1. Lecture IX: Active Purification of the Internal and External Senses
Spiritual Theology (THE 390)

2. I. The Need for Purification
A Supernatural Organism
Grace and Power is available to the soul
Struggle against the Devil, the world, and the flesh is necessary
But this is not enough
Deep wounds are present in the soul’s faculties as a result of Original Sin and personal sins

3. Vulnus ignoratiae – a wound in the reason where prudence resides
Vulnus malitiae – a wound in the will where justice resides
Vulnus infirmitatis – a wound in the irascible appetite where fortitude resides
Vulnus concupiscientiae – a wound in the concupiscible appetite where temperance resides

4. The greater part of purification will have to be done by God Himself – these are passive purgations.
God normally does not begin to passively purify the faculties until man has done his part in cooperating with God’s graces in active purification.

5. II. Psychological Underpinnings of the Senses
External senses
sight
hearing
smell
taste
touch

6. common sense – common root of the external senses that integrates the individual sense data
imagination – conserves, reproduces, composes, divides the images received by external senses
estimative power – faculty by which sensible things are apprehended as useful or harmful

7. sensitive memory – faculty of recognizing the past as past or a sensation as previously received. It is limited simply to the recollection of things as past and has no creative power like the imagination.
The organs of the external senses are locally situated in the body whereas the organs of the internal senses are situated in the brain.

8. Purification of the External Senses
Purpose of purification of the external senses
“to restrain their excesses and to subject them to the rule of reason illumined by faith” (Royo, 283).
Biblical foundations:
1 Cor. 9:27 “I chastise my body and bring it into subjection...”
Gal. 5:24 “they who belong to Christ have crucified their flesh...”

9. Unmortified senses lead man away from his goal of spiritual perfection
The senses cannot apprehend at all unto God
one does not wish to deprive the senses of their proper object
one wishes to “avoid placing one’s joy and final repose in the sensible pleasure which these objects arouse”
The test is to question whether one glories in the creature or in God

10. Purification of the Sense of Sight
Sight is at once the most noble and at the same time perhaps one of the most dangerous of the external senses
“the eyes are the windows of the soul” and thus they must be purified to avoid the evils they behold and in order to preserve recollection.

11. Three types of glances made by the sense of sight
A glance unto serious sin
every glance toward an object or a person which is a serious occasion of sin is seriously sinful, especially if accompanied by desire
Mt. 5:28 “anyone who looks with lust upon a woman has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

12. Dangerous glances
a sin of imprudence; a glance or gaze upon an object or person which could lead to sin. The glance is made without sufficient reason, even though it is done without desire.
Eg. King David’s glance upon Bethsheba
Process: glance – imagination – irresistible desire – sin

13. Curious glances
a glance for the simple purpose of the joy of looking, even though the object of sight is not evil or dangerous
it is the excessive glancing or attachment to this that impedes the spiritual life – it prevents prayer and recollection
Curious glances cause dissipation to the interior life – the soul’s interior life is like a precious liquor which evaporates unless it is tightly sealed
E.g. looking up every time someone enters the chapel.

14. Purification of the Sense of Hearing and of Speech
Faith comes through hearing (Rom. 10:17)
This shows the dignity of this sense as well as the need it has for purification
St. James says that a perfect man does not offend in speech (James 3:2)
Thus the sense must be purified so that it does not offend in speech

15. Types of conversation to avoid or to foster:
evil conversations
must be rejected and avoided in order to remain in the state of grace
one commits a sin when he voluntarily and with satisfaction listens to conversations which gravely offend purity, chastity, justice and other virtues

16. frivolous conversations
Such conversations don’t constitute grave sin by their object or the intention, but they are not justified
Idle words fall under this heading (cf. Mt. 12:36)
speaking to say nothing
excessive visiting and speaking – such often degenerates into criticism of others or childish prattle. It is at best a waste of time and breaks recollection

17. useful conversations
things honest in themselves that are harmful to no one
they are beneficial to oneself and/or to one’s neighbor
recreation and jokes done in good taste fall under this category of conversation

18. holy conversations
they have as their immediate purpose the spiritual good of oneself and/or one’s neighbor
a discreet word or timely counsel/encouragement can have inestimable good on a soul
such conversation helps to inspire, form convictions, encourage, etc.

19. Positive mortification of the sense of hearing and speech
abstaining at times from certain enjoyments in music and conversation
keeping a rigorous silence at certain times
renouncing desire for news and curiosities
following the counsels of St. John of the Cross

20. Purification of the Sense of Smell
The sense of smell is perhaps the least dangerous of the external senses and yet it too needs purification
It needs to be purified in two ways:
by tolerating the repugnant odors of the sick and poor for the love of God
by restraining excess use of perfumes

21. perfumes can manifest sensuality
they can tempt oneself and others
they can indicate effeminacy and a worldly spirit
they can lead to a loathing of the poor and the dislike of others

22. Purification of the Sense of Taste
Pleasure in eating and drinking is God-given and will always be in some way present to this life-sustaining function.
The sense of taste is in need of purification because of its immoderate inclination to food and drink
The concupiscible appetite is wounded and thus stretches beyond the dictates of reason

23. Some manifestations of the vice of gluttony:
eating outside the proper time and when not necessary
eating too quickly
seeking exquisite fare
eating too much
preparing food with too much delicacy
loss of reason due to drunkenness (mortal sin)
breaking fasts or precepts of abstinence out of love for food
eating amounts or wrong kinds of food with serous consequences to one’s health

24. Gluttony causes other vices and sins:
dullness of intellect
loss of control
excessive speech
sloth
lust (this is the most frequent evil effect of gluttony)

25. Counsels to purify the sense of taste
rectify one’s intention of eating by blessing food before meals and making a thanksgiving after
avoid all the defects of gluttony mentioned above
diminish the amount of food intake gradually until one eats the amount one needs
avoid individuality or singularity in the quality or quantity of food taken (especially in large families or in community)
mortify in a positive fashion one’s intake and kind of food

26. Purification of the Sense of Touch
The sense of touch is the most material of senses and it is the most all-pervasive as it is present almost all through the body and sends its impressions throughout, causing the whole body to vibrate.
The most dangerous aspect of the sense of touch is that of lust
Means of mortifying the sense of touch

27. deprivation of all that might produce sinful pleasure
one should eventually deprive oneself even of lawful pleasure in this regard
positive mortification with bodily penances

28. Penances should be increased as the powers of the soul increase and as God’s grace urges
good spiritual direction is always needed
care should be taken not to endanger the fulfillment of one’s state and duties or to endanger one’s health

29. Keep constant in the little daily mortifications
This is more important to the spiritual life and in purification than great and inconstant surges in severe bodily penances.

30. IV. Purification of the Internal Senses
Purification of the Imagination
Importance of the imagination
we cannot know naturally except through images
Jesus used images and allegories in order to communicate the divine mysteries to man

31. Necessity of its purification
God is not contained in any imaginary species
The imagination is of inestimable value, but can cause an inestimable impediment to sanctity when it has broken away from reason enlightened by faith

32. The two principal obstacles of an unpurified imagination:
dissipation – an impediment to prayer and recollection
temptation
imagination paints pleasures of sin to the concupiscible appetite
imagination paints the difficulties of virtue to the irascible appetite

33. Principal means of purification of the imagination
custody of the external senses
this is important as the senses act as the doors of the images that the imagination recalls and re-assembles

34. prudent choice of reading material
one must always avoid evil/sinful matter
avoid frivolous and vain material
avoid anything that will produce and fill the imagination with useless images
avoid sloth
“An idle mind is the devil’s playground!”
The imagination is never quiet – thus it must be directed or else it will direct itself and try to direct the other faculties

35. fill the imagination with good images
direct the imagination positively to the good by consideration of holy materials
compositio loci prior to meditation can help in this regard
attention to the duty of the moment
age quod agis
this will cause the imagination to become disciplined rather than dissipated

36. ignore distractions
this method is often better than a direct attack
e.g.. fleas in the barnyard or a nagging child during a conversation between adults

37. Purification of the Memory
Sensitive memory – has as its object the sensible, particular and concrete
Intellectual memory – has as its object the suprasensible, the abstract, and the universal
For St. Thomas, this is not a distinct faculty from the intellect, but a function of the intellect
The means of purification for the intellectual memory and the sensitive memory will be the same

38. Importance of the memory – without it our spirit would be “like a sieve that is always empty” (Royo, 297).
Necessity of purification
It has not only good knowledge, but bad
Secondly, no creative form, whether it be intellectual or sensible, can serve as a proximate means for union with God

39. Means for purifying the memory
Forget past sins and sinful memories
remembrance of past sins of oneself or another, or of immoral images, can lead one to sin again – they must be forgotten and immediately rejected when they come into the memory
if one voluntarily enjoys sinful memories and/or images, that one can sin without a repetition of the external act

40. Fight against useless and/or vain memories
These aren’t sinful memories in themselves, but are useless and can be a hindrance to recollection – they must be rejected
E.g. past sorrows or past joys. Since they are in the past they cannot be brought back and should be left there

41. Forget past hurts/injuries
It is necessary to forget the past injury or injustice. The return of a recollection of the episode should be rejected and forgotten, so as not to disturb one’s peace and/or foster rancor or resentment
Unless we forgive and forget, we will not be forgiven

42. Recall the benefits received from God
This can help to foster a memoria Dei and keep the memory focused upon God
This should help arouse gratitude
One can also call to mind one’s infidelities to God and this too can foster an increase in devotion

43. Recall motives for Christian hope
We should continually call to mind heaven and eternity
This is excellent for purifying our memory of earthly things and raising our spirits to God