Whether Venial Sin Can Be Forgiven Without Penance?
Objection 1: It would seem that venial sin can be forgiven without
penance. For, as stated above (Q. 84, A. 10, ad 4), it is essential
to true penance that man should not only sorrow for his past sins,
but also that he should purpose to avoid them for the future. Now
venial sins are forgiven without any such purpose, for it is certain
that man cannot lead the present life without committing venial sins.
Therefore venial sins can be forgiven without penance.
Obj. 2: Further, there is no penance without actual displeasure at
one's sins. But venial sins can be taken away without any actual
displeasure at them, as would be the case if a man were to be killed
in his sleep, for Christ's sake, since he would go to heaven at once,
which would not happen if his venial sins remained. Therefore venial
sins can be forgiven without penance.
Obj. 3: Further, venial sins are contrary to the fervor of charity,
as stated in the Second Part (II-II, Q. 24, A. 10). Now one contrary
is removed by another. Therefore forgiveness of venial sins is caused
by the fervor of charity, which may be without actual displeasure at
venial sin.
_On the contrary,_ Augustine says in _De Poenitentia_ [*De vera et
falsa Poenitentia, the authorship of which is unknown], that "there
is a penance which is done for venial sins in the Church every day"
which would be useless if venial sins could be forgiven without
Penance.
_I answer that,_ Forgiveness of sin, as stated above (Q. 86, A. 2),
is effected by man being united to God from Whom sin separates him in
some way. Now this separation is made complete by mortal sin, and
incomplete by venial sin: because, by mortal sin, the mind through
acting against charity is altogether turned away from God; whereas by
venial sin man's affections are clogged, so that they are slow in
tending towards God. Consequently both kinds of sin are taken away by
penance, because by both of them man's will is disordered through
turning inordinately to a created good; for just as mortal sin cannot
be forgiven so long as the will is attached to sin, so neither can
venial sin, because while the cause remains, the effect remains.
Yet a more perfect penance is requisite for the forgiveness of mortal
sin, namely that man should detest actually the mortal sin which he
committed, so far as lies in his power, that is to say, he should
endeavor to remember each single mortal sin, in order to detest each
one. But this is, not required for the forgiveness of venial sins;
although it does not suffice to have habitual displeasure, which is
included in the habit of charity or of penance as a virtue, since
then venial sin would be incompatible with charity, which is
evidently untrue. Consequently it is necessary to have a certain
virtual displeasure, so that, for instance, a man's affections so
tend to God and Divine things, that whatever might happen to him to
hamper that tendency would be displeasing to him, and would grieve
him, were he to commit it, even though he were not to think of it
actually: and this is not sufficient for the remission of mortal sin,
except as regards those sins which he fails to remember after a
careful examination.
Reply Obj. 1: When man is in a state of grace, he can avoid all
mortal sins, and each single one; and he can avoid each single venial
sin, but not all, as was explained in the Second Part (I-II, Q. 74,
A. 8, ad 2; Q. 109, A. 8). Consequently penance for mortal sins
requires man to purpose abstaining from mortal sins, all and each;
whereas penance for venial sins requires man to purpose abstaining
from each, but not from all, because the weakness of this life does
not allow of this. Nevertheless he needs to have the purpose of
taking steps to commit fewer venial sins, else he would be in danger
of falling back, if he gave up the desire of going forward, or of
removing the obstacles to spiritual progress, such as venial sins are.
Reply Obj. 2: Death for Christ's sake, as stated above (Q. 66, A.
11), obtains the power of Baptism, wherefore it washes away all sin,
both venial and mortal, unless it find the will attached to sin.
Reply Obj. 3: The fervor of charity implies virtual displeasure at
venial sins, as stated above (Q. 79, A. 4).
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