Venial sin does not, like mortal sin, kill the soul and make us the enemies of God, but it is a disease which disfigures the soul and renders it unfit for union with Him until it has been purged away. It is the path that leads to Hell by paving the way little by little for the entrance of mortal sin. It is an unkindness which destroys the warmth of our love and creates a coldness towards God.

Venial sin is small in comparison to mortal sin, but is small only as ten thousand years are small compared with eternity. It is the greatest evil in the whole world with the exception of mortal sin. It is committed against an Infinite God. It can only be expiated by the infinite merits of Jesus Christ. It will add to the sufferings of those lost for all eternity.

Venial sin is of two kinds: (1) deliberate, when, knowing that what I am about to do will give pain to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, I nevertheless do it to gratify myself. This is the worst kind and the guilt of it is sometimes very great. (2) Indeliberate, or semi-deliberate, when on impulse or without thinking I do what is faulty. Here there is not the same guilt, but there is always some negligence and neglect of grace. I might have foreseen the danger and been more vigilant.

Ask God to help you to appreciate the evil of one venial sin.