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Monday 25 May 2015

The Sin of Presumption

One of my favourite theologians to read is Suarez. His points on the sin of presumption may be seen in the Catholic Encyclopedia article of the same title. My comments in blue....One can be presumptuous about even dangerous situations which demand prudence and not foolhardiness. This sin is mortal. Many trad Catholics think they are saved by just going to the TLM. Presumption is actually a vice-a habitual sin.

Suarez ("De spe", disp. 2a, sect. 3, n. 2) enumerates five ways in which one may be guilty of presumption, as follows:


by hoping to obtain by one's natural powers, unaided, what is definitely supernatural, viz. eternal bliss or the recovery of God's friendship after grievous sin (this would involve a Pelagian frame of mind); Pelagianism may be the most prevalent heresy found in the people at Sunday Mass. We do not get to heaven by good works and we do not get to heaven through our own power or efforts--the great fallacy of Masonry.

a person might look to have his sins forgiven without adequate penance (this, likewise, if it were based on a seriously entertained conviction, would seem to carry with it the taint of heresy); many Catholics do not understand the seriousness of even venial sin. Penance is demanded by the God Who is Just.

a man might expect some special assistance from Almighty God for the perpetration of crime (this would be blasphemous as well as presumptuous); asking God for vengeance or retaliation-from a heart of malice-for supposed hurts. There is a major religion which works on this premise.

one might aspire to certain extraordinary supernatural excellencies, but without any conformity to the determinations of God's providence. Thus one might aspire to equal in blessedness the Mother of God;  seriously, many people think they are holy and saints without going through purgation and think they are like some of the saints.

finally, there is the transgression of those who, whilst they continue to lead a life of sin, are as confident of a happy issue as if they had not lost their baptismal innocence. head in the sand Catholics who actually deny the seriousness of sin....