Sin becomes sin after completing specified
stages in its inner development.
The first stage is when some spiritual
influence approaches from without, which may be quite vague and shapeless. The
initial stage in formation is the appearance in the field of man’s inner vision
of an image. Images in some cases appear to take on visible form, while others
are mostly products of the mind, but more often it is a combination of the two.
At this stage it is not regarded as a sin as this does not depend on one’s
will.
Ascetics label all images intrusive
thoughts as visible images generate some thoughts.
The man who is not in thrall**to the
passion can recognize the force of an intrusive thought and yet remain
completely free from its power. But if there is some ‘place’ in one- some
suitable soil for the development of the intrusive thought- the thought will
strive to take possession of one’s psychic being- of the heart, the soul. It
achieves this because it prompts a feeling of the delight to be afforded by one
or another passion. The delight figures ‘temptation’. But even the fleeting
pleasure, though it testifies to man’s imperfection, is not yet to be reckoned
as sin. It is only a ‘proposal’ for sin.
The further development of a sinful
intrusive thought can be portrayed roughly as follows: the mind is attracted by
the delectation+ to be afforded by the passion, and this is an extremely
important and crucial moment because the fusion of mind with tempting ideas
provide fertile soil for passion. If the mind doesn’t by an exercise of the
will tear itself away from the suggested delights but continues to dwell on
them, it will find itself pleasantly attracted, then involved and finally
positively acquiescent^. After that, the ever increasing delight in the passion
may take possession of mind and will.
Such captivity may happen once only and
never recur if it had come about because of the inexperience of someone engaged
in ascetic struggle. But if the enchantment repeats itself, passion becomes
second nature, and then all man’s natural forces are at its service.
The initial appearance of the delights
offered by passion should start off a struggle which can continue through every
stage in the development of a sinful thought. And at each of these stages the
wrong thought can be mastered and so not transformed into deed. Nevertheless,
the instant the will wavers, an element of sin enters, which must be repented
of lest we forfeit grace.
The spiritually inexperienced man generally
encounters sinful thoughts only after they have progressed, unnoticed, through
the first stages of development- that is, after they have acquired a measure of
strength- when the danger approaches of actually sinning.
In order not to let this happen, it is
essential to stay the mind in prayer in the heart.This is an urgent necessity
for every ascetic striver desirous, through true repentance, of consolidating
himself in the spiritual life, because, as pointed out above, where the heart
is so established sin is cut off at the very moment of conception.
Shutting the doors of his heart, stationing
his mind on guard like a sentinel, unfettered by imagination and cogitation
but armed with prayer and the name of Jesus Christ, the ascetic strive embarks
on the struggle against all external influence, all thoughts from without. This
is the essence of mental vigilance. Its purpose is to contend against the
passions.
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* causing disruption.
**state of being in someone’s power.
+ pleasure and delight
^ready to accept without protest
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