Since the fall of man, human beings have been conceived without sanctifying grace, and thus each of us is born with original sin. We inherit original sin from Adam.

Original sin is not the only kind of sin. There is another kind, called actual or personal sin, which we ourselves commit.

Actual sin is any willful thought, desire, word, action, or omission forbidden by the law of God. There are two kinds of actual sin: mortal sin and venial sin.

Spiritual death

Mortal sin is a grievous offence against God. The word “mortal” means “deadly.” It is called mortal because it deprives a person of sanctifying grace, the supernatural life of the soul.

For a sin to be mortal three things are necessary: first, the sinful thought, desire, word, action, or omission must be seriously wrong; second, the sinner must have a clear awareness of the serious nature of the sin at the time it is committed; third, there must be full consent of the will.

The effects of mortal sin are the loss of divine friendship with God, past supernatural merits, and the right to enter heaven. Mortal sin makes a soul deserve the everlasting punishment of hell.

Mortal sin is death to the life of grace in the soul, whereas venial sin is a disease in the life of grace in the soul.

Spiritual disease

Venial sin is a less serious offence against God. A sin can be venial in two ways: first, when the sin committed is not seriously wrong; second, when the sin committed is seriously wrong, but the sinner sincerely believes it is only slightly wrong, or does not give full consent to it.

Father John Hardon, S.J., author of the Modern Catholic Dictionary, wrote, “Venial sin darkens the mind in its perception of virtue, weakens the will in its pursuit of holiness, lowers one’s resistance to temptation, and causes a person to deviate from the path that leads to heavenly glory.”

“Venial” means “pardonable.” Venial sin is spiritual disease for the soul, and can be forgiven without sacramental confession. Mortal sin, however, is spiritual death for the soul, and is beyond human power to repair.

Only God can raise a dead man to life, and only God can repair the damage done by mortal sin. The main remedies given by God for the forgiveness of mortal sin are baptism and confession. These two sacraments are the pillars of salvation.

Spiritual life

Sin is remitted in the soul by the infusion of sanctifying grace. The sacraments of baptism and penance infuse sanctifying grace into the souls of sinners.

Grace is a supernatural gift of God bestowed on us through the merit of Christ. There are two kinds of grace: sanctifying grace and actual grace.

Sanctifying grace is the supernatural life of the soul. It is absolutely necessary for eternal salvation. It makes us children of God and enables us to share in the divine life of God.

Sanctifying grace and original sin are mutually exclusive. A person who is in the state of original sin does not have sanctifying grace. Once received, sanctifying grace can only be lost by deliberate mortal sin. Hence sanctifying grace and mortal sin are also mutually exclusive. Mortal sin is remitted by God through the infusion of sanctifying grace.

Spiritual help

Actual grace is the supernatural help of God which enlightens our mind and strengthens our will to do good and avoid evil.

Each day God gives us many actual graces. They last as long as we need them. On the other hand, sanctifying grace is permanent, and as long as we do not turn away from God we are in a state of grace.

The principle ways to obtain grace are prayer and the sacraments.

人類墮落後就失去了天主的寵愛。由此，我們每一個人出生時就染有原罪。這原罪是我們從亞當承受的。

可是「原罪」並不是唯一的罪過。另外的一種罪是「本罪」。

凡一切故意違返天主法律的思想、意慾、言語、行為、和缺失，都是「本罪」。「本罪」分為「大罪」和「小罪」。

靈性的死亡

大罪是對天主的嚴重過犯。「大罪」也稱為「死罪」，因為大罪使靈魂失去天主的寵愛；而寵愛正是我們靈魂的生命。

大罪的介定有三個要點。一、這罪過是嚴重的事情。二、在犯錯的時候，罪人明知罪過的嚴重性。三、罪人故意去犯。

大罪的禍害是使我們失去天主的友誼、以前立的超性功勞、和升天堂的權利。大罪使靈魂遭受地獄的永罰。

大罪是靈魂聖寵生命的死亡，而小罪是靈魂聖寵生命的病症。

靈性的病症

小罪是在較小事情上的過犯。小罪的介定有二；一、是在小事情上的過錯。二、在大事情上，不明白罪過的嚴重，或不完全故意去犯。

約翰哈頓神父曾寫道，小罪可以蒙蔽我們向善的意向，削弱我們成聖的追求，減低抵抗誘惑的能力，誤導我們偏離天國光榮的道路。

小罪是靈魂聖寵上的病症，可以不辦告解就得到赦免。大罪是靈魂聖寵上的死亡。這不是人類能力所能修補的。正如只有天主可以復活死人，同樣，只有天主可以拯救陷於死罪中的人。天主賞賜我們聖洗和告解聖事，讓大罪得到赦免。這兩聖事就是救恩的支柱。

靈性的生命

寵愛傾注在我們靈魂內可以消除罪惡。天主透過聖洗和告解聖事把寵愛注入靈魂內。

「聖寵」是超性的禮物，天主是籍著耶穌基督的功勞賞賜給我們。聖寵有兩種，分別是「寵愛」和「寵佑」。

寵愛是靈魂的超性生命。為永遠的救恩，寵愛是絕對需要的。它使我們成為天主的子女，讓我們分享天主神聖的生命。

寵愛與原罪是「水火不容」的。一個處於原罪中的人是沒有寵愛的。領有寵愛後，寵愛只會因明知故犯的大罪而失去。所以寵愛與大罪也是「水火不容」的。天主籍著傾注寵愛而消除大罪。

靈性的幫助

「寵佑」是天主賞賜給我們超性的幫助，它光照我們的理智，堅強我們的意願去行善避惡。

每天，天主都賞賜我們不少的寵佑。每當我們有需要時，寵佑便賜給我們，需要過後寵佑便離去。另一方面，只要我們不離棄天主，保持在寵愛的狀態下，寵愛是恆久的。

獲得聖寵的主要方法就是祈禱和聖事。