal man rejoices those on whom he bestows his gifts, as the sun gladdens the earth with its rays. Christ could not employ a more forcible argument to urge us to perform works of mercy than by saying that what was given to the poor was given to Him.
8. THE OPPOSITE OF LIBERALITY: AVARICE
1. Avarice consists in an inordinate craving for riches, which makes a man not only strive after them, but refuse to give any portion of his goods to the poor.105
We call it an inordinate desire for riches when a man strives to gain far more than he really requires for himself and his family, and is never content, however much he possesses. Thus he is covetous. He is like a vessel without a bottom, that is never full, however great the quantity of liquid that is poured into it. He is like the wolf that is always hungry; like the fire, that ever requires a fresh supply of fuel; like hell, which is never satisfied. Avarice does not consist only in acquiring fresh riches with eagerness, but in greedily retaining what one already has. He who clings tenaciously to the property he has accumulated, is ungenerous or penurious; he who grudges every little outlay, is a miser. We meet with covetous persons both among rich and poor. Among the wealthy one often finds money without avarice, and among the poor avarice without money. “The covetous is a worshipper of idols” (Eph. 5:5), for gold is his god. To this deity he devotes all his thoughts and all his care, all his efforts and aspirations, the sweat of his face; he even sacrifices to it his spiritual welfare and his eternal salvation. As the angels find their highest felicity in the contemplation of the Godhead, so the rich delight in nothing more than in handling and counting their money. How great a sin is this, which subjects us to the dominion of those things which were created for our service!
2. The avaricious are miserable both in time and in eternity; for the sake of money they commit all manner of sins, they lose the faith and their peace of mind, they are cruel to themselves and hardhearted to their neighbor, and finally perish eternally.106
The desire of money is the root of all evils (1 Tim. 6:10). The devil hides behind money-bags as a snake conceals himself in a hedge; and he bites you with his venomous fangs when you greedily clutch at gold. He who accumulates riches and does not give to the poor is like a fount, which, if no water is drawn from it, becomes foul; for a man’s wealth will not benefit him if no portion of it is distributed to the needy. They that will become rich fall into temptation and into the snare of the devil, and into many unprofitable and hurtful desires, which drown men into destruction and perdition (1 Tim. 6:9). For the sake of money the covetous fall into all manner of sins. “Such a one setteth even his own soul for sale” (Sir. 10:10). Greed of money fills the houses with thieves, the market with cheats, the law courts with perjurers, the eyes of the poor with tears, the prisons with criminals and hell with the reprobate. For money Judas betrayed his Lord and Master. Not until the Judgment Day will it be revealed how many lives have been sacrificed to this false god. The covetous love their faith. St. Leo the Great says that the greatest of all the evil arising from covetousness is the destruction of faith. The avaricious are so absorbed in the pursuit of material gain that they cannot give a thought to their spiritual welfare. You cannot serve God and mammon (Luke 16:13). A rich merchant lay on his death-bed, and a priest stood at his side, urging him to repentance. After setting before him the gravity of his state, the priest held up a silver crucifix before him. The dying man fixed his eyes upon it with a softened expression, and the priest rejoiced, thinking the man’s heart was touched But no; the only words that escaped his lips were these: “What do you consider that cross to be worth?” The covetous loses his peace of mind; he lives in perpetual anxiety lest he should lose his wealth. If riches increase, they are a burden to their owner; if they decrease, they torture him. The covetous is cruel to himself; the miser grudges himself the necessaries of life; he often endures the greatest privations. “He consumes his own soul, drying it up” (Sir. 14:9). He is like the oxen who carry the corn to the garner, and themselves feed on hay and straw. The justice of God often avenges on the miser the tears of the destitute by bringing him to poverty. The covetous is hardhearted towards his neighbor. He has no feeling for the suffering of others, he shows no compassion, he gives them no succor. His heart is as hard as the anvil, which is not softened by all the blows rained down upon it; for however great the need of his neighbor, the miser is never moved to pity. The covetous only think of what they can get from every one; as the shark devours all the fish that come in his way, so the covetous man ruins his neighbors. “He that gathereth together by wronging his own soul gathereth for others” (Sir. 14:4), who will squander his riches. The miser is an object of hatred to others. Califas, King of Babylon, had stored a vast quantity of gold, silver, and precious stones in a tower; when he refused to part with a portion of these for the benefit of his army, the soldiers shut him up in the tower, bidding him satisfy his hunger and quench his thirst with the treasures he had been so eager to amass. The covetous will be eternally damned. The Apostle includes them among those who will not possess the kingdom of heaven (1 Cor. 6:10). Our Lord says: “It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 19:24). It is a remarkable fact that the ancient poets identified Pluto, the god who reigned supreme in the infernal regions, with Plutus, the god of riches, as if to show that avarice leads to hell. The lover of money gets no good to himself; he undertakes long journeys, he exposes himself to labor and perils for the sake of gain, and when death comes what has he of it all? For all his wealth he has nothing but a shroud, a few planks, and a few feet of earth; while he leaves his property to his smiling heirs, who ridicule the contemptible parsimony he practiced.
Since the best method of correcting a vice is by exercising the opposite virtue, avarice will be cured by liberality. “What,” asks St. Augustine, “can so effectually counteract avarice as the poverty of the Son of God? Consider, O miser, that thy Lord and thy God, Who came down to earth from heaven, would not possess any of the riches at which thou dost clutch so eagerly. He loved poverty and lived in poverty; and, thinkest thou, ought a miserable mortal to desire ardently what the Lord of all creation despised?” Remember also that we must part with all our earthly possessions at our death. We brought nothing into this world, and certainly we can carry nothing out (1 Tim. 6:7). That which you leave behind at your death will pass into the hands of others, who will perchance make a bad use of it to their own damnation. “The most effectual medicine for the disease of avarice,” says St. Augustine, “is to think daily of death.” True riches are not earthly possessions, but virtues; pursue them (1 Tim. 6:11), for they are treasures which thieves cannot steal or moth and rust corrupt. Why, then, busy one’s self about the acquisition of evanescent treasures?
9. TEMPERANCE IN EATING AND DRINKING
1. Temperance consists in not eating and drinking more than is necessary, and not being either too greedy or too dainty in regard to the nourishment one takes.107
Temperance teaches us not to eat or drink more than is needful to support life. A sage of antiquity used to say: “We do not live to eat, but we eat to live.” One who is temperate does not fully satisfy his appetite, or take what is injurious to his health; he has regular, fixed hours for his meals. He eats such things as are set before him (Luke 10:8), and is not angry when a dish is badly served. What concerns him most is to have food which suits his digestion and gives him strength for his work.
2. Temperance is highly advantageous to soul and body; it improves the health, lengthens life, strengthens the faculties of the mind, fosters virtue and leads to everlasting life.108
Moderation at table is advantageous both to body and soul and is the source of many virtues. We are travelers on earth, and we shall expedite our arrival in the celestial country, if we only make such use of the things of this world as is indispensable to enable us to proceed on our journey.
He who sustains his mind with spiritual aliments will not care greatly for the food of the body; for fleshly desires are suppressed when the love of celestial things fills the heart. As Our Lord said: “Not in bread alone doth man live,” etc. Let us lift our eyes up to heaven, lest we should be allured by the baits of earth. Above all, think on the privations many of the poor endure, of the privations Our Lord endured. There are thousands of poor who think themselves fortunate if they only have sufficient bread and water to still their hunger and quench their thirst. How kind God has been to you in giving to you so much more than to them, and how ungenerous it would be on your part, if you abused His liberality for the gratification of your palate. If He vouchsafed for your sake to feel the pangs of hunger, how much the more ought you to be abstemious for your own interest.
10. INTEMPERANCE IN EATING AND DRINKING
“Food ought to be looked upon as a medicine to sustain the body,” says St. Augustine, and by no means made use of for the gratification of the palate. Intemperance is displayed by sumptuous feasting (witness Dives); excess in drinking, e.g., Baltassar; greediness, e.g., Esau in regard to the pottage of lentils; daintiness, e.g., the Israelites in the wilderness, who longed for the flesh-pots of Egypt (Exod. 16:3). The glutton and the drunkard are more contemptible than brute beasts, for the latter leave off eating when they have had enough, and the glutton does not do this. Those who eat with great avidity are like birds of prey, which in their voracity swoop down upon their victim the moment they decry it. Intemperance is productive of much harm. We must not forget that had the apple not been attractive to the appetite death would not have come upon the human race.
2. By intemperance a man injures his health, weakens his mental faculties, destroys his reputation, and reduces himself to poverty; falls into vice, often comes to a miserable end, and is eternally lost.109
Intemperance destroys the health. The fire goes out when too much coal is heaped upon it, and the stomach is ruined when it is overloaded with food. Excess in drink is as prejudicial to the system as excessive rain is to agricultural districts. Dyspepsia, loss of appetite, dropsy, apoplexy, are the results of want of moderation in eating and drinking. Many lose their reason by indulgence in strong drinks, and end their days in a madhouse. By surfeiting many have perished (Sir. 37:34). Over-indulgence in the pleasures of the table has a bad effect on posterity. Physicians assert that there is an innate weakness in those that are the offspring of drunkards. Intemperance weakens the mental faculties. Intoxication obscures the mind as a fog obscures the sun. The intemperate cannot raise their hearts to God, any more than a bird that has gorged itself with food can soar aloft to the sky. Intemperance also weakens the will; it renders us incapable of resisting temptation and avoiding sin, just as a ship too heavily laden cannot out-ride a storm. It also destroys a man’s reputation; Noah, when drunk with wine, became an object of derision to his own son. Thus a man when in liquor makes a fool of himself, talks nonsense, and is mocked even by children. The Lacedemonians used to show drunken Helots to young people that they might learn to despise this degrading vice. Intemperance reduces men to poverty. The drunkard squanders in one day the wages earned by many days of work, and renders himself incapable of labor. “A workman that is a drunkard shall not be rich” (Sir. 19:1). Intemperance leads to all kinds of sins, to immorality and godlessness As in a morass all manner of weeds grow rank, so evil lusts grow and flourish in an over-fed body. Those who eat and drink immoderately waste their money, feel disinclined to prayer at night on account of the inertia produced by excess, and in the morning because of headache and sensations of discomfort; they miss Mass on Sundays, contract debts, live in discord with their families, and fall into sins of impurity. Remember that Herod had been feasting when he caused John the Baptist to be beheaded; Baltassar had been drinking deeply when he desecrated the sacred vessels of the sanctuary; the rich man in the Gospel who refused a morsel of bread to Lazarus fared sumptuously every day. Intemperance leads to uncleanness and godlessness; the glutton and drunkard forget their final end; they have no understanding for the truths of religion; “the sensual man perceiveth not those things that are of the Spirit of God” (1 Cor. 2:14). A sudden and miserable end often overtakes those who indulge in strong drink. Our Lord thus warns such persons: “Take heed to yourselves, lest perhaps your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness and the cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly” (Luke 21:34). As we live, so we die. Holofernes was asleep, exceedingly drunk, when Judith cut off his head (Judith 13); the voluptuous Baltassar was sleeping off the effect of his revels when the enemy made their way into the city (Dan. 5). The death of individuals who perish in this manner is all the more deplorable because they die unrepentant and without the last sacraments. Those who are addicted to excess seldom correct themselves; they may amend and abstain for a time, but too often they relapse into their former sins, and eternal perdition is their fate. The rich man was buried in hell. Our Lord says: “Woe to you that are filled for you shall hunger” (Luke 6:25). Drunkards shall not possess the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:10). “He that soweth in his flesh, of the flesh also shall reap corruption” (Gal. 6:8). Think of the flames of hell, and you will be able fully to subdue the impulses of nature. Resolve never to omit a short prayer before and after meals; to take what is set before you so as to check daintiness, and never to eat to satiety.
1. Chastity consists in preserving the mind and body free from everything that might stain their innocence.110
St. Stanislaus Kostka left the room instantly if a single objectionable word was uttered in his presence. St. Aloysius did the same. Many persons have given up all they had, even their life, in order to preserve the virtue of chastity; witness Joseph in Egypt, St. Agnes, St. Agatha, and other saints. Chastity is a superhuman perfection; it is divine in its origin, for God brought it to earth from heaven. Those who practice this virtue are like the lily (Cant. 2:1). Every tiny insect that rests upon the snowy petals of the lily mars its dazzling whiteness and disfigures its beauty; so the mere thought of evil is a stain upon the mind of the man who lives chastely. Rough handling spoils the fair lily and causes it to wither, so the man who lives chastely suffers from indiscriminate intercourse with those around him. The lily grows upright, straight and slender; so the man who lives chastely must ever look upwards and tend towards heaven. The lily fills the whole house with its fragrance; so the man who lives chastely edifies all with whom he associates by his good example.
Those who lead a chaste life resemble the angels and are most pleasing in God’s sight.
Those whose life is pure are angels in human form. Chastity is an angelic virtue; by it men become like the angels. Chaste souls are in fact superior to the angels, because they have the flesh to combat, which the angels have not; they preserve angelic purity in spite of the continual temptations of the devil. What differentiates the angels from men is not their virtue, but their bliss. The purity of the angels is more blissful; that of man is stronger because it is the result of struggle. We learn from the lives of the saints that angels delight in the company of chaste mortals, thus proving that they regard them as their equals. The devils know that through chastity man recovers the angelic dignity which he lost, hence they strive assiduously to instill impure thoughts into his mind. Men who live chastely are extremely pleasing to God. Christ when on earth showed a predilection for chaste souls; He chose a pure virgin for His Mother, a man of angelic purity for His foster-father; the Baptist, who was purified in his mother’s womb, was His precursor; the chaste John was His favorite disciple, privileged at the Last Supper to rest upon His breast; at the foot of the cross two pure souls stood; and He loved little children because of their innocence. “He that loveth cleanness of heart shall have the King for his friend” (Prov. 22:11). God calls the chaste soul by the endearing title of friend, of sister, of spouse (Cant. 4:6–8). The Son of God so delighted in virginity that He chose to be born of a virgin, and to give to man an example of it in His own person. The pure also enjoy the esteem of their fellow-men in a high degree. Even the heathen respected chastity. The Romans had their vestal virgins, who during their service in the temple, a period of thirty years, lived in celibacy. When they appeared in the streets, public honor was shown them, and if they chanced to meet a criminal on the way to execution, he was immediately pardoned. If pagans respected those of their daughters who preferred virginity to the married state, ought the Christian to look with contempt on the virgin who from supernatural motives does not marry? “O how beautiful is the chaste generation with glory, for the memory of it is immortal: because it is known both with God and with men” (Wisd. 4:1).
2. Those who lead a life of chastity possess the sanctifying grace of the Holy Spirit in abundant measure; they will be happy here on earth, and will enjoy special distinction in heaven hereafter.111
Purity of heart is health to the soul; it also gives light to the understanding. The chaste are like a crystal without flaw, or a clear, gently-flowing stream, in which the face of heaven is mirrored. Purity of heart, interior brightness and angelic freedom aid to the attainment of wisdom; it imparts knowledge to savants and teachers, to philosophers and theologians. It was through his spotless purity that St. John the Divine penetrated so deeply into the sublime mysteries of the faith, that, in the commencement of his Gospel, he soared as on eagle’s pinions, to gaze upon the Godhead. Purity enables a man to gaze undazzled upon the Sun of justice. It also endows the soul with heroic courage. Judith, a weak woman, displayed such heroism at the siege of Bethulia, that she went into the enemy’s camp and beheaded Holofernes. Holy Scripture says of her, “For thou hast done manfully and thy heart has been strengthened, because thou hast loved chastity” (Judith 15:11). The pure of heart easily acquire other virtues; they are happy even in this world. Chastity possesses an indescribable attraction and intrinsic sweetness; it affords enjoyments far more delightful than sensual pleasures. Purity is also health to the body; virginal purity is an earnest and foretaste of the immortality of the glorified body. He who lives chastely generally enjoys better health and lives to an advanced age. Sometimes God in His wise providence withdraws pure souls from earth in their youth; if so, He takes them away lest wickedness should alter their understanding or deceit beguile their souls (Wisd. 4:11). Those who lead a chaste life will enjoy special distinction in heaven. Virginal souls will be near to the throne of God; they will stand around the Lamb and follow Him whithersoever He goeth. They will sing a new canticle that no man could say (Rev. 14). God will crown the chaste souls (Cant. 4:8), that is, He will confer upon them a special and singular glory. The chaste generation triumpheth forever (Wisd. 4:2). Virginal souls will have their portion with the Blessed Virgin. Even here on earth God chooses them as the recipients of His revelations, to them He discloses His secrets, to their petitions He turns a gracious ear. Queen Esther obtained from her royal consort all that she asked because of her fidelity and attachment to him; so the heavenly Spouse grants the petitions of all chaste souls.
3. It is the bounden duty of every man to preserve chastity inviolate until he embraces the married state.112
This is enjoined by God in the Sixth Commandment of the Decalogue. Among the Jews a breach of chastity was punished by stoning (Deut. 22:21). The Romans buried alive any vestal virgin who violated the vow of virginity. See how severe a penalty the law of Jews and pagans inflicted upon those who outraged chastity!
4. The following means should be employed for the preservation of chastity: We should be temperate, accustom ourselves to exercise self-control, receive the sacraments frequently, pray devoutly to the Mother of God, love to meditate upon the truths of religion, especially upon the presence of God and the four last things; finally we should observe moderation in frequenting the ballroom and the theatre, and be guarded in our intercourse with persons of the opposite sex.113
St. Augustine declares that the preservation of chastity is the greatest victory achieved by the Christian, and requires the hardest struggle. The Fathers of the Church call it a martyrdom; a bloodless martyrdom, it is true, but not on that account the less sublime. For the martyr’s agony is short, and admits him immediately to celestial glory; whereas the safe-guarding of chastity demands a prolonged, a lifelong conflict. Self-control has been enlarged upon under the head of the means of attaining perfection in general. We may particularize the necessity of bridling the tongue and observing custody of the eyes. St. Augustine says that tattlers and busy-bodies are in great danger of losing their purity. Death comes up into the soul through the window of the eyes (Jer. 9:21). The lion is said to be tamed by blindfolding him; so we can subdue our evil proclivities by strict custody of the eyes. Fasting is another aid to the preservation of purity; the flesh is tamed, just as animals are, by depriving them of food. “Be not drunk with wine,” says the Apostle, “wherein is luxury” (Eph. 5:18). “Feasting fosters fleshly lusts,” says St. Ambrose, “and wine heats the blood and inflames the passions of young men.” Prayer and the sacraments are means of grace without which it is impossible to conquer one’s self. “It is a mistake,” says St. John Chrysostom, “to imagine that one can in one’s own strength vanquish concupiscence and preserve purity; by God’s mercy alone can the passions of nature be controlled.” No man can otherwise be continent, unless God give it him (Wisd. 8:21). Through confession and communion the will is strengthened and man is enabled to avoid sin. The Adorable Sacrament of the Altar is the corn of the elect, and a wine springing forth virgins (Zech. 9:17). The wine of earth is prejudicial to purity, the wine of heaven produces purity. Devotion to the Mother of God is also most efficacious; to how many young people has it proved the means of maintaining themselves in innocence, like the angels! Segneri speaks of a dissolute youth whom a priest in the confessional told to recite three Ave Marias every morning in honor of the immaculate purity of Our Lady; after some years the young man returned to the priest, and informed him that to this practice he owed his complete conversion. Meditation upon the truths of religion destroys the taste for sensual pleasures. “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh” (Gal. 5:16). Those who delight themselves in God care for no other joys; after tasting spiritual joys, those of earth are insipid and even abhorrent. He who remembers that God is present everywhere and sees everything will not do what is displeasing in His sight. Witness the conduct of Joseph (Gen. 39:9), and Susanna (Dan. 13:35). Do not deceive yourself with the hope that your sin will remain hidden, for God is omnipresent, and from Him nothing can be concealed. “In all thy works remember thy last end and thou shalt never sin” (Sir. 7:40). If the flame of impurity blazes up within you, think of the eternal fire, and that thought will quench it. St. Martinian, a hermit in Palestine, when tormented by temptations, thrust his feet into the fire; and when he screamed with the pain, he asked himself, since he could not bear that feeble flame, how could he endure the everlasting burning of hell-fire? The subject of dancing and theatre-going has already been treated of. Unrestrained and familiar intercourse with persons of the opposite sex is to many a source of danger. Undue familiarity between young men and women is as likely to inflame the passions as straw is to blaze up when brought into contact with fire. One cannot be too careful in this respect. Love your own fireside. “If the candle is to be kept alight,” says St. Thomas Aquinas, “it must be put into a lantern; so if you mean to live chastely, beware of going too much abroad.”
1. Unchastity consists in thoughts, words, or deeds, which are destructive of innocence.114
If the chaste resemble the lily, the unchaste resemble a thornbush, which tears one to pieces. It was in order to expiate sins of impurity that the Redeemer of the world suffered Himself to be cruelly scourged, and crowned with thorns.
Unchaste persons are like the brute beasts; they are unlike God and displeasing to Him, and are regarded with contempt by man.
Impurity degrades man to the level of the brute beast. The unchaste prefer the gratification of their lusts to the joys of paradise. To them the words of the Psalmist may be applied: “Man when he was in honor did not understand; he hath been compared to senseless beasts, and made like to them” (Ps. 48[49]:21). Pride is the sin of angels, avarice is the sin of man, and lasciviousness that of the brute. It is most degrading to humanity, which is brought so near to the Deity by the Incarnation of the Son of God, to be unduly subject to any dominion but that of God. By unchastity man loses his likeness to God. Through this sin man defiles the image of God in which he was created and commits a grievous offence against the Most High. It is because no other sin defiles a man as this does, that it is called by the name of impurity, or uncleanness. The unchaste are extremely displeasing to God. In primitive ages, when mankind fell into various sins, even that of idolatry, God bore with them patiently; but when they fell into impurity and sank even deeper in that vice, their wickedness was so abhorrent to Him, that it repented Him that He had made man upon the earth (Gen. 6:6). St. Philip Neri possessed the gift of discerning the chaste from the unchaste by the sense of smell; to the former a sweet odor attached, whereas the latter stunk in his nostrils. Those who violate their chastity are thus spoken of by the prophet Jeremiah: “How is the gold become dim, the finest color is changed. The noble sons of Sion, they were clothed with the best gold, now they are esteemed as earthen vessels. They that were fed delicately have died in the streets” (Lam. 4:1, 2, 5). The unchaste lose the esteem of their fellow-men; “they are trodden upon as dung in the way” (Sir. 9:10).
2. Unchaste persons do not possess the sanctifying grace of the Holy Spirit, they are severely chastised by God in this life, and after death are condemned to eternal perdition.115
The indulgence of evil lusts is a bait the devil throws out, and those who swallow the alluring morsel are drawn by him to destruction. The end of this sin is bitter as wormwood, and sharp as a two-edged sword (Prov. 5:4). St. Jerome declares that the fruits of this sin are more bitter than gall. Since the unchaste are without the light of the Holy Spirit, their understanding is completely darkened. When man descends to the level of the beasts, he loses that intelligence which distinguishes him from the brute; he becomes like the horse and mule, which have no understanding (Ps. 31[32]:9). “The sensual man perceiveth not these things that are of the Spirit of God” (1 Cor. 2:14). Through yielding to this sin, King Solomon lost his wisdom, and was so blinded by folly that he turned aside to follow the gods of the heathen (1 Kings 11). The will is weakened by the sin of impurity; it creates a sort of paralysis in regard to good works, and thus amendment is rendered most difficult. The unchaste is a prisoner who has forged iron fetters for himself. Impurity is a snare of the devil, and those who are caught in this net can hardly escape ever from its meshes. It leads moreover into many other sins: Jealousy, hatred, murder, etc. The terrible consequences of this sin are seen in the case of Henry VIII; it was the cause of his rupture with Rome, and the apostasy of the English people. Unchastity is severely punished in this life; peace of mind is lost, the bodily health is impaired. “Every sin that a man doth is without the body, but he that committeth fornication, sinneth against his own body” (1 Cor. 6:18). The voluptuary soon loses the bloom of youth, and becomes prematurely aged. Special chastisements, moreover, overtake those who violate chastity; the Deluge was sent on the earth on account of that sin (Gen. 6:7), and the Lord rained down brimstone and fire upon Sodom and Gomorrha because the transgressions of the inhabitants in the same respect had become exceedingly grievous (Gen. 18:20). And if in the present day God does not visit impurity with the same condign punishment, it is because an infinitely fiercer fire, an infinitely more rigorous chastisement, is reserved for sinners of our own time. Fornicators, we are told, shall not possess the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:9). “Neither fornicators nor unclean hath inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God” (Eph. 5:5). Of the heavenly Jerusalem it is said there shall not enter into it anything defiled (Rev. 21:27). The soul of the fornicator shall be taken away out of the number (Sir. 19:3). If you live according to the flesh you shall die (Rom. 8:13). The gratification is momentary, the penalty is eternal.
3. The best means of avoiding the sin of impurity is flight.
Remember how Joseph acted (Gen. 39). There are other means of avoiding this sin, such as the reception of the sacraments, devotion to the Mother of God; yet the best of all is instant flight from temptation. The Apostle says that we ought to resist all temptations to sin, but from impurity he bids us flee—fly fornication (1 Cor. 6:18). In battling with sensual temptations cowards gain the victory; they seek safety in flight.
1. Zeal in what is good consists in working out one’s salvation with all earnestness and fervor.116
Unless zeal springs from the love of God it is valueless. It must also be discreet, or it will do more harm than good. He whose zeal is without discretion is like a man who is gathering up the cockle in a field, roots up the wheat together with it (Matt. 13:29). Blind zeal is only pernicious. If Alexander the Great performed such great achievements for the sake of earthly renown, what ought not we to do, who aspire to eternal glory! We ought each day so to serve God as if it were the first day of our consecration to His service. We should be like the merchant, who never thinks he has made enough money, but is continually on the watch for fresh gains; or like the traveler who does not look back upon the way he has traversed but only onward to the goal before him. He who is zealous in what is good avails himself as far as he can of the means of grace the Church affords for his sanctification; he is assiduous at prayer, he frequently approaches the sacraments, he listens attentively to the Word of God, and reads spiritual books. He neglects no opportunity of doing good works; he never refuses an alms to the poor man, he conscientiously observes the fasts of the Church, he devotes his free time to prayer. Moreover he who is zealous in what is good cheerfully makes sacrifices for God; he is glad when he is ridiculed or persecuted for his faith; he rejoices in the sufferings that come to him from God; he will give up anything rather than commit sin; he is even ready to lay down his life for Christ, if need be. He who is zealous in what is good exerts himself also for the salvation of others. He strives to deter his subordinates, his friends, his relatives, from sin; he admonishes them and prays for them; he prays besides for the conversion of heretics and sinners; how much the saints did in this way! Zeal is like fire which spreads to all around, both far and near.
2. Without zeal in what is good we cannot be saved, for the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence.117
Our Lord says: “Not everyone that saith to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 7:21), and in another place He says: “The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent bear it away” (Matt. 11:12). Of those who run in a race only he who perseveres will receive the prize (1 Cor. 9:24). Let us not imagine that it is an easy matter to be saved. Eternal felicity is spoken of as a kingdom, the city of God, the house of God, paradise, a crown. All these things can only be acquired by a fierce battle, or for a large sum. Only those who have had a long training can obtain a high salary. Yet the kingdom of heaven is bought cheaply; the price paid for it comes infinitely short of its value. Without zeal and energy nothing good can be accomplished. God allows obstacles to be placed in the way of every good work, to test our will. No good work can be performed without some sacrifice; no virtue can be gained without a struggle. “The greater violence thou offerest to thyself, the greater progress thou wilt make” (Imitation, Book 1, ch. 25). We cannot expect our prayers to be heard, unless we persevere in spite of all hindrances. Remember the example of St. Monica, and the blind man by the wayside (Luke 18:35).
14. THE OPPOSITE OF ZEAL: SLOTH
1. Sloth consists in shunning everything that conduces either to our temporal or eternal well-being, provided it be toilsome.118
Sloth displays itself either by indolence, dislike of work, and the non-fulfilment even of the duties of one’s calling; or by tepidity in and indifference to what is good and conducive to one’s spiritual welfare. The slothful man displays distaste for all good works. We find life and movement and activity in all nature; the celestial hosts laud and magnify the Most High continually; the heavenly bodies revolve unceasingly in space; trees and herbs grow to their appointed size; the tiny ant lays up a store in summer, the busy bees make honey and do not suffer drones to live; and shall man alone be an idler, an exception to all creatures whom instinct teaches to abhor idleness? “Go to the ant, O sluggard, and consider her ways” (Prov. 6:6). The indolent postpone all work to a future day, and only pursue sensual pleasures. Tomorrow, tomorrow, not today, is their cry. The lukewarm Christian wills and does not will; he would fain have the wages God gives, but he will not work for Him; as soon as it is a question of putting force upon himself he shrinks back. Yet the slothful think they do more than others, for while the fervent look at those who do better than themselves, to learn humility, they on the contrary look at the good, not in others but in themselves. Hence the slothful never attain perfection. Great sinners have been known to become great saints, but the lukewarm never.
2. Idleness leads to all kinds of vice; it brings misery in this life and eternal damnation in the life to come.119
Idleness hath taught much evil (Sir. 33:29); it is in fact the source of every evil habit. Man is like the earth: if a field be not sown with good seed, a crop of weeds spring up and grow apace; so if man has no useful occupation, his natural activity turns to all manner of mischief. Iron rusts when it is not used; water when stagnant becomes foul; and man, corrupted by idleness, becomes the abode of evil passions, and falls into manifold temptations. The busy man is assailed by one demon, the unemployed by a hundred. Idleness ruins the young, for it destroys all that is good in them. The man who does nothing all day long is like the trunk of a tree, without foliage and without fruit. Idleness brings misery in this life. Holy Scripture says of the slothful: “Want shall come upon thee and poverty” (Prov. 6:11). St. John Chrysostom declares idleness to be the parent of poverty and the root of despair. It also brings a man to eternal damnation. Idleness is in itself a sin. A servant may not steal, or drink, or be insolent; but if he has the fault of being lazy, his master will dismiss him from his service. God acts in the same manner. “Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be cut down and cast into the fire” (Matt. 7:19). The servant who refuses to trade with the talents his lord has confided to him, shall be cast into the exterior darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt. 25:30). The idler cannot indeed hope that heaven will be his portion, for Our Lord says: “Call the laborers and give them their hire.” God does not love those who love their own ease. He expressly states that those who are lukewarm, neither cold nor hot, He will vomit out of His mouth (Rev. 3:16), that is to say, He is disgusted with them. Our God is a consuming fire, and He delights in the adoration of the seraphim, who are inflamed with burning love. An open unbeliever is less abhorrent to Him than a tepid Christian.
“Look not, O Christian,” says St. Augustine, “on the labor that it costs thee; look rather to the rest and the joys which God promises thee; see how infinitely they outweigh all thy toil.” “In doing good let us not fail; for in due time we shall reap, not failing” (Gal. 6:9).
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1 CCC 1731–1732, 1752, 2520.
2 CCC 1752, 1755, 2008, 2011.
3 CCC 1969 calls these “acts of religion.”
4 CCC 2008–2011, 2013.
5 CCC 2010, 2027. The Council of Trent was clear that man cannot merit, through any work, the initial grace of forgiveness and justification. That is the unmerited gift of God. Once united to Christ in Baptism and filled with sanctifying grace, however, the Christian can then cooperate with God’s grace to merit an increase in grace, etc.
6 CCC 1861.
7 CCC 2462–2463, 2831.
8 CCC 1803–1804.
9 CCC 1812–1813, 1821–1829.
10 CCC 1811, 2013, 2015.
11 CCC 1810, 1839. See also CCC 1266.
12 CCC 1831.
13 CCC 1812–1813. The three theological virtues are expounded upon in CCC 1814–1829.
14 CCC 2086, 2088, 2091, 2093, 2656–2658.
15 CCC 1812.
16 CCC 1266, 1813.
17 CCC 2656–2658
18 CCC 1810–1811, 2015–2016.
19 CCC 1805, 1834.
20 CCC 1806, 1835. See also CCC 1780, 1788.
21 CCC 1807, 1836. See also CCC 2095, 2401.
22 CCC 1809, 1838. See also CCC 2341, 2517.
23 CCC 1808, 1837. See also CCC 2473, 2848.
24 CCC 826, 1827–1829.
25 CCC 1826.
26 CCC 1839, 2010.
27 CCC 1815, 1826, 1861.
28 CCC 397, 1440, 1850.
29 CCC 1735, 1860
30 CCC 1440, 1855.
31 CCC 1488.
32 CCC 1264.
33 CCC 2846–2849.
34 CCC 1865–1866, 1876–1877.
35 CCC 1865.
36 CCC 1867.
37 CCC 1852–1853.
38 CCC 1849, 1853, 1871.
39 CCC 1868, 1887.
40 CCC 1854–1855.
41 CCC 1735, 1746, 1750–1756, 1873.
42 CCC 1754, 1873.
43 CCC 1472, 1854–1855.
44 CCC 1855.
45 CCC 1857 lists three criteria that must be present for a sin to be mortal: (1) grave matter, (2) committed with full knowledge, (3) and deliberate consent. When in doubt about the gravity of a sin, consult your confessor.
46 CCC 1855.
47 CCC 1857–1860.
48 CCC 1862–1863.
49 CCC 2073.
50 CCC 1858, 1864, 1867.
51 CCC 1864, 2091. See also CCC 1037.
52 CCC 1864, 2091.
53 CCC 1867, 2268, 2434.
54 CCC 2434.
55 CCC 1264, 1426.
56 CCC 1033, 1856, 1861, 2011.
57 Even though man is “disfigured” by sin and thereby deprived of “likeness” to God, man nonetheless remains “in the image of God”; CCC 705. See also CCC 410.
58 CCC 1008, 1033, 1472, 1861.
59 CCC 1863, 1876.
60 CCC 1472–1473, 1863.
61 CCC 1865–1866.
62 CCC 1791.
63 CCC 1426, 1432–1439, 1848, 2015.
64 CCC 1866, 2539.
65 CCC 1870.
66 CCC 613, 976, 1441–1442, 1708.
67 CCC 1263, 1366, 1393, 1434–1438, 1459–1460, 1471–1478, 1968–1969, 2842–2843.
68 CCC 1464, 2845.
69 CCC 1470.
70 CCC 2514, 2847.
71 CCC 1264, 1426.
72 CCC 2847–2849.
73 CCC 2848. See also CCC 1808.
74 CCC 2339–2342, 2520.
75 CCC 2849–2854.
76 CCC 2157.
77 CCC 2338, 23340, 2846–2849.
78 CCC 2344, 2354, 2396, 2493–2499, 2523–2526.
79 The editor is unaware of any such official directive from the Church.
80 CCC 2493–2499, 2512.
81 CCC 2544–2547, 2559.
82 CCC 2097.
83 CCC 525, 564, 559.
84 CCC 2544–2547.
85 CCC 526, 2097, 2706, 2753, 2778, 2785.
86 CCC 1866, 2094, 2540, 2559.
87 CCC 564, 615, 1897–1900, 2216–2217, 2234, 2238–2240, 2716, 2825.
88 CCC 2032–2037, 2216–2217, 2234, 2238–2240.
89 CCC 1902–1903, 2217, 2242, 2313.
90 CCC 2072–2073.
91 CCC 539, 915, 2103, 2825.
92 CCC 1871.
93 CCC 227, 736, 1832, 2772.
94 CCC 2219. See also CCC 55.
95 CCC 1820.
96 CCC 716, 1825, 2447.
97 CCC 1716, 2219.
98 CCC 1810–1811.
99 CCC 2219, 2305.
100 CCC 2304–2305, 2842–2845.
101 CCC 260, 1716, 2845, 2854.
102 CCC 2259, 2262, 1866, 2302.
103 CCC 1832, 1937, 2447. See also CCC 2407.
104 CCC 2462, 2556.
105 CCC 2536.
106 CCC 1866, 2113, 2517, 2534, 2536, 2539–2540.
107 CCC 1809, 1838, 2290.
108 CCC 1805, 2290.
109 CCC 1852, 1866, 2290, 2535.
110 CCC 2337–2341.
111 CCC 2518.
112 CCC 2348–2350, 2396.
113 CCC 2340–2345.
114 CCC 2351–2359.
115 CCC 1855–1861, 1874, 2351–2359.
116 CCC 828, 2004, 2750.
117 CCC 1426, 1815, 2549.
118 CCC 1430, 1434–1435, 2015, 2094, 2733, 2755.
119 CCC 1036, 1866, 2830.