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Brookline Carmel Bulletin
February 5, 1961
Cogitatio Sancta
(Holy
Meditation)
It is of the utmost
importance that a man striving for union with God be able to distinguish
clearly between sin and tendencies to sin.
The former cannot exist together with spiritual perfection; with the
latter, coexistence (though rarely peaceful) is possible. Failure to understand the difference may
easily plunge a man into undesirable psychic states: uneasiness, anxiety, fear, scruples, depression, and
discouragement. These paralyze him to
some extent and induce a corresponding loss of self-possession. But if the tendencies to sin are recognized
and evaluated at their true worth, a man is able to maintain his soul in peace
and cope with them coolly, forcefully and decisively.
As pointed out previously
(Cogitatio, November 6, 1960) there are found in human nature both innate and
acquired tendencies. A tendency is an
inclination or leaning toward or away from some object or mode of behavior. Obviously, they may be either good or
bad. If they are contrary to God’s Will
they are tendencies to sin.
Innate tendencies are of a
general indeterminate nature. The
senses of our body are designed to seek what is pleasing and to avoid what
brings displeasure. In other words,
they are equipped with an ‘appetitive’ faculty, a ‘sense appetite’. Thus a man finds that he loves and is drawn
to beauty of form and color, delightful sounds, a warm, soft touch, etc… and is
repelled by their opposites. It is not
within his power to change this general orientation of soul. Movements of the sense appetite are not,
therefore, sinful in themselves. It is
God’s Will that they be turned to good use.
But because of Original Sin, the intensity, the duration, and urgency of
the sense appetites is all out of proportion to the dictates of reason, and
they are, besides, not fully subject to the control of the will. Considered in their totality, the disordered
inclinations in human nature are called Concupiscence, a powerful incentive to
sin. There exists, similarly, a general
inclination of the will to love ourselves.
Original Sin has introduced disorder here, too, so that we prefer
ourselves, again contrary to reason, to all else. Since they are natural, that is, involuntary and indeliberate,
innate tendencies to sin are compatible with the state of perfect union with
God.
Acquired tendencies are
those caused by actual sin. Hence they
are of a specific and determinate nature.
They are not general tendencies toward the pleasurable and away from the
unpleasant, but tendencies toward or away from this particular object or that
specific mode of behavior. If an actual
sin is not repented of, the tendency it causes remains voluntary and
deliberate. If repeated frequently the
tendency grows very strong. In a word,
it becomes a vice. Clearly, this kind
of tendency is incompatible with spiritual perfection. It is, in fact incompatible with the state
of grace. If however, the actual sin is
repented of and confessed, the acquired tendency it gives birth to is rendered
no more harmful than innate tendencies, for they cease to be voluntary and
deliberate.
It is customary, also, to
speak of actual and habitual tendencies.
An actual tendency is one that is experienced here and now. A habitual one is a tendency that lies
dormant, i.e., is capable of being awakened.
The property of a piece of iron by which it is capable of being
attracted by a magnet is analogous to a habitual tendency. The attraction it experiences in the presence
of a magnet is similar to an actual tendency.
The actual tendencies to sin are called temptations.
Temptations, then, may be
voluntary or involuntary, and proceed from our own corrupt nature, from our
perverse will, and from the devil.
Because we go about with eyes and ears open and have warm red blood
coursing through our veins, we are bound to suffer temptation. In other words, only the man who is deaf,
dumb, blind, numb and asleep is free from temptations. Our perverse wills are responsible for temptation
when they deliberately carry us into the unnecessary occasion of sin. The devil tempts us by activating our
habitual tendencies to sin. Working in
our memory and imagination he stimulates our desire for what is contrary to
God’s will and suggests reasons for indulging them. It is interesting to note, too.
(And we have this from St. John of the Cross), that even our fear of
offending God can be a source of temptation.
Remembrance of what separates us from Him tends to activate our habitual
tendencies to sin, also.
Involuntary tendencies to
sin are mentioned as obstacles to perfection only insofar as they may bring
on the psychic states mentioned above. These
interfere with actual union with God when they impede the exercise of virtue,
which puts us into direct, actual conformity with the Will of God.
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