Salesian Literature

Chapter 22:  We must purify ourselves from attachment to venial sin

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As the morning grows brighter, we see more clearly in the mirror the stains and dirt on our face.  In the same way, the more the interior light of the Holy Spirit shines upon our consciences more distinctly and clearly we see the sins, inclinations and imperfections which can prevent us from acquiring true devotion.  The same inflames us with the desire to cleanse and purify ourselves from them.

 

You will discover, my dear Philothea, that besides mortal sins and attachment to sins – from which you have been purified by the exercises given above – there still remain in you many inclinations and attachments to venial sins.  I do not say that you will find venial sins, but I say that you will find attachments and inclinations to venial sins.  The two things are very different from one another.  We can never be completely free from venial sins.  At least we cannot continue for long in such purity.  But we can well be free from every attachment to venial sins.  In fact, it is one thing to tell a lie once or twice from light-heartedness, in a matter of little importance, and quite another to take pleasure in telling lies and to be fond of this sort of sin.

 

I tell you now that we must purify ourselves from all our attachments to venial sin.  In other words, we must not foster deliberately the disposition to continue and persist in any kind of venial sin.  For it would be a very great meanness, to be ready to keep in our heart knowingly, a thing so displeasing to God as the willingness to offend him.  Venial sin, no matter how small it is, displeases God, though it does not displease him to the extent that will damn or ruin us for it.  But if venial sin displeases God, the desire and attachment we have to venial sin is nothing else that a determination to want to displease him.  Is it possible that a generous person is not only determined to displease God but is fond of displeasing him?

 

Such attachments, Philothea, are directly contrary to devotion, just as the attachments to mortal sin are to charity.  They weaken the powers of the spirit, obstruct divine consolations, open the door to temptations.  Though they do not kill the soul, they make it extremely ill.  Dying flies, says the Wise Man (Sirach 10:1) spoil the quality of the ointment.  He means that flies settling on the ointment for a moment, eat it in passing, spoiling only what they take an the rest remains good.  But when they die in the ointment they make it lose its value and it is rejected.  Similarly, venial sins touching a devout person, for only a short while, do not cause much harm.  But if these same sins remain in the person, due to attachment to them, they certainly spoil the quality of the ointment, that is, of holy devotion.

 

Spiders do not kill bees, but they spoil and contaminate their honey.  They entangle their honeycombs with the webs they spin, so that the bees cannot carry on their work.  This happens when the spiders stay around the hive.  In the same way, venial sin does not take away our spiritual life but it spoils devotion.  It so entangles the powers of the spirit with evil habits and inclinations, that we can no longer practise charity with promptness in which devotion consists.  This takes place when venial sin dwells in our heart by attachment we have for it.

 

It is of no consequence, Philothea, to tell a small lie, or to be slightly immoderate in speech, in actions, in looks, in dress, in adornment, in playing games, in dancing, provided that, as soon these spiritual spiders enter our heart, we chase them away again and again rid of them as the bees do the real spiders.  But if we allow them to remain in our hearts, and more than that, if we like to keep them there and let them increase, we shall soon find our honey lost and the hive of our conscience poisoned and damaged.  But I repeat: What possibility is there that one who is generous should be pleased in displeasing God, be fond of offending him, and willingly want what is annoying to him?

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