10 September 2019

The Catechism of the Summa - The Second Part: XI. OF VICES WHICH ARE THE PRINCIPLE OF MAN'S BAD ACTIONS

XI. OF VICES WHICH ARE THE PRINCIPLE OF MAN'S BAD ACTIONS

Is there another life man can lead on earth other than a virtuous life?

Yes, it is the life of sin or vice (LXXI.-LXXXIX.).

What is understood by vice?

By vice is understood the state of man who lives in sin (LXXI. 1-6).

What is sin?

Sin is an act or a voluntary omission which is bad.

When is an act or a voluntary omission bad?

When this act is contrary to the good of God, or of our neighbour, or of man himself (LXXII. 4).

How comes it that man can thus wish a thing which is opposed to the good of God, to the good of his neighbour, or to his own good?

It is because man can will some good which is opposed to the good of God, or to the good of his neighbour, or to his own good (LXXI. 2; LXX VII. 4).

What is this other good which man can will?

It is the good that gratifies his senses, or his ambition, or his pride (LXXII. 2, 3; LXXVII. 5).

Whence comes it that man can thus will a good that gratifies his senses, or his ambition, or his pride?

The reason is because the senses can be borne towards what is agreeable to them by forestalling or by enticing the reason and the will which do not oppose this movement of the senses when they might and when they should (LXXI. 2, ad 3).

It is then the unlawful seeking after sensible and temporal goods which is, for man, the beginning and, in some sort, the reason of all his sins?

Yes, it is the unlawful seeking after sensible and temporal goods that is, for man, the beginning and, in some sort, the reason of all his sins.

What is this inclination in man to seek unlawfully sensible and temporal goods called?

It is called concupiscence (LXXVII. 1-5).

 Next - The Catechism of the Summa - The Second Part: XII. OF ORIGINAL SIN, AND OF ITS CONSEQUENCES, OR OF THE WOUNDING OF HUMAN NATURE

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