In the book of Jeremiah (2:12-13), the Lord says:
12 Be appalled, O heavens, at this, be shocked, be utterly desolate, says the LORD, 13 for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
These words illustrate clearly what sin is. It is turning away from the One who can satisfy our innermost longings, and consoling ourselves with temporary solutions to our sadness and anxieties.
1.1 Original Sin and Actual Sin
As we have seen in Lesson 7, the sin of our first parents inflicted a wound on our nature and made us all vulnerable to sin (cf Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church 77). St Paul says in his Letter to the Romans (5:19)
For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners ...
But he adds right away in the same sentence:
... so by one man's obedience many will be made righteous.
By wanting to be like God, Adam and Eve forfeited the very gifts that made them God's image and likeness, particularly the supernatural gift of sanctifying grace that made them sharers in the divine nature. However, Jesus Christ restored the possibility of becoming like unto God. Through His life, He set a visible example for us to follow. Through His suffering, death and resurrection, He purchased for us the light and strength--the grace--that we need to be able to win Heaven. He helped us recover a privilege that we never deserved in the first place.
The Church constantly reminds us to acknowledge our sinfulness and our tendency to evil. Saint John, in his First Letter (1:8-10) says:
8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
1.2 Thought, word, deed or omission against God's law
The CCCC (392; cf Catechism of the Catholic Church 1849-1851, 1871-1872) summarises the Church's teaching on sin.
Sin is 'a word, an act, or a desire contrary to the eternal Law' (Saint Augustine). It is an offense against God in disobedience to his love. It wounds human nature and injures human solidarity. Christ in his passion fully revealed the seriousness of sin and overcame it with his mercy.
The Catechism points out that any offense against God is also an offense against human nature and human solidarity. In other words, ANY PERSONAL SIN IS ALSO A SOCIAL SIN. This definition applies to sins that may not seem to have any external repercussion.
The sin of our first parents is called ORIGINAL SIN. The sin that each one of us commits is called ACTUAL or PERSONAL SIN. There are many kinds of actual or personal sin--many ways in which we can offend God. The CCC (nos 1853 & 1854) affirms:
Sins can be distinguished
3.1 Does the Bible talk about mortal (or deadly) sin?
It does. In the First Letter of St John (5: ), it says:
16 If any one sees his brother committing what is not a mortal sin, he will ask, and God will give him life for those whose sin is not mortal. There is sin which is mortal; I do not say that one is to pray for that. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin which is not mortal.
3.2 When does one commit a mortal sin?
The Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCCC 395; cf CCC 1855-1861, 1874) explains (1) the ELEMENTS or CONDITIONS that go into every mortal sin; (2) its EFFECTS; and (3) how FORGIVENESS of mortal sin can be obtained:
[ELEMENTS or CONDITIONS] One commits a mortal sin when there are simultaneously present:
[EFFECTS] This sin
[FORGIVENESS] It can be forgiven in the ordinary way by means of the sacraments of
A person who commits just one single mortal sin EXCLUDES HIMSELF, freely and deliberately, from God's friendship. He refuses God's offer of love and eternal happiness. Sin destroys charity, and as Saint Paul says in his First Letter to the Corinthians (13:1-3), when we lack charity (love), we lack everything else because charity is at the very core of holiness.
1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
One does not have to deliberately and explicitly say that he hates or abhors God in order to commit a grave or mortal sin. It is enough that he disobeys the commandments in some serious matter. Thus our Lord told his apostles that loving God means observing the commandments. Saint John records our Lord's words (John 14:15, 23-24):
15 'If you love me, you will KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS. ... 23 ... "If a man loves me, he will KEEP MY WORD, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 He who does not love me does not keep my words; and the word which you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me.
And because a person in mortal sin freely and deliberately excludes himself from God's friendship (that is, he refuses SANCTIFYING GRACE), he also excludes himself from the sacraments that require this friendship (namely, the sacraments of Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Matrimony, Holy Orders, Anointing of the Sick). Only when he has been reconciled with God in CONFESSION may he receive these sacraments. Otherwise, he commits one ADDITIONAL GRAVE SIN, should he receive these sacraments with the AWARENESS of having an unconfessed mortal sin.
Mortal sin is a 180-degree turn away from the Source of all truth, goodness, beauty, life, and happiness. If death comes and one has not corrected himself, turned back and converted, his decision is forever sealed--he will have excluded himself off forever from enjoying all truth, goodness, beauty, life, and happiness.
3.3 When does one commit a venial sin?
A sinful act which is lacking one of the three requirements for a grave or mortal sin (grave matter, full knowledge, deliberate consent) is venial.
Thus, the CCCC (no 396; cf CCC 1862-1864, 1875) explains the (1) ELEMENTS or CONDITIONS for venial sin and (2) its EFFECTS:
[ELEMENTS or CONDITIONS] One commits a venial sin, which is essentially different from a mortal sin,
[EFFECTS] Venial sin
3.4 So it seems like venial sin is okay?
The CCC 1863 actually warns us against taking this kind of sin lightly.
Deliberate and unrepented venial sin disposes us little by little to commit mortal sin.
The same point of the Catechism quotes Saint Augustine, who wrote:
While he is in the flesh, man cannot but have at least some light sins. But do not despise these sins which we call 'light': if you take them for light when you weigh them, tremble when you count them. A number of light objects makes a great mass; a number of drops fills a river; a number of grains makes a heap. What then is our hope? Above all, confession [In epist. Io. 1, 6: PL 35, 1982].
Since venial sin is a weakening of charity, it can be forgiven with acts of charity such as prayer, mortification and penance, service to others, and reception of the sacraments, especially of Holy Communion. Nonetheless, confession remains as a good way of obtaining forgiveness because it not only forgives, but also imparts the grace necessary for avoiding the venial sin for which one is sorry.
On 15 October 2005, Pope Benedict XVI had an audience with children who had just received their first communion. Instead of delivering a speech, he asked the organisers to let the children ask him questions. One of the questions was as follows:
Holy Father, before the day of my First Communion I went to confession. I have also been to confession on other occasions. I wanted to ask you: do I have to go to confession every time I receive Communion, even when I have committed the same sins? Because I realize that they are always the same.
Amused at the query, the Holy Father replied as follows:
I will tell you two things. The first, of course, is that you do not always have to go to confession before you receive Communion unless you have committed such serious sins that they need to be confessed. Therefore, it is not necessary to make one's confession before every Eucharistic Communion. This is the first point. It is only necessary when you have committed a really serious sin, when you have deeply offended Jesus, so that your friendship is destroyed and you have to start again. Only in that case, when you are in a state of "mortal" sin, in other words, grave (sin), is it necessary to go to confession before Communion. This is my first point.
My second point: even if, as I said, it is not necessary to go to confession before each Communion, it is very helpful to confess with a certain regularity. It is true: our sins are always the same, but we clean our homes, our rooms, at least once a week, even if the dirt is always the same; in order to live in cleanliness, in order to start again. Otherwise, the dirt might not be seen but it builds up. Something similar can be said about the soul, for me myself: if I never go to confession, my soul is neglected and in the end I am always pleased with myself and no longer understand that I must always work hard to improve, that I must make progress. And this cleansing of the soul which Jesus gives us in the Sacrament of Confession helps us to make our consciences more alert, more open, and hence, it also helps us to mature spiritually and as human persons.
Therefore, two things: confession is only necessary in the case of a serious sin, but it is very helpful to confess regularly in order to foster the cleanliness and beauty of the soul and to mature day by day in life.
Venial sin weakens the fervour of charity. The soul starts to become lukewarm. While we are not able to avoid NON-DELIBERATE venial sin (venial sin committed without awareness or out of weakness), we should try to avoid DELIBERATE venial sin. The saints actually encourage us to ABHOR deliberate venial sins. Saint Josemaría wrote in The Way (no 331):
You are tepid if you carry out listlessly and reluctantly those things that have to do with our Lord; if deliberately or 'shrewdly' you look for some way of lessening your duties; if you think only of yourself and of your comfort; if your conversation is idle and vain; if you don't abhor venial sin; if you act from human motives.
Saint Teresa of Avila, in The Way of Perfection (chapter 41) wrote:
From any sin, however small, committed with full knowledge, may God deliver us, especially since we are sinning against so great a Sovereign and realise that He is watching us. That seems to me to be a sin of pre-meditated malice; it is as though one were to say: 'Lord, although this displeases You, I shall do it. I know that You see it and I know that You would not want me to do it; but although I understand this, I would rather follow my own whim and desire than Your will.' If we commit a sin in this way, however slight, it seems to me that our offense is not small but very, very great.
3.5 Sins of thought and desire
We have to be particularly wary of sins committed internally--INTERNAL SINS. Psalm 19 prays:
12 ... Clear thou me from hidden faults. 13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.
We need to struggle against these internal sins because
Our Lord warned about internal sins, as for instance when He taught:
27 You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' 28 But I say to you that every one who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. (Matthew 5:27-28)
19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. 20 These are what defile a man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man. (Matthew 15:19-20)
27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. 28 So you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but within you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. (Matthew 23:27-28)
Internal sins are sins committed in the heart of man. Moralists usually classify them into three types:
3.6 How about the so-called "sins against the Holy Spirit"? Why can they not be forgiven?
The CCC (1864) teaches:
"Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven" [Matthew 12:31; cf Mark 3:29; Luke 12:10]. There are no limits to the mercy of God, but anyone who deliberately refuses to accept his mercy by repenting, rejects the forgiveness of his sins and the salvation offered by the Holy Spirit [cf John Paul II, Dominum et Vivificantem, 46]. Such hardness of heart can lead to final impenitence and eternal loss.
When a person refuses the grace of contrition and forgiveness, he is rejecting the action of the Holy Spirit. This is why such sin cannot be forgiven because the person himself DOES NOT WANT TO BE FORGIVEN. We may sin in this way by a lack of spirit of examination of our words, thoughts and actions. We may also sin against the Holy Spirit by refusing to confess our sins. To sin against the Holy Spirit is to voluntarily harden one's heart and make it impermeable to the action of grace. This reminds us of the Psalm that talks about Israel's experience in the wilderness.
7 ... O that today you would hearken to his voice! 8 Harden not your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness, 9 when your fathers tested me, and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work. 10 For forty years I loathed that generation and said, 'They are a people who err in heart, and they do not regard my ways.' 11 Therefore I swore in my anger that THEY SHOULD NOT ENTER MY REST. (Psalm 95:7-11)
3.7 Going to the root of sin: the seven capital vices
Capital sins or CAPITAL VICES are like the SOURCE or ROOT of other sins and vices. Saint Thomas prefers to call them "vices" because they are not ACTS, such as sins are, but HABITS, bad habits. Hence, they are opposed to virtues, which are good habits. Following St John Cassian and St Gregory the Great it has become customary to classify them as follows (cf CCC 1866):
3.7.1 Pride and Vainglory
Saint Thomas Aquinas does not actually include pride among the seven capital vices and instead talks of vainglory, because he says pride is the queen and source of all sins without exception. When one sins, there is always some pride in his action. But we will include it here with vainglory, because the two are closely related. How do we define pride? PRIDE, in Saint Thomas' terms, is a DISORDERLY DESIRE FOR ONE'S EXCELLENCE. This means that there is such a thing as an ORDERLY desire for one's excellence. In fact, God wants us to be holy, to be like Him, and that is a desire very much within the order that God has planned. It becomes disorderly when we desire excellence without God. However, every single thing we have comes from God, so in the end, a proud man ends up in emptiness. It reminds us of Saint Paul's words to the Corinthians:
7 For who sees anything different in you? What have you that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if it were not a gift? 8 Already you are filled! Already you have become rich! (I Corinthians 4:7-8)
And how about VAINGLORY? It is a DISORDERLY DESIRE TO MANIFEST ONE'S EXCELLENCE. It is an inordinate desire to receive praise from men. It is the very opposite of John the Baptist's attitude:
30 He must increase, but I must decrease. (John 3:30)
What is the CURE for pride? It is knowing THE TRUTH about oneself and about God. Thus, Saint Augustine prayed:
Noverim me, noverim Te. -- Lord, may I know myself, and may I know You.
By knowing ourselves and knowing God better, we know our rightful place, we know where we stand. God makes use of circumstances which humiliate us to show us who and what we truly are--creatures of cheap clay. This is why we should make use of the HUMILIATIONS which God sends us, because they are occasions God uses to make us know ourselves better. On the other hand, the SUPERNATURAL VIRTUE OF FAITH, further enriched by the GIFT OF WISDOM which comes from the Holy Spirit, will help us to grow in humility.
3.7.2 Avarice
Avarice is the DISORDERLY LOVE OF HAVING POSSESSIONS OR RICHES. This definition again shows us that there is such a thing as an ORDERLY desire for possessions--we need them to sustain ourselves, we need them for family life, we need them for our work. But when we exaggerate the value of material things, our hearts become enslaved by them. We become very possessive and anxious about material things. We ought to meditate always on the words of Jesus.
16 And he told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man brought forth plentifully; 17 and he thought to himself, 'What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?' 18 And he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns, and build larger ones; and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.' 20 But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' 21 So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."
22 And he said to his disciples, "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat, nor about your body, what you shall put on. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24* Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! 25 And which of you by being anxious can add a cubit to his span of life? 26 If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; * yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28 But if God so clothes the grass which is alive in the field today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O men of little faith!
29 And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be of anxious mind. 30 For all the nations of the world seek these things; and your Father knows that you need them. 31 Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things shall be yours as well.
32 "Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions, and give alms; provide yourselves with purses that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (Luke 12:16-34)
The CURE for avarice is TEMPERANCE in the use of material things, JUSTICE in the way we manage them. We should also ask for the supernatural virtue of HOPE, which makes us place our hearts not on this world, but in Heaven. Furthermore, we ought to ask the Holy Spirit for the GIFT OF KNOWLEDGE, which makes us capable of knowing the relative value of the things of this earth.
3.7.3 Lust
Lust is the DISORDERLY DESIRE FOR SEXUAL PLEASURE. Sexual pleasure within marriage that has for its purpose the procreation and education of children is not only NOT disorderly but HOLY because this is the will of God for marriage. It is part of His plan from the very beginning.
The CURE for lust includes making good use of time and avoiding idleness; keeping away--or better, running away--from occasions of sin (readings, shows, conversations, and so on); custody or guard of the senses, especially the eyes, the memory and the imagination; constant and persevering prayer and the practice of presence of God; frequent reception of the Sacraments. The cardinal virtues of PRUDENCE, FORTITUDE, and TEMPERANCE all play an important part here. We ought to ask also for the Holy Spirit to give us his gift of FORTITUDE and FEAR OF THE LORD.
The capital sins are also called DEADLY sins, and that is particularly true of the vice of lust. We ought to remember the experience of King David who fell into idleness while his army was fighting and was not careful to guard his eyes. The Second Book of Samuel (11: 1-15) narrates this tragedy in the life of David where he not only commits adultery, but commits the sin of scandal and murder as a consequence.
1 In the spring of the year, the time when kings go forth to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; ... But David remained at Jerusalem. 2 It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking upon the roof of the king's house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. 3 And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, "Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" 4 So David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her. ... 5 And the woman conceived; and she sent and told David, "I am with child." ... 14 In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah. 15 In the letter he wrote, "Set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, that he may be struck down, and die."
This is why Saint Josemaría writes in The Way (no 183):
The eyes! Through them much wickedness enters into the soul. How many experiences like David's! If you guard your eyes, you'll be assured of guarding your heart.
3.7.4 Envy
Envy is SADNESS ON ACCOUNT OF THE GOODS POSSESSED BY ANOTHER which one regards as harmful to oneself since they diminish one's own excellence or renown. It is the very opposite of what Saint Paul advises in his Letter to the Romans (12:15) when he speaks about charity:
15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.
Envy makes us happy at the misfortune of others--rejoicing when they are weeping; and depressed at their good fortune--weeping when they are rejoicing. It gives rise to hatred, murmuring, speaking badly about them.
One of the CURES for envy is learning to discover and acknowledge the gifts that we receive. Each day, God blesses us with many gifts, but we are sometimes too blind to discover them. This is why we have to beg God for the SUPERNATURAL VIRTUE OF FAITH. When we acquire the habit of discovering God's blessings and thanking Him for them, we prepare ourselves to thank God for blessing others as well, and invoke His grace upon them. We should ask God for the SUPERNATURAL VIRTUE OF CHARITY.
3.7.5 Gluttony
Gluttony is a DISORDERLY DESIRE FOR FOOD AND DRINK. We need to eat and to drink to sustain ourselves. This is the ORDERLY desire for food and drink. But when our desire goes out of the bounds of reason, then it becomes sinful.
The CURE for gluttony is TEMPERANCE. The book of Sirach (also called "Ecclesiasticus", 23:6) prays:
6 Let neither gluttony nor lust overcome me.
Saint Josemaría wrote in The Way (n 126):
Gluttony is the forerunner of impurity.
Again, the book of Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) says in chapter 37:
27 My son, test your soul while you live; see what is bad for it and do not give it that. 28 For not everything is good for every one, and not every person enjoys everything. 29 Do not have an insatiable appetite for any luxury, and do not give yourself up to food; 30 for overeating brings sickness, and gluttony leads to nausea. 31 Many have died of gluttony, but he who is careful to avoid it prolongs his life.
3.7.6 Anger
Anger is the DISORDERLY DESIRE FOR REVENGE. There is such a thing as a RIGHTEOUS anger, when this is provoked by an injustice. Such righteous anger moves one to restore justice using reasonable means which do not violate CHARITY. Saint Paul says in his Letter to the Ephesians (4:26-27, 29-32):
26 Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil. ... 29 Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for edifying, as fits the occasion, that it may impart grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, with all malice, 32 and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
The CURE for this vice is the virtue of MEEKNESS, which is also a fruit of the Holy Spirit. We often get frustrated or angry or upset when OUR plans do not materialise. Many times, anger can be avoided by always reminding ourselves of the words of Pope Benedict XVI in Deus Caritas Est (no 35):
There are times when the burden of need and our own limitations might tempt us to become discouraged. But precisely then we are helped by the knowledge that, in the end, we are only instruments in the Lord's hands; and this knowledge frees us from the presumption of thinking that we alone are personally responsible for building a better world. In all humility we will do what we can, and in all humility we will entrust the rest to the Lord. IT IS GOD WHO GOVERNS THE WORLD, NOT WE. We offer him our service only to the extent that we can, and for as long as he grants us the strength. To do all we can with the strength we have, however, is the task which keeps the good servant of Jesus Christ always at work: "The love of Christ urges us on" (2 Cor 5:14).
Many people take training courses on anger management. Christianity offers a course on anger prevention. When we work with the knowledge that God sees everything, knows everything, plans everything out of His infinite goodness and mercy, there is no need to be annoyed or upset if OUR plans do not materialise, because HIS plans are always fulfilled.
3 Fire goes before him, and burns up his adversaries round about. ... 5 The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth. (Psalm 97:3, 5)
Furthermore, we should remember that God is infinitely just. Even if we are not able to restore justice because of our limitations, in the end, He will mete out the reward or punishment that each man deserves. Saint Paul quotes Deuteronomy 32:35 ("Vengeance is mine") in his Letter to the Romans. The same line is quoted in the Letter to the Hebrews.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. ... 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends upon you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God; for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." 20 No, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head." 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:14, 17-21)
30 For we know him who said, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay." And again, "The Lord will judge his people." 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (Hebrews 10:30-31)
3.7.7 Sloth or Acedia
Sloth may be defined as SORROW REGARDING THE MEANS OF SALVATION conferred on us and prescribed by God. It is the result of a lack of the SUPERNATURAL VIRTUE OF HOPE, which helps avoid PRESUMPTION on one hand, and DESPAIR in the other. In spite of being on opposite extremes, both presumption and despair lead a person (1) to give up the interior struggle, (2) to abandon the supernatural means that lead to holiness and (3) to take the easy path to perdition.
13 Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few. (Matthew 7:13-14)
3.8 Are imperfections sins?
An imperfection (as the name implies) may be defined as the voluntary or involuntary LACK OF PERFECTION in an act that is good in itself. When described as such, imperfections are therefore not sins, because they inhere in GOOD ACTS, though these acts are NOT PERFECT. For example, I could be praying (a good act), but half my mind is on what to eat for dinner (and therefore the required attention at prayer is not perfect). Venial sins, on the other hand, are evil in themselves. This is what Saint John of the Cross (The Ascent of Mount Carmel, Book I, Chapter 11) says about imperfections:
Some habits of voluntary imperfections, which are never completely conquered, prevent not only the attainment of divine union but also progress in perfection.
These habitual imperfections are, for example, a common custom of much speaking, or some slight attachment which we never quite wish to conquer. ... A single one of these imperfections, if the soul has become attached and habituated to it, is of as great harm to growth and progress in virtue as though one were to fall daily into a great number of other imperfections and casual venial sins ....
For as long as it has this, there is no possibility that it will make progress in perfection, even though the imperfection be extremely slight. For it comes to the same thing whether a bird be held by a slender cord or by a stout one since, even if it be slender, the bird will be as well held as though it were stout, for so long as it does not break it and does not fly away. It is true that the slender one is the easier to break; still, easy though it be, the bird will not fly away if it is not broken. And thus the soul that has attachment to anything, however much virtue it possesses, will not attain to the liberty of divine union.
4.1 Temptations
The CCC (no 2847) teaches:
The Holy Spirit makes us discern between TRIALS, which are necessary for the growth of the inner man [cf Luke 8:13-15; Acts 14:22; Romans 5:3-5; II Timothy 3:12] and TEMPTATION, which leads to sin and death [cf James 1:14-15]. We must also discern between being TEMPTED and CONSENTING TO TEMPTATION. Finally, discernment unmasks the lie of temptation, whose object appears to be good, a "delight to the eyes" and desirable [cf Genesis 3:6] when in reality its fruit is death.
4.1.1 Trials or Tests
In his First Letter (1:6-7), Saint Peter says:
6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while you may have to suffer various trials, 7 so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold which though perishable is tested by fire, may redound to praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Saint James also tells us in his Letter (1:2-4):
2 Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
God allows us to be tempted in order to test our virtue and to give us an opportunity to grow and to earn merit. Thus, he will not allow us to be tempted with a test which is beyond our strength aided by God's grace. Saint Paul says in I Corinthians 10:13:
13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
4.1.2 Enticement to sin
Temptation, in another sense, is an enticement or invitation to sin. This invitation can come from several sources:
What about the difference between being tempted and consenting?
We can actualy distinguish three degrees of temptation:
Temptations, by themselves, do not cause us to sin. It is the will that consents which causes sin.
What are the good things that can come out of a victory over temptation?
Jordan Aumann OP, writes in Spiritual Theology (Manila: University of Santo Tomas, 1982, pp 157-158):
Victory over temptation humiliates Satan, makes the glory of God shine forth, purifies our soul, fills us with humility, repentance and confidence in the divine assistance. It reminds us to be always vigilant and alert, to mistrust ourselves, to expect all things from God, to mortify our personal tastes. It arouses us to prayer, helps us grow in experience, and makes us circumspect and cautious in the struggle against our enemy.
4.2 Occasions of sin
An occasion of sin is an external circumstance (person, thing, book, play, situation, event, and so on) which offers a strong incitement to sin and a suitable opportunity.
There are many KINDS of occasions.
What principles should we remember regarding occasions of sin and forgiveness?
4.3 Cooperation in evil
Cooperation in evil is concurrence in another's sinful act. Note that cooperation in evil is different from scandal (see 4.4 below) in that while scandal causes the other person to sin, cooperation in evil means the other person had already decided to commit the sin, even before the one he is asking to cooperate has agreed. The CCC (1868) says:
Sin is a personal act. Moreover, we have a responsibility for the sins committed by others when we cooperate in them:
- by participating directly and voluntarily in them;
- by ordering, advising, praising, or approving them;
- by not disclosing or not hindering them when we have an obligation to do so;
- by protecting evil-doers.
There are various kinds of cooperation in evil, but the most important classification is that between MATERIAL and FORMAL cooperation.
Cooperation in evil gives rise to structures of sin, which the CCCC (no 400; cf CCC 1869) defines as:
social situations or institutions that are contrary to the divine law. They are the expression and effect of personal sins.
4.4 Scandal
This will be tackled in the lesson on the Fifth Commandment.