Venial Sin according to Saint Anthony Mary Claret, Saint Camillus and Saint Anselm

[Aulef]

Saint Anthony Mary Claret made some remarkable considerations regarding venial sins based on Saint Ingatius of Loyola spiritual exercises. Saint Anthony quoted two other great saints in order to make his case: Saint Camillus de Lellis and Saint Anselm.

I did this translation myself but if anyone prefers a more professional translation please refer to the book “The Golden Key to Heaven”, by Saint Anthony Mary Claret.

I think it is worth reading and actually meditating on (not only this; the whole book).

The venial sin is an offense against God, and this offense contains in itself so much evil that it shouldn’t be done even if the life of a person could be saved by it, not even the whole human population. For instance, if by a ‘white lie’ one could take everyone out of hell and convert them all in saints, and save them all, this lie must never be said because it is an offense against God.

Saint Camillus de Lellis used to say that he would allow himself to be cut a thousand times in many small pieces before committing one venial sin which had previous warning… The venial sin is more horrifying than hell itself. ‘Persuaded by this truth’, said Saint Anselm, ‘if, on the one hand, I saw the gates of hell opened and on the other hand I found myself obliged to commit a venial sin, previously warned by conscience and done by my own choice, I would throw myself into hell rather than committing the sin’.

One must do the same, for hell is an evil of punishment whereas venial sin is an evil of guilt. Therefore, facing the worst punishment ever is considered a lesser evil than the smallest guilt. A venial sin is in itself a greater evil than destroying the whole universe; than taking away all angels from Heaven; than eternal damnation of all souls. And the reason is that all these evils, even though great, strike finite and limited creatures; however, guilt, even if small, offends God who is infinite, who must be honored and glorified, and who must be loved above everything else.

God is loveable; is a lover; created us to be in Heaven; He sustains us and gives us all sorts of natural and supernatural beneficts, visible and invisible, and yet we do not love Him!.. We offend Him! O, such ingratitude!!!..