Whether a Religious Sins More Grievously Than a Secular by the Same
Kind of Sin?
Objection 1: It would seem that a religious does not sin more
grievously than a secular by the same kind of sin. For it is written
(2 Paralip. 30:18, 19): "The Lord Who is good will show mercy to all
them who with their whole heart seek the Lord the God of their
fathers, and will not impute it to them that they are not
sanctified." Now religious apparently follow the Lord the God of
their fathers with their whole heart rather than seculars, who partly
give themselves and their possessions to God and reserve part for
themselves, as Gregory says (Hom. xx in Ezech.). Therefore it would
seem that it is less imputed to them if they fall short somewhat of
their sanctification.
Obj. 2: Further, God is less angered at a man's sins if he does some
good deeds, according to 2 Paralip. 19:2, 3, "Thou helpest the
ungodly, and thou art joined in friendship with them that hate the
Lord, and therefore thou didst deserve indeed the wrath of the Lord:
but good works are found in thee." Now religious do more good works
than seculars. Therefore if they commit any sins, God is less angry
with them.
Obj. 3: Further, this present life is not carried through without
sin, according to James 3:2, "In many things we all offend."
Therefore if the sins of religious were more grievous than those of
seculars it would follow that religious are worse off than seculars:
and consequently it would not be a wholesome counsel to enter
religion.
_On the contrary,_ The greater the evil the more it would seem to be
deplored. But seemingly the sins of those who are in the state of
holiness and perfection are the most deplorable, for it is written
(Jer. 23:9): "My heart is broken within me," and afterwards (Jer.
23:11): "For the prophet and the priest are defiled; and in My house
I have found their wickedness." Therefore religious and others who
are in the state of perfection, other things being equal, sin more
grievously.
_I answer that,_ A sin committed by a religious may be in three ways
more grievous than a like sin committed by a secular. First, if it be
against his religious vow; for instance if he be guilty of
fornication or theft, because by fornication he acts against the vow
of continence, and by theft against the vow of poverty; and not
merely against a precept of the divine law. Secondly, if he sin out
of contempt, because thereby he would seem to be the more ungrateful
for the divine favors which have raised him to the state of
perfection. Thus the Apostle says (Heb. 10:29) that the believer
"deserveth worse punishments" who through contempt tramples under
foot the Son of God. Hence the Lord complains (Jer. 11:15): "What is
the meaning that My beloved hath wrought much wickedness in My
house?" Thirdly, the sin of a religious may be greater on account of
scandal, because many take note of his manner of life: wherefore it
is written (Jer. 23:14): "I have seen the likeness of adulterers, and
the way of lying in the Prophets of Jerusalem; and they strengthened
the hands of the wicked, that no man should return from his evil
doings."
On the other hand, if a religious, not out of contempt, but out of
weakness or ignorance, commit a sin that is not against the vow of
his profession, without giving scandal (for instance if he commit it
in secret) he sins less grievously in the same kind of sin than a
secular, because his sin if slight is absorbed as it were by his many
good works, and if it be mortal, he more easily recovers from it.
First, because he has a right intention towards God, and though it be
intercepted for the moment, it is easily restored to its former
object. Hence Origen commenting on Ps. 36:24, "When he shall fall he
shall not be bruised," says (Hom. iv in Ps. 36): "The wicked man, if
he sin, repents not, and fails to make amends for his sin. But the
just man knows how to make amends and recover himself; even as he who
had said: 'I know not the man,' shortly afterwards when the Lord had
looked on him, knew to shed most bitter tears, and he who from the
roof had seen a woman and desired her knew to say: 'I have sinned and
done evil before Thee.'" Secondly, he is assisted by his
fellow-religious to rise again, according to Eccles. 4:10, "If one
fall he shall be supported by the other: woe to him that is alone,
for when he falleth he hath none to lift him up."
Reply Obj. 1: The words quoted refer to things done through weakness
or ignorance, but not to those that are done out of contempt.
Reply Obj. 2: Josaphat also, to whom these words were addressed,
sinned not out of contempt, but out of a certain weakness of human
affection.
Reply Obj. 3: The just sin not easily out of contempt; but sometimes
they fall into a sin through ignorance or weakness from which they
easily arise. If, however, they go so far as to sin out of contempt,
they become most wicked and incorrigible, according to the word of
Jer. 2:20: "Thou hast broken My yoke, thou hast burst My bands, and
thou hast said: 'I will not serve.' For on every high hill and under
every green tree thou didst prostitute thyself." Hence Augustine says
(Ep. lxxviii ad Pleb. Hippon.): "From the time I began to serve God,
even as I scarcely found better men than those who made progress in
monasteries, so have I not found worse than those who in the
monastery have fallen."
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