We must purify our hearts from love of sin
September 24, 2021 • 3 min
From Introduction to the Devout Life, page 14
By St. Francis de Sales
CHAPTER VII.
The second Purification, which is that from affection to sin.
All the Israelites departed, indeed, out of the land of Egypt, but they did not all depart heartily and willingly; wherefore, in the wilderness, many of them repined that they had not the onions and fleshpots of Egypt.
Thus there are penitents who, in effect, forsake sin, but not from their hearts: that is, they purpose to sin no more; but it is with a certain reluctance of heart to abstain from the mischievous delights of sin.
Their hearts renounce sin, and avoid it, but they cease not to look back often that way, as Lot’s wife did towards Sodom.
The abstain from sin, as sick men do from melons, which they abstain from because the physician threatens them with death if they eat them; but it is troublesome to them to refrain: they talk of them and are unwilling to believe them hurtful; they would at least smell them, and account those happy who may eat them.
Thus those weak and faint-hearted penitents abstain from sin for a time, but to their grief: they would like to sin without running the risk of damnation; they speak of sin with a kind of satisfaction and relish, and think those happy who deliver themselves up to it.
A man resolved to revenge himself will renounce the desire in confession; but soon after he will be found among his friends, taking pleasure in speaking of his quarrel, and saying, had it not been for fear of God he would have done this or that. “Oh, how strict is God’s law on this point of forgiving!”
Ah! who does not see that, although this poor man is without sin he is embarrassed with the passion of sin; and, being out of Egypt in effect, he is yet there in desire, longing for the garlic and onions he was wont to eat.
Alas! in how great danger are such penitents!
Since you are willing, Philothea, to undertake a devout life, you must not only forsake sin itself, but also cleanse your heart from all affections to sin.
For, besides the danger of relapsing, these wretched passions will perpetually weigh on and deject your soul, so that you will not be able to do good works, cheerfully, diligently, and frequently: in this, nevertheless, consists the very essence of devotion.
Souls that have quitted sin itself, but do not avoid propensities to sin, may, in my opinion, be compared to delicate girls, not exactly sick, yet having all their actions languid and depressed: they eat without relish, sleep without rest, laugh without delight, and rather drag themselves along than walk.
In such a way these souls do good, but with so great spiritual weariness, that it takes away all the grace from their good works, which are few in number and small in effect.
Latest book snippets
Search | Random | 909 total | 50h 1m
June 7, 2022
God’s goodness in giving Himself to us sinners should inspire us with even greater humility, trust and love
1 min — Imitation of Christ
June 6, 2022
The more we preserve our hearts for God, the more will he fill us with Divine Love and Grace
1 min — Imitation of ChristThe love of friends must only depend on and exist in the Love of God
1 min — Imitation of Christ
May 24, 2022
Mary’s love was greater than any angel’s or saint’s as much as the moon is bigger and brighter than any star
1 min — The Month of Mary According to the Spirit of St. Francis De SalesMary only slept in order to love and serve God better
2 min — The Month of Mary According to the Spirit of St. Francis De Sales
May 17, 2022
May 17th: Mary not only practiced perfect obedience, but recommended it to all in the Gospel
2 min — The Month of Mary According to the Spirit of St. Francis De Sales
May 15, 2022
May 15th: The union of Humility and Charity in the Blessed Virgin Mary
4 min — The Month of Mary According to the Spirit of St. Francis De SalesMay 15th: The three Unions that occurred at the Incarnation
2 min — The Month of Mary According to the Spirit of St. Francis De Sales
May 13, 2022
By humility and a desire to love God, we begin to pray, which is so effective against the devil that he tries to convince us not to
2 min — The Dialogue of St. Catherine of Siena