Reality of Sin January 17 and 20

Overview Prayer Age specific Closing prayer at baptismal font

Question If you were asked, What is sin? You would say…..

Resources Catechism of the Catholic Church Bible Vatican Website

Goal A better understanding of what sin is How to live in union with God – happiness To be a better Christian

Bible Searched and found 782 hits for the word “sin” in the Bible Not a scientific study Old Testament and New Testament

A View of Sin John 9:2-3 – His disciples asked him, Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, “Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him.

Sin Illness, misfortune, etc. was thought to be a punishment from God because of the sins of the person or family Man born blind was an instrument of Jesus’ presence Total shock to society

Humanity’s sin through Adam Rom. 5:12-14 Sin entered the world through Adam, and through sin, death Jesus becomes the “New Adam” the one who brings life, not death

Mercy and Sin CCC 1846 –The Gospel is the revelation in Jesus Christ of God’s mercy to sinners. Matt.1:21 CCC 1847 – To receive his mercy, we must admit our faults. If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves. 1 Jn 8-9

Grace CCC 1848 – Grace must uncover sin so as to convert our hearts and bestow on us “righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”. Romans 5:20

Definition of Sin CCC 1849 – Sin is an offense against reason, truth, and right conscience; it is a failure in genuine love for God and neighbor caused by a perverse attachment to certain goods. CCC 1850 – Sin is an offense against God

Definition of Sin CCC 1850 – Sin is thus “love of oneself even to contempt of God”. In this self-exaltation, sin is diametrically opposed to obedience to Jesus, which achieves our salvation

What do you think? Recently attended a talk Family is to prepare children to go out and bring Jesus to world Families have turned inward All time, talent, treasure is put into family “I” becomes the center Sin

The Passion CCC 1851 – It is precisely in the Passion when the mystery of Christ is about to vanquish it, that sin most clearly manifests its violence and its many forms: unbelief, murderous hatred, shunning and mockery by leaders and the people, Pilate’s cowardice, Judas’ betrayal, Peter’s denial.

The Passion CCC 1851 – However, at the very hour of darkness, the hour of the prince of this world, the sacrifice of Christ secretly becomes the source from which the forgiveness of our sins will pour forth in exhaustibly

Kinds of Sins There are a great many kinds of sin. Scripture provides several lists of them. Galatians 5:19-21 contrasts the works of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit Rom. 1:28-32, 1 Cor 6:9-10

Gravity of Sin CCC 1854 –Sins are rightly evaluated according to their gravity. The distinction between mortal and venial sin became part of the tradition of the Church. It is corroborated by human experience 1 John 5:16-17

Mortal Sin CCC 1855 – Mortal sins destroys charity in the heart of man by a grave violation of God’s law; it turns man away from God, who is the ultimate end and his beatitude, by preferring an inferior good to him. Venial sin allows charity to subsist even though it offends and wounds it

Mortal Sin CCC 1857 – For a sin to mortal, three conditions must together be met: “ Mortal sin is sin whose object is grave matter and which is also committed with full knowledge and deliberate consent.”

Mortal Sin CCC 1859 – Mortal sin requires full knowledge and complete consent. It presupposes knowledge of the sinful character of the act, of its opposition to God’s law. It also implies a consent sufficiently deliberate to be a personal choice

Grave Matter CCC 1858 – Mark 10:19 The gravity of sins is more or less great: murder is graver than theft. One must take into account who is wronged: violence against parents is in itself graver than violence against a stranger

Unintentional Ignorance CCC 1860 – Unintentional ignorance can diminish or even remove the imputability of a grave offense. But no one is deemed ignorant of the moral law, which is written in the conscience of everyone

Mortal Sin CCC 1861 – Mortal sin is a radical possibility of human freedom, as is love itself. It results in the loss of charity and the privation of sanctifying grace, that is, of the state of grace. It causes exclusion from Christ’s kingdom and the eternal death of hell. However we must entrust judgment of persons to the justice and mercy of God

Venial Sin CCC 1863 – Venial sin weakens charity; it manifests a disordered affection for created goods, it impedes the souls progress in the exercise of virtues and the practice of the moral good. Deliberate and unrepented venial sin disposes us little by little to commit mortal sin.

God’s Mercy CCC 1864 – There are no limits to the mercy of God, but anyone who deliberately refuses to accept his mercy by repenting, rejects the forgiveness of his sins and the salvation offered by the Holy Spirit

Proliferation of Sin CCC 1865 – Sin creates a proclivity to sin, it engenders vice by repetition of the same acts. This results in perverse inclinations which cloud conscience and corrupt the concrete judgment of good and evil. Thus sin tends to reproduce itself and reinforce itself, but it cannot destroy the moral sense at its root

Capital Sins CCC They are called “capital” because they engender other sins, other vices. They are pride, avarice, envy, wrath, lust, gluttony, and sloth

Sins of Omission Discuss To omit – to leave undone To by-pass the greater good

Responsibility CCC 1868 – Sin is a personal act. Moreover, we have a responsibility for the sins committed by others when we cooperate in them: 1) by participating directly 2) by approving them 3) by not disclosing or hindering when we have an obligation to 4) by protecting evil-doers

Social Sin CCC 1869 – Thus sin makes men accomplices of one another and causes violence and injustice to reign among them. Sin gives rise to social situations and institutions that are contrary to divine goodness. Structures of sin are an expression of personal sins

Reconciliation “brought back” Sacrament Forgiveness of sins

Conclusion Sin is part of the human condition We participate in it God’s love and mercy can lead us to overcome sin

Next Time February 7, 8, 10 Called to virtue