 |
| sloth, spiritual torpor and discouragement |
One of the most important lessons to learn in the spiritual life is NOT to believe one is at a higher stage of development that one really is. Self-deceit and confusion can lead to dangerous results, including the loss of one's soul.
A spiritual director or a good confessor is a necessary person. Also, one must examine one's conscious daily. Before one goes to bed at night is the best time.
Garrigou-Lagrange lists sins we could use in an examination: all come from "Inordinate love of self".
He divides this list into "Pride" and "Concupiscence".
He further divides Pride into sins regarding one's self and sins in regard to one's neighbor.
He further divides Concupiscence into sins of the flesh and sins of the eyes. That will be in the next post.
Under Pride and Self, these are listed: vainglory, disobedience, boasting, hypocrisy, contention, rivalry, discord,, singularity, stubbornness, sloth (acedia), hatred of spiritual things, malice, rancor, pusillanimity, discouragement, spiritual torpor, forgetfulness of precepts and seeking after forbidden things.
Catholics who insist on following false, condemned seers are committing a sin of pride.
In the next category of Pride, that of sins against others, the list continues: envy, hatred, detraction, calumny, joy at the misfortune of others, sadness at another's success, anger, disputes, fits of passion, insults, contumely, blasphemy.
To be continued...