16th Sunday after Pentecost – On Impurity ~ St Alphonsus

About this sermon

In this sermon for the 16th Sunday after Pentecost, St. Alphonsus de Liguori compares the vice of impurity to the man suffering from dropsy in the Gospel: The more he drinks, the more thirsty he becomes. So too, St. Alphonsus warns, sensual sin never truly satisfies. Instead, it can darken the intellect, weaken the will, enslave the passions, and draw the soul farther from God. He confronts two dangerous delusions: That sins against purity are only a small evil. That one can continue in them while presuming upon God’s mercy. Drawing upon Scripture and the Fathers, St. Alphonsus explains the seriousness of mortal sin, the blindness produced by habitual impurity, the danger of repeated relapse without true amendment, and the way this vice can become deeply rooted in the soul. But he does not end in despair. He gives two principal remedies: Prayer and flight from dangerous occasions. At the first moment of temptation, turn immediately to God. Invoke the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary. Do not argue with the temptation. Flee occasions of sin, guard the eyes, and never become overconfident. As St. Philip Neri taught: Those who flee the occasions gain the victory. 00:00 16th Sunday After Pentecost: On Impurity 00:22 The Man With Dropsy 00:30 Why Lust Never Satisfies 00:55 Two Dangerous Delusions 01:11 Is Impurity Really a Small Evil? 01:46 St. Paul on Mortal Sin 02:12 Losing the Friendship of God 02:20 The Gravity of Mortal Sin 03:08 God’s Love of Purity 03:44 Temptation & Chastity 04:00 Sin Reduces Man to Slavery 04:29 Conquered by the Flesh 04:59 Impurity Removes the Soul From God 05:08 The Torrent of Sins 05:56 How Habits Form 06:13 Sins That Follow Impurity 06:42 Lust Conquers the Whole Man 07:06 “I Made a Covenant With My Eyes” 07:30 Blindness of Understanding 08:02 The Appetite Becomes Insatiable 08:34 Pray to Be Delivered From This Vice 08:43 Blindness & Obstinacy 09:42 Forgetfulness of God 10:07 False Arguments About Fornication 10:51 Scripture Condemns Fornication 11:16 Confession Without True Contrition 11:32 Continual Prayer Is Necessary 11:58 St. Augustine on Wanting to Be Healed 12:18 The Obstinacy of Habitual Sin 12:25 “I Always Confess It” 12:51 The Devil’s Deception 12:58 True Sorrow & Firm Purpose of Amendment 13:40 The Danger of Habitual Impurity 14:03 A Terrifying Deathbed Story 15:23 Second Delusion: “God Will Overlook It” 15:42 Sodom & Gomorrah 16:16 The Flood & Sin 17:13 God’s Judgment Is Just 18:15 Why This Vice Enslaves 18:47 This Is Not Meant to Cause Despair 18:56 The Remedies 19:05 Prayer & Flight From Occasions 19:29 We Cannot Conquer Without Grace 19:34 Invoke Jesus & Mary Immediately 19:49 Do Not Argue With Temptation 20:03 Shake Off the Thought Like a Spark 20:12 St. Philip Neri: Flee and Win 20:17 Guard the Eyes 20:36 From Looks to Desires 20:44 Avoid the Second Look 21:04 No Caution Is Too Great 21:12 The Wise Man Flees From Evil https://sensusfidelium.com/meditations/st-alphonsus/st-alphonsus-sermons-for-every-sunday-of-the-year/ 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 ✝️ SUPPORT THE MISSION 🙏 Donate https://sensusfidelium.com/donate-support/ 📬 Free Catholic Newsletter https://sensusfidelium.com/newsletter/ 📰 Read on Substack https://sensusfidelium.substack.com/ ──────────────────── 📺 WATCH & READ 📺 Sensus Fidelium App https://sensusfidelium.tv/ 📚 Sensus Fidelium Press https://sensusfideliumpress.com/ 👕 Official Merchandise https://sensusfidelium.com/merchandise/ ──────────────────── 🤝 PARTNER WITH US 📣 Advertise on Sensus Fidelium https://sensusfidelium.com/advertise-with-sensus-fidelium/ 🎤 Invite Steve Cunningham to Speak https://sensusfidelium.com/speaking/ ⛪ Parish Formation & Consultation https://sensusfidelium.com/for-parishes/ ──────────────────── 🌎 CATHOLIC COMMUNITY ✝️ Trusted Catholic Businesses https://sensusfidelium.com/catholic-businesses/ 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 #StAlphonsus #AlphonsusLiguori #CatholicSermon #Chastity #Purity #Lust #MortalSin #SpiritualWarfare #CatholicFaith #JesusAndMary #Confession #Repentance #TraditionalCatholic #SensusFidelium

Topics

• Holy Spirit
• Pentecost