A Catholic Reflection on the Odor of the Soul.
#ctto
Sexual sin is one of the gravest offenses against the purity of the soul. It not only corrupts the body—which is a temple of the Holy Ghost—but also emits, in the spiritual realm, a putrid odor that attracts demons. Saint Padre Pio, a holy mystic and stigmatist, once encountered a man confessing lustful sins, and the spiritual stench was so terrible, he described it as “the smell of a rotting corpse.” This spiritual foulness, though invisible to human senses, is all too real in the supernatural realm. It is the reason why sexual sins are among the most odorous and repellent before God and His saints.
St. Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 (Douay-Rheims):
“Fly fornication. Every sin that a man doeth, is without the body; but he that committeth fornication, sinneth against his own body. Or know you not, that your members are the temple of the Holy Ghost, who is in you…?”
Those who engage in mortal sins—especially sexual ones—emit a spiritual stench that demons can detect. Just as there is the “odor of sanctity” among the saints, there is a stench of decay for those entrenched in grave sin. This was confirmed by Fr. John Farao, a Catholic exorcist, who boldly taught:
The Smell of Man Living in Mortal Sin
Demon Can Smell Your Soul
You know, and this is what Satanists tell you directly, that when people are involved in serious sins (sexual sin, homosexuality, lesbianism, pride, occult, greed, psychic, drunkard, fornication, masturbation, porn, hatred, bad parties, drugs, bad parenting, infidelity to spouse, tattoos, unforgiveness, sloth, sins against the 10 commandments and 7 deadly sins, suicidal thoughts, revenge, sexual thoughts, swearing, immodest clothing, yoga exercise (posture is symbol of worship to Hindu Gods), lying, gossip, cheating in school, wife, or works, etc.), they smell spiritually, and demons sense that smell, that odor. Just like we say in Catholicism, there's an odor of sanctification as people get holier and holier. Satanists tell us, because they talk demons a lot, that a demon can tell in a room that a person whose soul is seriously affected by mortal sin, they hover around them because they smell good to the sin of that person. That person is already in the camp of demons; they will just give the person more opportunities to sin and lead them farther down the road towards hell (by dying suddenly in a state of mortal sin).
(That is why regular confession is a must to restore the grace and remove that odor that attracts demons to bring pestilence, diseases, death, financial problems, business bankruptcy, marital issues, conflicts with children, accidents, curses, and other forms of demonic activity and oppression into your life.)
— Father John Farao (Exorcist)
As Catholics, we believe that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23, Douay-Rheims)—not just physical death, but eternal separation from God. Every unconfessed mortal sin darkens the soul and invites spiritual danger. Saint Alphonsus Liguori taught:
“The devil does not sleep. If we are not vigilant, he will drag us into sin, and from sin to hell.”
This is why the Church, in her maternal wisdom, urges us to go to confession regularly. Saint John Vianney, the patron of parish priests, said:
“Confession is the soul's bath. Even a clean glass needs washing every now and then.”
And Saint Augustine wrote:
“The confession of evil works is the beginning of good works.”
The Church teaches that in the state of mortal sin, the soul is spiritually dead. Without repentance and absolution, one becomes vulnerable not only to further temptation but also to demonic influence. It is no surprise that the enemy of souls is drawn like a vulture to a spiritual carcass.
Even Christ Himself warned His Apostles in the Garden of Gethsemane, when they fell asleep instead of praying:
“Watch ye, and pray that ye enter not into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh weak.” (Matthew 26:41, Douay-Rheims)
To live in a state of grace is to repel the demons with the fragrance of holiness. To live in sin is to attract them with the odor of death.
Let us take seriously the words of 2 Corinthians 2:15-16 (Douay-Rheims):
“For we are the good odor of Christ unto God… to the one indeed the odor of death unto death: but to the others the odor of life unto life.”
In this spiritual battle, we must remember that while demons are drawn to sin, Heaven is drawn to repentance. The Blessed Virgin Mary, the Queen of Angels, is always ready to cover the truly repentant with her mantle and lead them back to her Son. The saints, too, intercede for us constantly.
Let us strive to remain in a state of grace, cleanse our souls often in the Sacrament of Confession, and live lives of virtue and humility.
For in the end, we are either the sweet fragrance of Christ or the putrid stench of death.
Choose life. Choose grace. Choose sanctity.
