Chapter 37. Other Sins to be avoided

Section I. On Taking the Name of God in Vain

Besides the seven capital sins of which we have beer treating, there are others which a good Christian shoulc avoid with equal diligence.

The first is taking God’s name in vain. This sin directly attacks the majesty of God and is more grievous than any of which we could be guilty against our neighbor. And this i true not only when we swear by God’s holy name, but wher we swear by the cross, by the saints, or by our own salva tion. Any of these oaths, if taken falsely, is a mortal sin Holy Scripture frequently speaks of the heinousness of suck offenses against God. It is true that if one swears inadver tently to what is false the offense is not a mortal sin, whick requires the full knowledge of the intellect and the full as sent of the will. But this restriction does not apply to thos who have a habit of confirming their statements by careles oaths without making any effort to correct themselves Those who swear in this way, without weighing the impor of their words, are culpable for this very negligence. No will it avail them to urge that the intention of swearing t what is false was furthest from their thoughts. They per severe in a bad habit without any attempt to overcome it and therefore they must bear its consequences.

A Christian, if he would not constantly expose himself t » guilt of mortal sin, should earnestly endeavor to conter a habit so pernicious. To this end let him follow the wasel given us by Our Saviour, and which St. James seats in these words: ‘‘Above all things, my brethren, fear not, neither by heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any ver oath. But let your speech be, yea, yea; no, no; that you i not under judgment.” (James 5:12). By these words we > taught the danger of contracting a habit of careless earing which may eventually lead us to swear falsely, and | to fall under the sentence of eternal death. Swearing in uth, judgment, and justice” (Jer. 4:2), as the prophet clares, is the only swearing that is justifiable. That is, we ould swear only to what is true in a just cause, and with liiberation. But we should not be satisfied with merely shunning the re of taking God’s name in vain; we should excite a hor- ¢ of it in our children and servants, and reprove it nenever we encounter it. If at times we inadvertently fall +O it, we should impose upon ourselves some penance of a yer, or an alms, not only to punish ourselves, but to imss on our minds the determination of avoiding it in the cure. All that has been said applies especially to blasphemy |d perjury. Beware also of that vice known as cursing. The me at whose mention “every knee in heaven, on earth, id in hell should bow down’”’ in reverence (Phil. 2:10) ould be used only with devotion and affection. Strive, refore, to speak with piety of the holy Name of God, and » what you can by your prayers, your exhortations, and ‘ur example to banish the terrible evil of which we have ren speaking.

Section II. On Detraction and Raillery

The abominable sin of detraction is so prevalent at the present day that there is scarcely a society, a family, an in: dividual not guilty of it. There are some persons s¢ perversely inclined that they cannot bear to hear any gooc of another, but are always alive to their neighbor’s faults always ready to tear his character to pieces.

To excite in your heart a salutary hatred of this detesta ble and dangerous vice, consider the three great evils whick it involves. First, it always borders upon mortal sin, ever when it is not actually such. From criticisms and censures with which people generally begin, we easily fall int detraction or calumny. Detraction is committed when we tell another’s real faults; calumny, when the fault we men tion is not real, but the invention of our malicious lies Thus, though we may not be guilty of calumny, how oftet does it happen that a person, from criticizing the failings o others which are generally known, is gradually led to men tion some hidden and grave sin which robs him of hi reputation and his honor! That the fault revealed is true it no manner saves the detractor from the guilt of mortal sin The descent to such a crime is easy; for when the tongu of the detractor is started, and a desire to embellish his stor seizes him, it is as difficult to restrain him as to extinguish | fire fanned by a high wind, or to stop a horse when he ha taken the bit in his teeth and is dashing madly on. It is th fear of this evil which led the author of Ecclesiasticus to er out: “Who will set a guard before my mouth and a sure sez upon my lips, that I fall not by them, and that my tongu destroy me not?” (Ecclus. 22:33). He keenly realized th difficulties in the way, knowing, as Solomon says, that “‘it i the part of man to prepare the soul, and of the Lord t govern the tongue.” (Prov. 16:1).

The second evil of this vice consists in the threefold inwy which it inflicts—namely, on the one who speaks, on -m who listens with approval, and on the victim who is lssailed in his absence. In addition to this, the person who complacently listens » detraction is frequently a talebearer. To ingratiate himif with the victims of the detraction he carries to them all at has been said against them, and thus excites enmities hich are seldom extinguished, and which sometimes end ven in bloodshed. ‘‘The whisperer and the double-tongued 3s accursed,” we are told in the Sacred Scriptures, “for he ath troubled many that were at peace.” (Ecclus. 28:15).

To teach us the baneful effects of this insidious vice, the Holy Ghost compares it at one time to the swift blow of a sharp razor” (Ps. 51:4); at another time to the bite of the oisonous asp, (Cf. Ps. 13:3), which disappears, but leaves its venom in the wound. With reason, then, did the author of Scclesiasticus say: “The stroke of a whip maketh a blue ark, but the stroke of the tongue will break the bones.” |Ecclus. 28:21). | The third evil of this vice is the horror it inspires and the infamy which it brings upon us. Men fly from a detractor as uaturally as they would from a venomous serpent. “A man ke of tongue,” says Holy Scripture, “‘is terrible in his city, nd he that is rash in his word shall be hateful.’ (Ecclus. :25). Are not these evils sufficient to make you abhor a ice so injurious and so unprofitable? Why will you make rourself odious in the sight of God and men for a sin from which you can reap no advantage? Remember, moreover, hat in no other vice do we so quickly form a habit, for evrry time we speak with others we expose ourselves to the langer of relapsing. Henceforward consider your neighbor’s character as a orbidden tree which you cannot touch. Be no less slow in yraising yourself than in censuring others, for the first indicates vanity and the second a want of charity. Speak of the virtues of your neighbor, but be silent as to his faults. Let nothing that you say lead others to think that he is aught but a man of virtue and honor. You will thus avoid innumerable sins and much remorse of conscience; you will be pleasing to God and men; and you will be respected by all as you respect others. Put a bridle upon your tongue and learn to withhold an angry word when your heart is moved. Believe me, there is no control more difficult and at the same time more noble and advantageous than that which a wise man exercises over his tongue. Do not think yourself guiltless because you artfully mingle your malicious insinuations with words of praise. In this respect the detractor is like the surgeon, who soothingly passes his hand over the vein before piercing it with the lancet: “His words are smoother than oil, and the same are darts.” (Ps. 54:22).

To refrain from speaking ill of others is always a virtue, but it is a still greater virtue to refrain from reviling those who have injured us; for the greater the injured feeling which prompts us to speak, the greater is our generosity in resisting it.

Nor is it sufficient not to indulge in detraction; you must also endeavor to avoid hearing it. Be faithful to the counsel of the Holy Spirit, who tells you to “hedge in thy ears with thorns, and hear not a wicked tongue.” (Ecclus. 28:28). Observe that you are not told to hedge in your ears with cotton, but with thorns, that you may not only repel the words of the detractor, but that you may pierce him, and, by showing him a grave countenance, teach him how displeasing to you is his conduct.

“The north wind driveth away rain,” says Solomon, “as doth a sad countenance a backbiting tongue.” (Prov. 25:23). Impose silence, therefore, upon the detractor, if he be your inferior or one whom you can reprove without offense. If you cannot do this, prudently endeavor to turn © conversation, or show by the severity of your countesce that his conversation is not pleasing to you. Beware nearing the detractor with smiling attention, for you thus courage him, and consequently share in his guilt. It is a jevous offense to set fire to a house, but it is scarcely less ilpable to stand idly by witnessing its destruction instead aiding in extinguishing the flames.

But of all detractions, that which is directed against vir- ,ous persons is the most sinful. It not only injures the perbn assailed, but tends to discourage others who are begin- 2rs in virtue, while it confirms the cowardice of those who ‘ill not risk our censures by striving to do good. For what ould be no scandal or stumbling block to the strong may ove an insurmountable obstacle to the weak. If you would ppreciate the evil of this kind of scandal, reflect upon these rords of Our Saviour: “He that shall scandalize one of nese little ones that believe in me, it were better for him nat a millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that ‘¢ should be drowned in the depth of the sea.” (Matt. 18:6). avoid, therefore, as you would a sacrilege, all scandalous eflections upon persons consecrated to God. If their conjuct furnish matter for censure, nevertheless continue to spect the sacred character with which they are invested, pr it is of them that Our Saviour has said: “He that pucheth you, toucheth the apple of my eye.” (Zach. 2:8). | All that we have said of detraction applies with still more ie to those who make others the object of derision and aillery; for this vice, besides having all the evil consejuences of the first two, presupposes pride, presumption, nd contempt for one’s neighbor. In the Old Law God pecially warns us against it: “Thou shalt not be a detracor, nor a whisperer among the people.” (Lev. 19:16). We \ave no need to insist upon the enormity of this vice; what ve have said on the subject of detraction is sufficient.

Section III. On Rash Judgments

Those who are addicted to detraction and raillery do not confine themselves to what they know, but indulge in sup: positions and rash judgments. When they no longer find matter to censure they invent evil intentions, misinterpret good actions, forgetting that Our Saviour has said: “Judge not, that you may not be judged; for with what judgment you judge you shall be judged.” (Matt. 7:1-2). Here also the offense may frequently be a mortal sin, particularly when we venture to judge in a matter of grave importance upon very slight evidence. If it be only a suspicion, not a real judgment, it may be only a venial sin, because the act has not been completed. Even by suspicion, however, a mortal sin can be committed by suspecting virtuous persons of enormous crimes.

Section IV. On the Commandments of the Church

Besides these sins against the Commandments of God there are those against the commandments of the Church, which also impose upon us a grave obligation. Such are the precepts to hear Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation; to confess our sins at least once a year, and to receive the Holy Eucharist at Easter or thereabouts: to pay tithes to our pastor, and to observe the days of fasting and abstinence prescribed by the Church. The precept of fasting is binding from the age of 21 and upwards; that of abstinence obliges all who have attained the age of reason. The sick, the convalescent, nursing women, women in pregnancy, those whose labors are severe, and those who are too poor to afford one full meal a day, are exempt from the law of fasting. There may be other lawful reasons for dispensation, « which the faithful ought to apply to their pastor or conssor, and not take it upon themselves to set aside the law the Church. The difference between abstinence and fasting should be membered. By fasting we mean eating only one full meal the day, with a slight collation in the evening. By abstibnce we mean giving up the use of flesh-meat. It should be >rne in mind, therefore, on Ember days and at other times * fast, that the law is not fulfilled by simply abstaining om meat. Unless you are excused by some of the reasons ven above or by dispensation, you must observe the fast y eating only one full meal, with the collation in the eveing, and a warm drink, with a cracker or small piece of read, in the morning. _In regard to hearing Mass, we must endeavor to be prest at the Holy Sacrifice not only in body but in mind, with be and recollection, having our thoughts fixed upon the uystery of the altar, or upon some other pious subject. The scital of devout prayers, especially the Rosary, is an exellent means of keeping ourselves united with God. If we re at the head of a house we must be careful to see that all inder our charge hear Mass, not only on Sundays, but also n holy days. Too much laxity regarding holy days is apt to revail among those who earn their bread by the sweat of seir brow. They should remember that the obligation to ear Mass on a holy day is the same as the obligation to ear it on Sunday. Consequently, they must make serious be sincere efforts to comply with this duty. To attend an arly Mass may involve the loss of a little sleep, but they nould remember that these holy days occur but seldom, nd that they must do something to atone for their sins and merit the kingdom of Heaven. Parents and employers will ave a severe account to render to God if they cause or per- 1it those confided to their care to neglect this sacred duty. VJhen there is a just reason, such as the care of the sick or any other pressing necessity which prevents our hearin Mass, we are released from the obligation.