CAPÍTULO 12. En que se trata cómo se responde a otra pregunta, declarando cuáles sean los apetitos que bastan (a) causar en el alma los daños dichos.
The Nature of Spiritual Harm
The author introduces the inquiry into how various appetites cause privative and positive harms to the soul.
1. We could go on at great length about this matter of the night of the senses, detailing the many harms caused by our appetites—not just in the ways already described, but in many others as well. But for what serves our purpose, what has been said is enough; because it seems we have made clear how the mortification of them is called night, and how necessary it is to enter this night in order to go to God.1 Before we discuss how to enter this night and conclude this part, the only thing left to address is a doubt that may occur to the reader regarding what has been said.2 2. First: is any appetite enough to produce in the soul the two evils already mentioned—the privative one, which deprives the soul of the grace of God, and the positive one, which causes the five principal harms we have spoken of? Second: is any appetite, no matter how slight or what kind it is, enough to cause all five of these harms together, or do some cause certain harms while others cause different ones—such as some causing torment, others weariness, others darkness, and so on?
The Effects of Voluntary Appetites
The author distinguishes between the privative harm of mortal sin and the positive harms caused by lesser appetites, noting how different appetites affect the soul in specific ways.
3. In response, I first say that regarding the privative harm—which is to deprive the soul of God—only voluntary appetites that involve mortal sin can do this completely, because they deprive the soul of grace in this life and of glory in the next, which is to possess God. To the second point, I say that appetites involving mortal sin, those involving venial sin, and those involving imperfection are each enough to cause all these positive harms in the soul simultaneously. Although these are privative in a certain way, we call them positive here because they correspond to turning toward the creature, just as the privative harm corresponds to turning away from God.3 But there is this difference: appetites of mortal sin cause total blindness, torment, uncleanness, weakness, and so on. The others, involving venial matter or imperfection, don't cause these evils to a total and complete degree, since they don't deprive the soul of grace, upon which the existence of those evils depends—because the death of grace is their life. Instead, they cause these evils in the soul remissly, in proportion to the lessening of grace that such appetites produce in the soul.4 So the appetite that cools grace the more will cause the more abundant torment, blindness, and defilement. 4. But it's worth noting that, although every appetite causes these evils that we here call positive, some principally and directly cause certain ones, others cause others, and the rest cause them as a consequence. Although it's true that a sensual appetite causes all these evils, it primarily and properly soils the soul and the body. And while an appetite for avarice also causes them all, it primarily and directly causes affliction.5 And while an appetite for vainglory likewise causes them all, it primarily and directly causes darkness and blindness.6 And while an appetite for gluttony causes them all, it primarily causes lukewarmness in virtue. The same applies to the rest.
The Bitterness of Disordered Desire
The author explains that voluntary appetites are inherently opposed to virtue, leading to a sweetness that masks a deeper, bitter reality.
5. The reason any act of voluntary appetite produces all these effects in the soul at once is that it is directly opposed to every act of virtue, which produces the exact opposite effects. Just as an act of virtue produces and fosters gentleness, peace, consolation, light, purity, and strength in the soul, a disordered appetite causes torment, strain, weariness, blindness, and weakness. All the virtues grow when one is practiced, and all the vices grow when one is practiced, along with their aftereffects in the soul.7 Although you might not notice all these evils the moment you satisfy your appetite—because the pleasure leaves no room for them—their bad aftereffects are clearly felt either before or after. This is well illustrated by the book the angel commanded Saint John to eat in the Apocalypse (10:9), which was sweet in his mouth but bitter in his stomach. When an appetite is satisfied, it feels sweet and good, but its bitter effect is felt afterward—something anyone who lets themselves be carried away by such appetites can easily judge. I realize that some people are so blind and numb that they don't feel it, because since they don't walk in God, they don't notice what keeps them from Him.
Resisting Temptation and Finding Strength
The author clarifies that involuntary movements are not harmful if resisted, and concludes that the mortification of voluntary appetites is essential for spiritual freedom.
6. I am not discussing here other natural appetites that aren't voluntary, or thoughts that don't go beyond initial impulses, or other temptations that aren't consented to, because these cause the soul none of the harms just mentioned.8 Even though the passion and turmoil they cause at the time might make a person think they are being soiled or blinded, that isn't the case; in fact, they bring about the opposite benefits.9 Because as long as the person resists them, they gain strength, purity, light, and consolation, and many goods. In keeping with this, Our Lord said to Saint Paul (2 Cor. 12:9) that virtue is perfected in weakness.10 But voluntary appetites cause all the harms just mentioned, and more. And that is why the chief care of spiritual masters is to mortify their disciples at once of every appetite, making them remain empty of what they desired, so as to free them from so much misery.
Read the original Latin
1. Mucho pudieramos alargarnos en esta materia de la noche del sentido, diciendo de lo mucho que hay que decir de los daños que causan los apetitos, no sólo en las maneras dichas, sino en otras muchas. Pero, para lo que hace a nuestro propósito, lo dicho basta; porque parece queda dado a entender cómo se llama noche la mortificación de ellos y cuánto convenga entrar en esta noche para ir a Dios. Sólo lo que se ofrece, antes que tratemos del modo de entrar en ella, para concluir con esta parte, es una duda que podría ocurrir al lector sobre lo dicho.
2. Y es lo primero, si basta cualquier apetito para obrar y causar en el alma los dos males ya dichos, es a saber: privativo, que es privar al alma de la gracia de Dios, y el positivo, que es causar en ella los cinco daños principales que habemos dicho. Lo segundo, si basta cualquier apetito, por mínimo que sea, y de cualquiera especie que sea, a causar todos estos (cinco daños) juntos, o solamente unos causan unos y otros otros, como unos causan tormento, otros cansancio, otros tiniebla, etc.
3. A lo cual respondiendo, digo a lo primero que, cuanto al daño privativo, que es privar al alma de Dios, solamente los apetitos voluntarios que son de materia de pecado mortal pueden y hacen esto totalmente, porque ellos privan en esta vida al alma de la gracia y en la otra de la gloria, que es poseer a Dios. A lo segundo digo que, así estos que son de materia de pecado mortal como los voluntarios de materia de pecado venial y los que son de materia de imperfección, cada uno de ellos basta para causar en el alma todos estos daños positivos juntos. Los cuales, aunque en cierta manera son privativos, llamámoslos aquí positivos, porque responden a la conversión de la criatura, así como el privativo responde a la aversión de Dios. Pero hay esta diferencia: que los apetitos de pecado mortal causan total ceguera, tormento e inmundicia y flaqueza, etc. ; y los otros de materia de venial o imperfección no causan estos males en total y consumado grado, pues no privan de la gracia, de donde depende la posesión de ellos, porque la muerte de ella es vida de ellos; pero cáusanlos en el alma remisamente, según la remisión de la gracia que los tales apetitos causan en el alma. De manera que aquel apetito que más entibiare la gracia, más abundante tormento, ceguera y suciedad causará.
4. Pero es de notar que, aunque cada apetito causa estos males, que aquí llamamos positivos, unos hay que principal y derechamente causan unos, y otros otros, y los demás por el consiguiente. Porque, aunque es verdad que un apetito sensual causa todos estos males, pero principal y propiamente ensucia al alma y cuerpo. Y, aunque un apetito de avaricia tambien los causa todos, principal y derechamente causa (aflicción. Y, aunque un apetito de vanagloria, no más ni menos, los causa todos, principal y derechamente causa) tinieblas y ceguera. Y, aunque un apetito de gula los causa todos, principalmente causa tibieza en la virtud. Y así de los demás.
5. Y la causa por que cualquier acto de apetito voluntario produce en el alma todos estos efectos juntos, es por la contrariedad que derechamente tienen contra todos los actos de virtud que producen en el alma los efectos contrarios. Porque, así como un acto de virtud produce en el alma y cría juntamente suavidad, paz, consuelo, luz, limpieza y fortaleza, así un apetito desordenado causa tormento, fatiga, cansancio, ceguera y flaqueza. Todas las virtudes crecen en el ejercicio de una, y todos los vicios crecen en el de uno y los dejos de ellos en el alma. Y aunque todos estos males no se echan de ver al tiempo que se cumple el apetito, porque el gusto de el entonces no da lugar, pero antes o despues bien se sienten sus malos dejos. Lo cual se da muy bien a entender por aquel libro que mandó el ángel comer a san Juan en el Apocalipsis (10, 9), el cual en la boca le hizo dulzura y en el vientre le fue amargor. Porque el apetito, cuando se ejecuta, es dulce y parece bueno, pero despues se siente su amargo efecto; lo cual podrá bien juzgar el que se deja llevar de ellos. Aunque no ignoro que hay algunos tan ciegos e insensibles que no lo sienten, porque, como no andan en Dios, no echan de ver lo que les impide a Dios.
6. De los demás apetitos naturales que no son voluntarios, y de los pensamientos que no pasan de primeros movimientos, y de otras tentaciones no consentidas no trato aquí, porque estos ningún mal de los dichos causan al alma. Porque aunque a la persona por quien pasan le haga parecer la pasión y turbación que entonces le causan que la ensucian y ciegan, no es así, antes la causan los provechos contrarios. Porque, en tanto que los resiste, gana fortaleza, pureza, luz y consuelo y muchos bienes. Según lo cual dijo Nuestro Señor a san Pablo (2 Cor. 12, 9) que la virtud se perfeccionaba en la flaqueza. Mas los voluntarios, todos los dichos y más males hacen. Y por eso el principal cuidado que tienen los maestros espirituales es mortificar luego a sus discípulos de cualquiera apetito, haciendoles quedar en vacío de lo que apetecían, por librarles de tanta miseria.
Notes
- 1 ↩"ellos" ("them") refers back to the appetites (los apetitos) in the previous sentence; "mortificación de ellos" is the mortification of those appetites.
- 2 ↩"ella" ("it") refers to this night (esta noche)—the night of the senses / the mortification of the appetites.
- 3 ↩Spanish conversión de la criatura and aversión de Dios track the scholastic pair conversio ad creaturam / aversio a Deo: turning toward the creature and turning away from God, not conversion in the sense of repentance.
- 4 ↩remisamente / remisión de la gracia: rendered as remissly / lessening of grace (degree of weakening), not forgiveness; parallel to how far grace is cooled rather than remitted as sin is remitted.
- 5 ↩Source has an unmatched opening parenthesis before 'aflicción' that continues into the next sentence; translated the clearly intended sense and dropped the stray editorial mark.
- 6 ↩Source has a closing parenthesis before 'tinieblas' matching the open mark in the previous sentence; translated the intended continuous sense and dropped the stray mark.
- 7 ↩Spanish dejos: residual aftertaste or lingering aftereffects of the vices in the soul, not mere emotional leftovers.
- 8 ↩"primeros movimientos" is the scholastic term for involuntary first stirrings of passion before consent; rendered as "first movements" to keep the technical sense.
- 9 ↩Spanish "antes" here is adversative ("rather / on the contrary"), not temporal "before."
- 10 ↩Spanish "virtud" here tracks the traditional Latin/Spanish reception of 2 Cor 12:9; English Bibles often read "power" rather than "virtue."
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