Natural Calamities, Divine Threats AND THE Four Gates of Hell, Part 4: Impurity

catholictradition.org ^ | 18th cent. | ST. ALPHONSUS LIGUORI

[GonzoII]

SIX DISCOURSES ON
Natural Calamities, Divine Threats,
AND THE
Four Gates of Hell
By
ST. ALPHONSUS LIGUORI


FOURTH DISCOURSE

The Four Principal Gates of Hell, Part 4: Impurity

We have now, lastly, to speak of the fourth gate of Hell, which is impurity, and it is by this gate that the greater number of the damned enter. Some will say that it is a trifling sin. Is it a trifling sin? It is a mortal sin. St. Antoninus writes, that such is the nauseousness of this sin; that the devils themselves cannot endure it. Moreover, the Doctors of the Church say that certain demons, who have been superior to the rest, remembering their ancient dignity, disdain tempting to so loathsome a sin. Consider then how disgusting he must be to God, who, like a dog, is ever returning to his vomit, or wallowing like a pig in the stinking mire of this accursed vice. The dog is returned to his vomit, and the sow that was washed, to her rolling in the mire.

The impure say, moreover, God has compassion on us who are subject to this vice, because He knows that we are flesh. What do you say? God has compassion on this vice. But you must know that the most horrible chastisements with which God has ever visited the earth have been drawn down by this vice. St. Jerome says that this is the only sin of which we read that it caused God to repent Him of having made man. It repented Him that had made man; . . . for all flesh had corrupted its way. Wherefore it is, St. Jerome says, that there is no sin which God punishes so rigorously, even upon earth, as this. He once sent fire from Heaven upon five cities, and consumed all their inhabitants for this sin. Principally on account of this sin did God destroy mankind, with the exception of eight persons, by the deluge. It is a sin which God punishes, not only in the other life, but in this also. In confirmation of this, you have only to enter the hospitals, and see there the many poor young men, who were once strong and robust, but are now weak, squalid, full of pains, tormented with lancets and caustic, and ulcers, all through this accursed vice. Because thou hast forgotten Me and cast Me off behind thy back, bear thou also thy wickedness and thy fornications. Because, says God, you have forgotten Me and turned your back upon Me, for a miserable pleasure of the flesh, I am resolved that even in this life you shall pay the forfeit of your wickedness.

You say, God has compassion upon men subject to this sin. But it is this sin that sends most men to Hell. St. Remigius says, that the greater number of the damned are in Hell through this vice. Father Segneri writes, that as this vice fills the world with sinners, so it fills Hell with damned souls; and before him St. Bernardine of Sienna wrote: "This sin draws the whole world, as it were, into sin." And before him St. Bernard, St. Isidore, said, that "the human race is brought under the power of the devil more by lust than by all the other vices." The reason is, because this vice proceeds from the natural inclination of the flesh. Hence the angelic Doctor says, that the devil does not take such complacency in securing the commission of any other sin as of this, because the person who is plunged in this infernal mire remains fast therein, and almost wholly unable to free himself more. "No one is so obstinate in sin as the impure," says St. Thomas of Villanova. Moreover, this vice deprives one of all light, for the impure man becomes so blind as almost wholly to forget God, says St. Laurence Justinian; which is in accordance with what is said by the prophet Osee: They will not set their thoughts to return to their God; for the spirit of fornication is in the midst of them, and they have not known God. The impure man knows not God; he obeys neither God nor reason, as St. Jerome says; he obeys only the sensual appetite which causes him to act the beast.

This sin, because it flatters, makes us fall at once into the habit of it, a habit which some carry with them even to death. You see husbands, and decrepit old men, indulge in the same thoughts and committing the same sins that they committed in their youth. And because sins of this kind are so easily committed, they become multiplied without number. Ask of the sinner how many impure thoughts he has consented to: he will tell you he cannot remember. But, brother, if you cannot tell the number, God can; and you know that a single immodest thought is enough to send you to Hell. How many immodest words have you spoken, in which you took delight yourself, and by which you scandalized your neighbor? From thoughts and words you proceed to acts, and to those innumerable impurities which those wretches roll and wallow in like swine, without ever being satisfied, for this vice is never satisfied.

But, Father, you will say, how can I hold out against the innumerable temptations which assail me? I am weak, I am flesh. And since you are weak, why not recommend yourself to God, and to most holy Mary, who is the mother of purity? Since you are flesh, why do you throw yourself in the way of sin? Why do you not mortify your eyes? Why do you gaze upon those objects whence temptations flow? St. Aloysius never raised his eyes to look even upon his mother.

It is to be remarked, moreover, that this sin brings with it innumerable others: enmities, thefts, and, more especially, sacrilegious confessions and Communions, by reason of the shame which will not allow these impurities to be disclosed in confession. And let us remark here in passing, that it is sacrilege above all things, that brings upon us sickness and death; for, says the Apostle, He that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh judgment to himself, not discerning the body of the Lord; and then he adds: therefore are many infirm and weak among you. And St. John Chrysostom, in explanation of that passage, says that St. Paul speaks of persons who were chastised with bodily infirmities, because they received the Sacrament with a guilty conscience.

My brethren, should you ever have been sunk in this vice, I do not bid you be disheartened, but arise at once from this foul and infernal pit; beg of God forthwith to give you light, and stretch out His hand to you. The first thing that you have to do is to break with the occasion of sin: without that, preaching and tears and resolutions and confessions, all are lost. Remove the occasions, and then constantly recommend yourself to God, and to Mary the mother of purity. No matter how grievously you may be tempted, do not be discouraged by the temptation; at once call to your aid Jesus and Mary, pronouncing their sacred names. These blessed names have the virtue of making the devil fly, and stifling that hellish flame within you. If the devil persists in tempting you, persevere in calling upon Jesus and Mary, and certainly you shall not fall. In order to rid yourself of your evil habits, undertake some special devotion to our Lady; begin to fast in her honor upon Saturdays; contrive to visit her image every day, and beg of her to obtain for your deliverance from that vice. Every morning immediately after rising, never omit saying three "Hail Marys" in honor of her purity and do the same when going to bed; and above all things, as I have said, when the temptation is most troublesome, call quickly upon Jesus and Mary. Beware, brother, if you do not be converted now, you may never be converted.

www.catholictradition.org/Classics/calamities4d.htm

[GonzoII]

[Sherman Logan]

you know that a single immodest thought is enough to send you to Hell.

Well, I'm toast.

[DallasDeb]

There is no list of which sins are forgiven and which ones are not. Christ died for ALL of our sins. Thank you, Lord.

[GonzoII]

"There is no list of which sins are forgiven and which ones are not."

No doubt, except for blaspheming the Holy Spirit.

[unkus]

ping

[stuartcr]

How is it, that a mortal human, even a saint, can accurately describe hell?

[agere_contra]

Some have apparently been given visions of Hell. Others have had prophetic dreams of Hell.

Now all these come under the character of “private revelation”. One is not strictly required to pay them mind, not in the way that one should pay the Gospels or the Sacraments mind.

But I have to say: the descriptions of Hell that I have read have had (I believe) a salutary effect on my conduct and character. These things are intended for our good.

[stuartcr]

How would someone know the difference between a real vision of hell, and a delusion or hallucination, or just something made up to scare people?

[GonzoII]

"Well, I'm toast."

Let the Lord "butter you up" then you'll have no fear.

[agere_contra]

How should we know? Well it’s a good question.

I go by provenance, and “by their fruits shall ye know them”.

For instance the children who were visited by Our Lady at Garabandal or at other Marian sites report a (mercifully brief) vision of hell. I trust that vision because I trust the rest of the package: the sayings of Mary, the changes in my own heart and conduct after reading about Garabandal, and so on.

I have also read about the dream of Hell experienced by St John Bosco, which frankly scared the stuffing out of me. Nevertheless I think about his depiction less (not that I don’t trust St John Bosco) because it was a dream he had, not a direct vision.

And I trust the famous depiction of Hell by Aglieri not at all: but of course no one thinks his Inferno is anything but allegorical.

Still, this talk of Hell is all part of a larger question. Which pieces of ‘private revelation’ do we trust? Again: I would go by provenance.

Revelations given to Saints or by the Mother of God - yes.

Oddball revelations given to David Koreish (RIP) or Joanna Southcote and her box - no.

Hope this helps.

[agere_contra]

Aglieri = Alighieri. Next time, I’ll just say ‘Dante’, doh!

[stuartcr]

OK, thanks. So you think that revelation from sources other than those you believe in, are false?

[magisterium]

There is no list of which sins are forgiven and which ones are not. Christ died for ALL of our sins. Thank you, Lord.

No doubt. Yet St. Alphhonsus is not claiming otherwise. His premise is that the sins of impurity are responsible for sending more people to Hell than any other sin. He quotes others as saying that they believe, in fact, that sins of impurity send more people to Hell than all other sins combined. This is not, however, in any way to imply that such sins are the only ones that are important enough to eradicate in our lives.

It is therefore something of a mental misdirection to suppose that St. Alphonsus' words are to be dismissed because they don't encompass the obvious fact that "there are other sins, too, you know." Yes, we all know this. So did he. Yet his observations, written in the 1700's, BTW, certainly should give us all some pause in our own age of accelerated and ubiquitous sexual license and perversity. Why dismiss his counsel out-of-hand because he did not include other sins that were extraneous to his point?

If it is true that the predominant reason people wind-up in Hell is a misuse of the sexual faculties - and that is certainly a reasonable supposition, especially these days - then it would be in our interest to take this counsel seriously. Even if the number landing in Hell over this set of sins is not as great as St. Alphonsus alleges, it is undoubtedly the case that many souls do wind-up in Hell over these things, just the same. St. Alphonsus is speaking especially to us in our own day here, and his words should be reflected on by all of us. Many Christians are self-deluded in these matters, without a doubt.

[Lauren BaRecall]

Thank you for posting these! I found the other installments, and I will read them.

God warns us so he doesn’t have to punish us. He’s warning us now.

[GonzoII]

My pleasure.