Healing Sins

Porro autem, monens et ostendens unde mundi et purgati esse possimus, addidit eleemosynas esse faciendas. Misericors docet et monet misericordiam fieri; et quia servare quaerit quos magno pretio redemit, post Baptismi gratiam sordidatos docet denuo posse purgari. Agnoscamus itaque, fratres charissimi, divinae indulgentiae munus salubre, et emundandis purgandisque peccatis nostris, qui sine aliquo conscientiae vulnere esse non possumus, medelis spiritalibus vulnera nostra curemus. Nec quisquam sic sibi de puro atque immaculato pectore blandiatur, ut, innocentia sua fretus, medicinam non putet adhibendam esse vulneribus, cum scriptum sit: Quis gloriabitur castum se habere cor, aut quis gloriabitur mundum se esse a peccatis? et iterum in Epistola sua Joannes ponat et dicat: Si dixerimus quia peccatum non habemus, nos ipsos decipimus, et veritas in nobis non est. Si autem nemo esse sine peccato potest, et quisquis inculpatum se esse dixerit, aut superbus aut stultus est, quam necessaria, quam benigna est divina clementia, quae, cum sciat non deesse sanatis quaedam postmodum vulnera, dedit curandis denuo sanandisque vulneribus remedia salutaria. Sanctus Cyprianus, De Opere et Eleemosynis Source: Migne PL 4.604a-c

Then admonishing and showing how we should be clean and purged, He added that alms should be given. He who pities teaches and warns us that we should have pity, and because He seeks to save those whom at a great cost He has redeemed, He teaches that after the grace of baptism those who have become soiled may once more be cleansed. Let us then acknowledge, beloved brethren, the wholesome gift of Divine mercy. Let us who cannot be without some wound of conscience heal our wounds by spiritual remedies for the cleansing and purging of our sins. Let no one flatter himself with the notion of a pure and immaculate heart so that depending on his own innocence he thinks that there is no need to apply the medicine to his wounds, when it is written, 'Who shall boast that he has a clean heart, or who shall boast that he is pure from sins?' 1 And again in his letter John sets it down and says, 'If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.' 2 But if no one can be without sin and whoever will say that he is without fault is either proud or foolish, how needful, how kind is the Divine mercy, which knowing that there are still some wounds on those who have been healed, has given wholesome remedies for the curing and healing of their wounds anew. Saint Cyprian of Carthage, Treatise On Works And Alms. 1 Prov 20.9 2 Jn 1.8