might say that although no man can do
God any harm in His substance, yet he can endeavor to do so in things
concerning Him, e.g. by destroying faith, by outraging holy things,
which are most grievous sins. Again, a man sometimes knowingly and
freely inflicts harm on himself, as in the case of suicide, though
this be referred finally to some apparent good, for example, delivery
from some anxiety.

Reply Obj. 3: This argument does not prove, for two reasons: first,
because the murderer intends directly to do harm to his neighbors;
whereas the fornicator who solicits the woman intends not harm but
pleasure; secondly, because murder is the direct and sufficient cause
of bodily death; whereas no man can of himself be the sufficient
cause of another's spiritual death, because no man dies spiritually
except by sinning of his own will.
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NINTH ARTICLE [I-II, Q. 73, Art. 9]

Whether a Sin Is Aggravated by Reason of the Condition of the Person
Against Whom It Is Committed?

Objection 1: It would seem that sin is not aggravated by reason of
the condition of the person against whom it is committed. For if this
were the case a sin would be aggravated chiefly by being committed
against a just and holy man. But this does not aggravate a sin:
because a virtuous man who bears a wrong with equanimity is less
harmed by the wrong done him, than others, who, through being
scandalized, are also hurt inwardly. Therefore the condition of the
person against whom a sin is committed does not aggravate the sin.

Obj. 2: Further, if the condition of the person aggravated the sin,
this would be still more the case if the person be near of kin,
because, as Cicero says (Paradox. iii): "The man who kills his slave
sins once: he that takes his father's life sins many times." But the
kinship of a person sinned against does not apparently aggravate a
sin, because every man is most akin to himself; and yet it is less
grievous to harm oneself than another, e.g. to kill one's own, than
another's horse, as the Philosopher declares (Ethic. v, 11).
Therefore kinship of the person sinned against does not aggravate
the sin.

Obj. 3: Further, the condition of the person who sins aggravates a
sin chiefly on account of his position or knowledge, according to
Wis. 6:7: "The mighty shall be mightily tormented," and Luke 12:47:
"The servant who knew the will of his lord . . . and did it not . . .
shall be beaten with many stripes." The