Whether Infusion of Grace Is Necessary for the Remission of Venial Sins?
Objection 1: It would seem that infusion of grace is necessary for
the remission of venial sins. Because an effect is not produced
without its proper cause. Now the proper cause of the remission of
sins is grace; for man's sins are not forgiven through his own
merits; wherefore it is written (Eph. 2:4, 5): "God, Who is rich in
mercy, for His exceeding charity, wherewith He loved us, even when we
were dead in sins, hath quickened us together in Christ, by Whose
grace you are saved." Therefore venial sins are not forgiven without
infusion of grace.
Obj. 2: Further, venial sins are not forgiven without Penance. Now
grace is infused, in Penance as in the other sacraments of the New
Law. Therefore venial sins are not forgiven without infusion of grace.
Obj. 3: Further, venial sin produces a stain on the soul. Now a stain
is not removed save by grace which is the spiritual beauty of the
soul. Therefore it seems that venial sins are not forgiven without
infusion of grace.
_On the contrary,_ The advent of venial sin neither destroys nor
diminishes grace, as stated in the Second Part (II-II, Q. 24, A. 10).
Therefore, in like manner, an infusion of grace is not necessary in
order to remove venial sin.
_I answer that,_ Each thing is removed by its contrary. But venial
sin is not contrary to habitual grace or charity, but hampers its
act, through man being too much attached to a created good, albeit
not in opposition to God, as stated in the Second Part (I-II, Q. 88,
A. 1; II-II, Q. 24, A. 10). Therefore, in order that venial sin be
removed, it is not necessary that habitual grace be infused, but a
movement of grace or charity suffices for its forgiveness.
Nevertheless, since in those who have the use of free-will (in whom
alone can there be venial sins), there can be no infusion of grace
without an actual movement of the free-will towards God and against
sin, consequently whenever grace is infused anew, venial sins are
forgiven.
Reply Obj. 1: Even the forgiveness of venial sins is an effect of
grace, in virtue of the act which grace produces anew, but not
through any habit infused anew into the soul.
Reply Obj. 2: Venial sin is never forgiven without some act, explicit
or implicit, of the virtue of penance, as stated above (A. 1): it
can, however, be forgiven without the sacrament of Penance, which is
formally perfected by the priestly absolution, as stated above (Q.
87, A. 2). Hence it does not follow that infusion of grace is
required for the forgiveness of venial sin, for although this
infusion takes place in every sacrament, it does not occur in every
act of virtue.
Reply Obj. 3: Just as there are two kinds of bodily stain, one
consisting in the privation of something required for beauty, e.g.
the right color or the due proportion of members, and another by the
introduction of some hindrance to beauty, e.g. mud or dust; so too, a
stain is put on the soul, in one way, by the privation of the beauty
of grace through mortal sin, in another, by the inordinate
inclination of the affections to some temporal thing, and this is the
result of venial sin. Consequently, an infusion of grace is necessary
for the removal of mortal sin, but in order to remove venial sin, it
is necessary to have a movement proceeding from grace, removing the
inordinate attachment to the temporal thing.
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