Overcoming Sin: Part Three

02-12-2017Weekly Reflection

St. Francis de Sales’ most notable work is Introduction to the Devout Life — a guide to holiness written for lay people in 1609. Ralph Martin’s book, Fulfillment of All Desire, gives excerpt s from Francis and other Saints to inspire us to grow in the Spiritual life. For the next several weeks, this bulletin letter will feature a series about “Overcoming Sin” from Fulfillment of All Desire.

The Second Purgation: The Affection for Sin (part A)

One of Francis's most helpful insights is his teaching on the affection for sin. He points out that oftentimes we might turn away from serious sins in our life and try hard not to commit them, but still nurture affection for such sin, which greatly slows down our spiritual progress and disposes us to future falls. He points out that although the Israelites left Egypt in effect, many did not leave it in affection; and the same is true for many of us. We leave sin in effect, but reluctantly, and look back at it fondly, as did Lot's wife when she looked back on the doomed city of Sodom.

Francis gives an amusing but telling example of how a doctor, for the purpose of health, might forbid a patient to eat melons lest he die. The patient therefore abstains from eating them, but "they begrudge giving them up, talk about them, would eat them if they could, want to smell them at least, and envy those who can eat them. In such a way weak, lazy penitents abstain regretfully for a while from sin. They would like very much to commit sins if they could do so without being damned. They speak about sin with a certain petulance and with liking for it and think those who commit sins are at peace with themselves." Francis says this is like the person who would like to take revenge on someone "if only he could"or a woman who doesn't intend to commit adultery but still wishes to flirt. Such souls are in danger. Besides the real danger of falling into serious sin again, having such a "divided heart" makes the spiritual life wearisome and the "devout" life of prompt, diligent, and frequent response to God's will and inspirations virtually impossible.

Bernard similarly reminds us that feeling such affection for sin is not necessarily a sin in itself. To feel jealousy without yielding to it is no sin, but "a passion that time will heal." He warns us though that if we "nurture" such affections or disordered passions we are heading in the wrong direction. He also tells us we should strive to eliminate or reduce such affection for sin by confession, tears, and prayer. Even if we should not prove successful, at least we can grow in gentleness and humility as we bear the burden of such a continuing struggle.

What does Francis propose as the remedy for such remaining attachment to the affection for sin? A recovery of the biblical worldview! Francis himself leads the reader of the Introduction to the Devout Life through ten such meditations on these basic truths, focusing on all we have been given by God and the debt of gratitude we owe Him, the ugliness and horror of sin, the reality of judgment and hell, the great mercy and goodness of Jesus' work of redemption, the shortness of life, and the great beauty and glory of heaven.

Francis and all the saints we are considering believe that there truly is power in the Word of God, and that meditating on the truth can progressively free us from remaining affection for sin. The Scripture is clear: How can young people keep their way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; do not let me stray from your commandments. I treasure your word in my heart, so that I might not sin against you. . . . I will meditate on your precepts, and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word. (Ps. 119: 9–16, NRSV) The saints have a wonderful way of bringing the insight of Scripture into contact with the circumstances of our lives. Teresa of Avila puts it this way: A great aid to going against your will is to bear in mind continually how all is vanity and how quickly everything comes to an end. This helps to remove our attachment to trivia and center it on what will never end. Even though this practice seems to be a weak means, it will strengthen the soul greatly and the soul will be most careful in very little things. When we begin to become attached to something, we should strive to turn our thoughts from it and bring them back to God—and His majesty helps. We need to make the prayer of Scripture our own: So teach us to number our days that we may gain wisdom of heart. (Ps. 90: 12) Meditating on the passion of Christ is often recommended as being of special value. Bernard puts it like this: What greater cure for the wounds of conscience and for purifying the mind's acuity than to persevere in meditation on the wounds of Christ?