56 



SIN 



their guilt is diminished by the weakening of the will due 

 to concupiscence. Sins of the spirit, on the other hand, 

 involve greater malice and self-deception, — a circum- 

 stance that renders conversion more difficult, nay often 

 impossible. Christ Himself assured the haughty Phari- 

 sees: "The publicans and the harlots shall go into the 

 kingdom of God before you." 9 No sin is greater or more 

 dangerous than pride and excessive self-esteem. St. Au- 

 gustine observes that "A humble sinner is better than a 

 just man puffed up with pride." 10 Christ says that the 

 publican "went down into his house justified," whereas 

 the Pharisee did not; and He adds: "Every one 

 that exalteth himself, shall be humbled, and he that hum- 

 bleth himself, shall be exalted." Broadly speaking, we 

 may say that the sins of the flesh are less culpable than 

 those of the spirit, but involve greater shame. 



11 



delectatione ciborum, et luxuria, quae 

 perficitur in delectatione venereorum, 

 Unde et Apostolus dicit (2 Cor. VII, 

 l): 'Emundemus nos ab omni ini- 

 quitate carnis et spiritus.' " 



9 Matth. XXI, 31 ; cfr. Matth. 

 XXIII, 13-33; Luke VII, 36-48; 

 XVIII, 14; John VIII, 3-1 1. 



10 Serm., 170, n. 7: "Melior est 

 peccator humilis, quam iustus super- 

 bus." (Migne, P. L., XXXVIII, 



93°)- 



11 Cfr. Luke XVIII, 14. St. Au- 

 gustine, Enarr. in Ps., 93, n. 15: 

 "Vidcte, fratres, placuit Deo magis 

 humilitas in malis factis quam su- 

 perbia in bonis factis: sic odit Deus 

 superbos." (P. L., XXXVII, 1203). 

 — St. Thomas, Summa Theol., ia 

 2ae, qu. 73, art. 5: "Peccata spiri- 

 tualia sunt maioris culpae, quam pec- 

 cata carnalia. Quod non est sic in- 

 tellegendum, quasi quodlibet pecca- 

 tum spirituale sit maioris culpae 

 quolibet peccato carnali, sed quia 



considerata hac sola differentia spi- 

 ritualitatis et carnalitatis, graviora 

 sunt, quam cetera peccata ceteris 

 paribus. Cuius ratio triplex potest 

 assignari: prima quidem ex parte 

 subiecti, nam peccata spiritualia per- 

 tinent ad spiritum, cuius est con- 

 verti ad Deum et ab eo averti, pec- 

 cata vero carnalia consummantur in 

 delectatione carnalis appetitus, ad 

 quern principaliter pertinct ad bonum 

 corporate converti, et ideo peccatum 

 carnale, inquantum huiusmodi, plus 

 habet de conversione, propter quod 

 etiam est maioris adhaesionis, sed 

 peccatum spirituale habet plus de 

 aversione, ex qua procedit ratio cul- 

 pae, et ideo peccatum spirituale, in- 

 quantum huiusmodi, est maioris cul- 

 pae. Secunda ratio potest sumi ex 

 parte eius in quern peccatur, nam 

 peccatum carnale, inquantum huius- 

 modi, est in corpus proprium, quod 

 est minus diligendum secundum or- 

 dinem caritatis, quam Deus et 



