The Second Purgation, Namely, of Affection for Sin


28 August, 2019

“The Second Purgation, Namely, of Affection for Sin”
The Incarnation reveals to us a God who is willing to "let go" His Divinity, if just for a time, in order to be with us. (St. Teresa's Church, Discalced Carmelites. Photo P. Smith)


                It is not enough to let go of our sins, St. Francis De Sales argues; the greater struggle is to let go of our “affection” for sin. “I want to stop doing___________________, but _________________.” We say this to ourselves often. We may even say it as we are leaving the confessional, but the desire to sin, itself, can be an anchor. I used to ask my students: “What does it mean to be ‘fully human’?” Almost always, someone would respond: “To sin! Or make mistakes!” De Sales tells us in this section of the book, “…you must not only cease to sin but you must also purify you heart of all affection for sin.” Our True image and likeness detests sin and the damage that comes with it. What he doesn’t tell us, yet, is how we can actually start to let go of these affections for sin. Maybe that is the next section.

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