Victory begins by maintaining a firm resolution never to commit mortal sin

October 29, 2021 • 2 min

From The Sinner’s Guide, page 318
By Venerable Louis of Granada

Resting on these two principles, your first determination must be a deep and unshaken resolution never to commit mortal sin, for it only can rob us of the grace and friendship of God.

Such a resolution is the basis of a virtuous life. As long as the soul perseveres in it she possesses divine charity, which makes her a child of God, a member of Christ, a temple of the Holy Ghost, and gives her a right to the blessings of the Church here and the kingdom of Heaven hereafter.

In all things we distinguish substance and accidents. The latter may be changed, while the former remains the same; but if the substance fail, all is lost. Thus a house is still called a house though its ornaments are removed, but if the building be destroyed the ornaments perish with it.

Now, the very substance, the life of virtue is charity. This remains, and therefore our spiritual edifice stands as long as we maintain our resolution not to commit mortal sin. If this fail the whole structure is reduced to ruin; we cease to be God’s friends; we become His enemies.

Hence the constancy with which the martyrs endured such cruel torments. Rather than be deprived of God’s grace by mortal sin they submitted to be burned, to have their flesh torn with heated irons, and to suffer every torture which the cruelty of men could invent.

They knew that had they sinned they could, if time were given them, repent and obtain forgiveness, as Peter did immediately after denying his Master; yet the most terrible torments were more tolerable to them than the momentary deprivation of God’s favor and grace.