Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae

Objection 1: It would seem that despair is not a sin. For every sin includes conversion to a mutable good, together with aversion from the immutable good, as Augustine states (De Lib. Arb. ii, 19). But despair includes no conversion to a mutable good. Therefore it is not a sin.

Objection 2: Further, that which grows from a good root, seems to be no sin, because "a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit" (Mt. 7:18). Now despair seems to grow from a good root, viz. fear of God, or from horror at the greatness of one's own sins. Therefore despair is not a sin.

Objection 3: Further, if despair were a sin, it would be a sin also for the damned to despair. But this is not imputed to them as their fault but as part of their damnation. Therefore neither is it imputed to wayfarers as their fault, so that it is not a sin.

On the contrary, That which leads men to sin, seems not only to be a sin itself, but a source of sins. Now such is despair, for the Apostle says of certain men (Eph. 4:19): "Who, despairing, have given themselves up to lasciviousness, unto the working of all uncleanness and covetousness." Therefore despair is not only a sin but also the origin of other sins.

I answer that, According to the Philosopher (Ethic. vi, 2) affirmation and negation in the intellect correspond to search and avoidance in the appetite; while truth and falsehood in the intellect correspond to good and evil in the appetite. Consequently every appetitive movement which is conformed to a true intellect, is good in itself, while every appetitive movement which is conformed to a false intellect is evil in itself and sinful. Now the true opinion of the intellect about God is that from Him comes salvation to mankind, and pardon to sinners, according to Ezech. 18:23, "I desire not the death of the sinner, but that he should be converted, and live" : while it is a false opinion that He refuses pardon to the repentant sinner, or that He does not turn sinners to Himself by sanctifying grace. Therefore, just as the movement of hope, which is in conformity with the true opinion, is praiseworthy and virtuous, so the contrary movement of despair, which is in conformity with the false opinion about God, is vicious and sinful.

Reply to Objection 1: In every mortal sin there is, in some way, aversion from the immutable good, and conversion to a mutable good, but not always in the same way. Because, since the theological virtues have God for their object, the sins which are contrary to them, such as hatred of God, despair and unbelief, consist principally in aversion from the immutable good; but, consequently, they imply conversion to a mutable good, in so far as the soul that is a deserter from God, must necessarily turn to other things. Other sins, however, consist principally in conversion to a mutable good, and, consequently, in aversion from the immutable good: because the fornicator intends, not to depart from God, but to enjoy carnal pleasure, the result of which is that he departs from God.

Reply to Objection 2: A thing may grow from a virtuous root in two ways: first, directly and on the part of the virtue itself; even as an act proceeds from a habit: and in this way no sin can grow from a virtuous root, for in this sense Augustine declared (De Lib. Arb. ii, 18,19) that "no man makes evil use of virtue." Secondly, a thing proceeds from a virtue indirectly, or is occasioned by a virtue, and in this way nothing hinders a sin proceeding from a virtue: thus sometimes men pride themselves of their virtues, according to Augustine (Ep. ccxi): "Pride lies in wait for good works that they may die." In this way fear of God or horror of one's own sins may lead to despair, in so far as man makes evil use of those good things, by allowing them to be an occasion of despair.

Reply to Objection 3: The damned are outside the pale of hope on account of the impossibility of returning to happiness: hence it is not imputed to them that they hope not, but it is a part of their damnation. Even so, it would be no sin for a wayfarer to despair of obtaining that which he had no natural capacity for obtaining, or which was not due to be obtained by him; for instance, if a physician were to despair of healing some sick man, or if anyone were to despair of ever becoming rich.

Articulus 1

Argumentum 1

Ad primum sic proceditur. Videtur quod desperatio non sit peccatum. Omne enim peccatum habet conversionem ad commutabile bonum cum aversione ab incommutabili bono; ut patet per Augustinum, in Lib. De Lib. Arb..

Sed desperatio non habet conversionem ad commutabile bonum.

Ergo non est peccatum.

Argumentum 2

Praeterea, illud quod oritur ex bona radice non videtur esse peccatum, quia non potest arbor bona fructus malos facere, ut dicitur Matth. VII.

Sed desperatio videtur procedere ex bona radice, scilicet ex timore dei, vel ex horrore magnitudinis propriorum peccatorum.

Ergo desperatio non est peccatum.

Argumentum 3

Praeterea, si desperatio esset peccatum, in damnatis esset peccatum quod desperant. Sed hoc non imputatur eis ad culpam, sed magis ad damnationem. Ergo neque viatoribus imputatur ad culpam. Et ita desperatio non est peccatum.

Sed Contra

Sed contra, illud per quod homines in peccata inducuntur videtur esse non solum peccatum, sed principium peccatorum.

Sed desperatio est huiusmodi, dicit enim apostolus de quibusdam, ad Ephes. IV, qui desperantes semetipsos tradiderunt impudicitiae in operationem omnis immunditiae et avaritiae.

Ergo desperatio non solum est peccatum, sed aliorum peccatorum principium.

Corpus

Respondeo dicendum quod secundum philosophum, in VI ethic., id quod est in intellectu affirmatio vel negatio est in appetitu prosecutio et fuga, et quod est in intellectu verum vel falsum est in appetitu bonum et malum.

Et ideo omnis motus appetitivus conformiter se habens intellectui vero, est secundum se bonus, omnis autem motus appetitivus conformiter se habens intellectui falso, est secundum se malus et peccatum. Circa deum autem vera existimatio intellectus est quod ex ipso provenit hominum salus, et venia peccatoribus datur; secundum illud Ezech. XVIII, nolo mortem peccatoris, sed ut convertatur et vivat.

Falsa autem opinio est quod peccatori poenitenti veniam deneget, vel quod peccatores ad se non convertat per gratiam iustificantem. Et ideo sicut motus spei, qui conformiter se habet ad existimationem veram, est laudabilis et virtuosus; ita oppositus motus desperationis, qui se habet conformiter existimationi falsae de deo, est vitiosus et peccatum.

Ad 1

Ad primum ergo dicendum quod in quolibet peccato mortali est quodammodo aversio a bono incommutabili et conversio ad bonum commutabile, sed aliter et aliter. Nam principaliter consistunt in aversione a bono incommutabili peccata quae opponuntur virtutibus theologicis, ut odium dei, desperatio et infidelitas, quia virtutes theologicae habent deum pro obiecto, ex consequenti autem important conversionem ad bonum commutabile, inquantum anima deserens deum consequenter necesse est quod ad alia convertatur. Peccata vero alia principaliter consistunt in conversione ad commutabile bonum, ex consequenti vero in aversione ab incommutabili bono, non enim qui fornicatur intendit a deo recedere, sed carnali delectatione frui, ex quo sequitur quod a deo recedat.

Ad 2

Ad secundum dicendum quod ex radice virtutis potest aliquid procedere dupliciter. Uno modo, directe ex parte ipsius virtutis, sicut actus procedit ex habitu, et hoc modo ex virtuosa radice non potest aliquod peccatum procedere; hoc enim sensu Augustinus dicit, in libro de Lib. Arb., quod virtute nemo male utitur.

Alio modo procedit aliquid ex virtute indirecte sive occasionaliter. Et sic nihil prohibet aliquod peccatum ex aliqua virtute procedere, sicut interdum de virtutibus aliqui superbiunt, secundum illud Augustini, superbia bonis operibus insidiatur ut pereant.

Et hoc modo ex timore dei vel ex horrore propriorum peccatorum contingit desperatio, inquantum his bonis aliquis male utitur, occasionem ab eis accipiens desperandi.

Ad 3

Ad tertium dicendum quod damnati non sunt in statu sperandi, propter impossibilitatem reditus ad beatitudinem. Et ideo quod non sperant non imputatur eis ad culpam, sed est pars damnationis ipsorum. Sicut etiam in statu viae si quis desperaret de eo quod non est natus adipisci, vel quod non est debitum adipisci, non esset peccatum, puta si medicus desperat de curatione alicuius infirmi, vel si aliquis desperat se fore divitias adepturum.