I wrote one post on this earlier this year. But, an idea came to my mind today to help readers understand the Matter of Sin.
Our sins are forgiven in the sacrament of confession, but we have "hang-overs" from sin. If any of you saw the 2010 Narnia movie which was based on the Voyage of the Dawn Treader, you will remember the scenes when Edmund is tempted by the dead queen, the White Witch, or Jadis to sin again. This weakness of the imagination is part of the Matter of Sin. (By the way, have there been other Narnia movies since this one?)
Now, Edmund's sin of betrayal was forgiven long ago by Aslan. But, because Edmund sinned, he has a memory of sin and a memory of temptation. The Matter of Sin is that weakness which comes into the mind, the heart and the imagination, as well as the will of one who sins.
The Matter of Sin is not present in a person who has not sinned, such as Mary, Our Mother, and St. John the Baptist. However, those who sin must be purified even of the Matter of Sin, the detritus of sin.
This purification happens in the Dark Night of the Spirit, when God takes over the mind, imagination, heart and will, having already dealt with the senses.
The Matter of Sin is like Frodo's wound from Weathertop-a reminder of mortality and concupiscence given into.
Those great saints who allowed God to purify them while on earth and wrote about this process, such as SS. John of the Cross, Augustine, Teresa of Avila and others, have shared with us how to have purgatory on earth.
St. Therese, the Little Flower, also wrote about this process, which is the entire theme of my purification series.
Let God heal you and free you from the Matter of Sin, which can only happen after one truly repents and turn against sin.
Like the layers of scales of Eustace the Dragon, we must be purged of selfishness.
to be continued...