Caput XXV
The Overwhelming Power of Lust
Lust is personified as a woman who conquered even the greatest biblical heroes, and its danger lies in the pleasure it offers, which blinds the heart and bends the soul toward servile allurements.
This woman alone conquered the mightiest Samson; she was not overlooked by the most holy David; she utterly overwhelmed the wisest Solomon — since, as it is written, no one has power over his own body.✦ This woman hurled Amnon, the son of David, headlong into sin against his sister. Who, then, can now place confidence in the gift of virtues given by grace? If this woman can overcome even stones, what hope is there for stubble? This is why she is all the more dangerous: because she weakens the mind more quickly, since she gives greater pleasure. This is also why she is punished so severely: because she can easily be tamed. This is clear from the fact that no matter how furiously an adulterer raves, once he is seen by someone he quickly restrains himself — he who surely ought to have shown even that much reverence before the gaze of God. But this madness can be overcome. And Jerome, writing on Joel, says: 'Blinding the eyes of the heart, this same lust so intoxicates the mind that for the sake of the body's shameful part it bends the precious soul toward servile allurements, and in the present it resolves to incur shameful disgrace, but in the future, perpetual damnation — all while it surrenders to a mad itching, even for a single moment of time.' For this lust does not bind a person by unavoidable necessity, as other vices generally do — take hunger, for example.
The Unpardonable Pride of Adultery
Unlike theft driven by hunger, adultery springs from pride alone and incurs a disgrace that cannot be blotted out, for God will not be bribed or entreated on behalf of the unrepentant adulterer.
Solomon shows this when he says: It's no great crime when someone steals — he steals to fill the hungry soul — yet he'll pay back sevenfold (Prov.✦ 6:30). But the adulterer will destroy his own soul, and his disgrace will never be blotted out.✦ Because such a person sins out of pride alone. Indeed, some people do certain good things in order to wallow in this vice without restraint. To these words Solomon responds in the following passage, speaking of God's jealousy: He won't yield to anyone's entreaties, nor will he accept the most abundant gifts as ransom (Prov.✦ 6:35). Hence in Job: Let no one, deceived by empty error, believe in vain that he can be redeemed at any price (Job 15:31).✦
Almsgiving as the Remedy for Sin
Almsgiving extinguishes sin as water quenches fire, but only when accompanied by genuine repentance and a reformed life; giving alms while clinging to vice redeems nothing.
Whenever we give alms after a sin, it's as though we're paying a price for that same sin: As water extinguishes fire, so almsgiving extinguishes sin (Sirach 3:33). 3:33). So Daniel says to Nebuchadnezzar: Redeem your sins with alms (Dan.✦ 4:24). And Saint Martin testifies that old offenses are cleansed by a better way of life. But as is discussed in book 22 of the Moralia: whoever gives alms in such a way that he doesn't let go of his sin doesn't redeem his soul, because he doesn't restrain it from vice.
Read the original Latin
Haec fortissimum Samson sola vicit, haec sanctissimum David non praeteriit, sapientissimum Salomonem penitus suffocavit, cum, sicut scriptum est, potestatem sui corporis non haberet. Haec Amon filium David in sororem praecipitavit. Quis ergo jam de virtutum charismate confidat? Si haec lapides relinquat, de stipulis quid fiet? Quae idcirco periculosior est, quia citius mentes enervat, quoniam magis delectat. Idcirco autem tam districte punitur, quia facile domari potest: quod videlicet ex hoc apparet, quia quantolibet ardore moechus insaniat, ab aliquo tamen visus mox se refrenat, qui utique vel tantam reverentiam divinis obtutibus praestare debuerat. Sed insania vincitur, et Hieronymus in Joel dicit: In eo cordis oculos haec eadem libido excaecans, ita sensum ejus inebriat, ut propter ignominiosam corporis partem pretiosam animam in serviles blanditias inclinet, et in praesenti turpem infamiam, in futuro autem damnationem perpetuam deliberet incurrere, dum insano pruritu vel puncto temporis abutatur. Neque enim inevitabili necessitate hominem constringit, ut alia vitia plerumque faciunt, sicut fames.
Quod Salomon ostendit dicens: Non grandis culpa est, cum quis furatur: furatur enim ut esurientem impleat animam, attamen reddit septuplum (Prov. VI, 30). Qui autem adulter est, perdet animam suam, et opprobrium illius non delebitur. Quoniam talis quisque propter solam superbiam peccat. Nonnulli vero quaedam bona faciunt, ut in hoc vitio impune volutentur. Quibus in sequentibus Salomon obviat, dicens de zelo Dei: Non acquiescet cujusquam precibus, nec suscipiet pro redemptione dona plurima (Prov. VI, 35). Hinc in Job: Non credat frustra errore deceptus, quod aliquo pretio redimendus sit (Job XV, 31).
Quoties post culpam eleemosynam tribuimus, quasi pro eadem culpa pretium damus, juxta illud: Sicut aqua exstinguit ignem, ita eleemosyna exstinguit peccatum (Eccli. III, 33). Unde Daniel ad Nabuchodonosor: Peccata, inquit, tua eleemosynis redime (Dan. IV, 24). Et domnus Martinus perhibet antiqua delicta melioris vitae conversatione purgari. Sed sicut in libro XXII Moralium disputatur: qui ita eleemosynam tribuit, ut culpam non dimittat, animam non redimit, quam a vitiis non compescit.
Scripture echoes
- ↩1Cor.7.4 — The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; likewise, the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.
- ↩Prov.6.30 — People do not despise a thief when he steals to fill his soul when he is hungry.
- ↩Prov.6.32-Prov.6.33 — He who commits adultery is utterly senseless; he who does it destroys his own soul. Prov.6.33 — Disgrace and scorn he will find, and his reproach will not be wiped away.
- ↩Prov.6.35 — He will not accept any ransom, nor will be appeased, no matter how great the bribe.
- ↩Job.15.31 — Do not trust in emptiness, for emptiness will be your recompense.
- ↩Dan.4.24;Dan.4.27 — Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor — perhaps there will be a lengthening of your prosperity. Dan.4.27 — The king answered and said, "Is this not great Babylon, which I have built as a royal house by the strength of my power and for the glory of my majesty?"
Collationes (Conferences / Collations) companion
Day 11 and onward, delivered every morning
All 140 conferences — and the rest of the Sub Rosa library — in daily portions in the free Chosen Portion iOS app
Odo urged a daily return to sacred reading as the cure for the soul's slow decline; Chosen Portion makes that daily return a scheduled habit on your phone.
- Continue through all three books of the Conferences at 5 minutes a day
- Daily examination-style readings drawn from 78+ historic works
- One morning notification to keep the practice going past day 10