Duties of the Christian life
What are the duties of the Christian life?
The duties of the Christian life are to avoid evil, that is, sin, and to do good, that is, what justice demands.
How can man avoid sin and practice justice?
Man cannot avoid sin and practice justice by his own strength; but, assisted by grace and animated by the spirit of Jesus Christ, the Christian can and must, as far as human frailty allows, live in justice and fulfill the law.
How many types of sins are there?
There are two kinds of sins: original sin and actual sin.
What is original sin?
Original sin is the sin we are born guilty of, which baptism removes by the merits of Jesus Christ.
What is actual sin?
Actual sin refers to any word, action, or desire contrary to the law of God or the Church.
How many types of actual sins are there?
There are two types of actual sin:
Mortal sin, so called because it causes immediate death to the soul: The soul that sins shall die, says the Lord;
Venial sin, so called because God easily forgives it, and even the just sometimes fall into it.
What steps lead to committing sin?
Sin is committed in three stages: suggestion, delectation (pleasure in the thought), and consent, meaning the determined will to sin.
Who are the most guilty sinners?
The most guilty sinners are those who commit sin with full knowledge, with reflection, and with pure malice; who take pride in the sin itself, murmur against those who warn them, and despise all advice useful for their salvation.
Why must we avoid sin?
We must avoid sin because it offends God our Lord, deprives the sinner of the highest good, brings the highest evil upon him by denying him the enjoyment of God for eternity, and prepares him for endless pains and punishments.
What are the capital sins?
The capital sins are those which are the source and root of all other sins.
How many capital sins are there?
There are seven capital sins: pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth.
How can we avoid and overcome these sins?
We can avoid sin by cooperating with the grace of Jesus Christ, by reflecting on the harms and dangers of sin, and by practicing the virtues opposed to them.
What are the virtues opposed to the capital sins?
The virtues opposed to the capital sins are humility, liberality, chastity, kindness, temperance, patience, and devotion or zeal in the service of God.
What are the sins against the Holy Spirit?
The sins against the Holy Spirit are those whose malice resists the grace of God to such an extent that, according to our Lord, they cannot be forgiven in this world or in the next, meaning it is very difficult to obtain forgiveness for them in this life.
How many sins are there against the Holy Spirit?
There are six sins against the Holy Spirit: presuming on God’s mercy or relying on the impunity of sin, despairing of one’s salvation, fighting against known truth, grieving over fraternal charity, obstinacy in evil, and dying in impenitence.
What are the sins that cry out to heaven for vengeance?
The sins that cry out to heaven for vengeance, according to Scripture, are certain crimes that are deserving of the greatest condemnation, manifest outrages to charity towards our neighbors. These often bring down the terrible wrath of God in this life.
How many sins cry out to heaven for vengeance?
There are four sins that, according to Scripture, cry out to heaven for vengeance: voluntary homicide, infamous sins, oppression of the poor, widow, and orphan, and refusing to pay the wages of a worker.
What do we mean by being guilty of another’s sin?
One is guilty of another’s sin when that sin, although not committed by us, is committed through our fault, with our participation in some way, or at least when we failed to prevent it when we should have.
In how many ways can we be guilty of another’s sin?
We can be guilty of another’s sin in nine ways: by counsel, by order, by consent, by provocation, by praise or flattery, by silence, by indulgence, and finally, by the benefit we derive from it and the unjust protection we give to the guilty.
What do you mean by works of the flesh?
By works of the flesh, I mean those actions that are typically done by men who are subject to their base desires and have degenerated from the noble quality of being children of God according to the Spirit.
What are the works of the flesh?
Saint Paul lists the works of the flesh as: impurity, idolatry, poisonings, hatred, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, heresies, aversions, homicides, drunkenness, excess, and similar things. I declare to you, as I have already declared, that those who commit such crimes will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Is it enough for a Christian to flee evil by avoiding sin?
No, it is not enough for a Christian to flee evil by avoiding sin; they must also practice good and exercise the virtues, for (according to the apostle Saint James) to know good and not to practice it is to commit sin.
What good must a Christian practice?
A Christian must practice, in general, all the good that natural law and divine and human laws command. Moreover, each person must specifically observe the duties of their vocation and cooperate gratefully with the grace that God gives them; for every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
What are the best good works?
The best good works are those that help us practice sobriety, justice, and piety on earth. They give a new increase day by day to the justice of the just and to the holiness of the saints.
List the main types of good works.
There are three main types of good works: fasting, almsgiving (or works of mercy), and prayer; it is good, says Scripture, to join prayer with fasting and almsgiving.
What is the fruit of good works?
God has promised rewards for good works, both in time and in eternity;
They appease God’s justice, preserve and increase grace;
Finally, they strengthen the Christian vocation and crown it with eternal happiness.
What is fasting?
Fasting consists of abstaining from rich foods on designated days, according to the customs and commands of the Church, and living more frugally than usual, contenting oneself with one meal a day. In a broader sense, fasting is a bodily penance that piety imposes either to subject the flesh to the spirit, to obey a command, or to obtain grace from God.
What is prayer?
Prayer is the elevation of our soul to God. Through prayer, we ask for the removal of evil, request some good for ourselves or others, and bless God, our Lord.
What is almsgiving?
Almsgiving is the relief we provide to the misery of our neighbor out of a sense of compassion.
How many types of almsgiving or works of mercy are there?
There are two types of works of mercy: corporal works of mercy and spiritual works of mercy, depending on whether they aim to relieve the physical or spiritual miseries of our neighbor.
List the corporal works of mercy.
The corporal works of mercy are seven in number: feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, clothing the naked, ransoming captives, visiting the sick, offering hospitality, and burying the dead.
List the spiritual works of mercy.
The spiritual works of mercy are also seven: correcting those who do wrong, instructing the ignorant, giving good counsel to those in need, praying to God for the salvation of others, comforting the afflicted, bearing injuries patiently, and forgiving offenses.
What are the most excellent virtues?
The most excellent virtues, after the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity, which we discussed earlier, are primarily the cardinal virtues, which are especially suited to a Christian.
What do you mean by cardinal virtues?
By cardinal virtues, I mean those that serve as the foundation and support of other virtues and contain the conditions for a holy life.
How many cardinal virtues are there?
There are four cardinal virtues: prudence, justice, temperance, and fortitude, which regulate Christian life in Jesus Christ and make it pleasing to God.
What do you mean by the gifts of the Holy Spirit?
By the gifts of the Holy Spirit, I mean the seven gifts that, according to the testimony of the prophet Isaiah, rested upon Jesus Christ, and from Him, as the source of all grace, are poured into the souls of the faithful. These are the gifts of wisdom, understanding, counsel, knowledge, fortitude, piety, and fear of God.
What are the fruits of the Holy Spirit?
The fruits of the Holy Spirit are the works of those who live according to the Holy Spirit, and the character that distinguishes spiritual people from carnal ones.
What are these fruits of the Holy Spirit?
The Apostle lists the fruits of the Holy Spirit as: charity, joy, peace, patience, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, and chastity.
What do you mean by the evangelical beatitudes?
By the evangelical beatitudes, I mean the state of those whom the Gospel declares truly happy, even though the world regards them as the most unfortunate.
How many evangelical beatitudes are there?
There are eight evangelical beatitudes, proclaimed by Jesus Christ in the Sermon on the Mount:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven;
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth;
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted;
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled;
Blessed are the merciful, for they will obtain mercy;
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God;
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God;
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
What do you mean by the evangelical counsels?
By the evangelical counsels, I mean various means presented in the Gospel, not as indispensable for salvation, but as more useful and safer ways to reach it. Jesus Christ does not impose them on us but advises them.
What are the evangelical counsels?
There are three main evangelical counsels: voluntary poverty, perpetual chastity, and entire obedience that we give to a person for the sake of God, out of religious motive.
What do you mean by the ends of man?
By the ends of man, I mean what should happen to us at the end of our life, such as death, judgment, hell, and heavenly glory. In all your actions, says the Sage, remember your last ends, and you will never sin.