Whether Negligence Can Be a Mortal Sin?
Objection 1: It would seem that negligence cannot be a mortal sin.
For a gloss of Gregory [*Moral. ix. 34] on Job 9:28, "I feared all my
works," etc. says that "too little love of God aggravates the
former," viz. negligence. But wherever there is mortal sin, the love
of God is done away with altogether. Therefore negligence is not a
mortal sin.
Obj. 2: Further, a gloss on Ecclus. 7:34, "For thy negligences purify
thyself with a few," says: "Though the offering be small it cleanses
the negligences of many sins." Now this would not be, if negligence
were a mortal sin. Therefore negligence is not a mortal sin.
Obj. 3: Further, under the law certain sacrifices were prescribed for
mortal sins, as appears from the book of Leviticus. Yet no sacrifice
was prescribed for negligence. Therefore negligence is not a mortal
sin.
_On the contrary,_ It is written (Prov. 19:16): "He that neglecteth
his own life [Vulg.: 'way'] shall die."
_I answer that,_ As stated above (A. 2, ad 3), negligence arises out
of a certain remissness of the will, the result being a lack of
solicitude on the part of the reason in commanding what it should
command, or as it should command. Accordingly negligence may happen
to be a mortal sin in two ways. First on the part of that which is
omitted through negligence. If this be either an act or a
circumstance necessary for salvation, it will be a mortal sin.
Secondly on the part of the cause: for if the will be so remiss about
Divine things, as to fall away altogether from the charity of God,
such negligence is a mortal sin, and this is the case chiefly when
negligence is due to contempt.
But if negligence consists in the omission of an act or circumstance
that is not necessary for salvation, it is not a mortal but a venial
sin, provided the negligence arise, not from contempt, but from some
lack of fervor, to which venial sin is an occasional obstacle.
Reply Obj. 1: Man may be said to love God less in two ways. First
through lack of the fervor of charity, and this causes the negligence
that is a venial sin: secondly through lack of charity itself, in
which sense we say that a man loves God less when he loves Him with a
merely natural love; and this causes the negligence that is a mortal
sin.
Reply Obj. 2: According to the same authority (gloss), a small
offering made with a humble mind and out of pure love, cleanses man
not only from venial but also from mortal sin.
Reply Obj. 3: When negligence consists in the omission of that which
is necessary for salvation, it is drawn to the other more manifest
genus of sin. Because those sins that consist of inward actions, are
more hidden, wherefore no special sacrifices were prescribed for them
in the Law, since the offering of sacrifices was a kind of public
confession of sin, whereas hidden sins should not be confessed in
public.
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