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"Now, because actual sin offends God's majesty, damages the Church, and distorts the divine image stamped on the soul - especially if the sin is mortal, although venial sin will tend to do the same; and because offense calls for punishment, damage for repair, and distortion for purification: therefore this penalty must be justly punitive, duly reparative, and properly cleansing."

— St. Bonaventure [born Giovanni di Fidanza] (1217-1274)

Author

St. Bonaventure [born Giovanni di Fidanza] (1217-1274)

Work Title

Breviloquium

Date

1257

Metaphor

"Now, because actual sin offends God's majesty, damages the Church, and distorts the divine image stamped on the soul - especially if the sin is mortal, although venial sin will tend to do the same; and because offense calls for punishment, damage for repair, and distortion for purification: therefore this penalty must be justly punitive, duly reparative, and properly cleansing."

Metaphor in Context

3. This should be understood as follows. The first Principle, being first, is supremely good and perfect; and, being supremely good, supremely loves good and abhors evil: for, as supreme goodness suffers no good to remain unrewarded, so also it cannot suffer any evil to remain unpunished. But some of the just die before having completed their penance on earth; and their right to life eternal cannot remain unsatisfied nor their guilt of sin unreproved, lest the beauty of universal order be disturbed. Therefore these must be rewarded in the end, but they must also bear a temporal penalty that fits their guilt and sin.

Now, because actual sin offends God's majesty, damages the Church, and distorts the divine image stamped on the soul - especially if the sin is mortal, although venial sin will tend to do the same; and because offense calls for punishment, damage for repair, and distortion for purification: therefore this penalty must be justly punitive, duly reparative, and properly cleansing.
(VII.2.3)