In Part 1, we looked at the presence of sin, or pollution, we introduce into the garden of God’s creation and how we must journey through life deciding either to become “fellow workers” in cleaning up the garden or fall when caving into the vices of sin. We have a choice.

Next, let’s look at aspects of sin, and strategies for overcoming it. Hint: We can’t go it alone!

“Often people come to me and say, ‘I don’t know what’s a sin anymore,’” said Msgr. Pat Bishop of the Atlanta Archdiocese. “I’m baffled … I don’t think we stumble into sin. We’re good at rationalizing our sinfulness. What was sinful 40 years ago is a sin today.”

“The sense of what’s right and wrong is born out of common experience, and we should look at actions that hurt ourselves, others and our relationship with God,” he added.

As explained in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, sin takes on many forms and comes in various degrees.

God handed down to Moses and the Israelites the Ten Commandments (see below), which still serve as a moral compass today. Willful murder, sins against nature, oppression of the poor, widows and infants, and the defrauding of laborers of their just payment come under the category of sins that cry to heaven for vengeance (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1867).

And within Christian theology exist capital sins, more commonly known as the seven vices, which include pride, avarice, envy, wrath, lust, gluttony and sloth (or spiritual apathy called acedia). These oppose the cardinal virtues of prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance, and the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1804-1809, 1812-1829).

To keep from falling prey to one of the seven vices, Father Tim Hepburn, chaplain at Georgia Tech in Atlanta, recommended trying to cultivate virtue into one’s life.

“(To tackle) the sin of gluttony, do more than just go to church. Start walking every day … Don’t just ask God to get rid of sin, you must build virtues into your life.”

The Catechism also classifies sins as being either mortal or venial. A mortal sin “destroys charity in the heart of man by a grave violation of God’s law; it turns man away from God” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1855).

A sin is mortal if it meets these three conditions: it concerns “grave matter” and is committed with full knowledge and deliberate consent (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1857). Grave matter refers to a breach of the Ten Commandments. The ensuing gravity of the sin depends upon what the sin is and who is wronged. The Catechism dictates that murder is graver than theft and that violence against a parent is a more serious sin than violence against a stranger.

Unintentional ignorance can lessen the blame of the sinner but “no one is deemed to be ignorant of the principles of moral law, which are written on the conscience of every man” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1860).

Deliberately choosing evil and committing a sin through malice is the gravest of sins because it is in direct deference to charity (love), “the vital principle.”

Those who have committed a mortal sin are deprived, by their own choice, of charity and sanctifying grace. Without repentance and God’s forgiveness, the sinner opts for “the eternal death of hell” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1861).

Venial sins, sometimes deceptively referred to as “light sins,” weaken charity and can lead to mortal sin. They involve either a less serious offense, such as gossiping, or violating the moral law in a grave matter but without full knowledge or complete consent.

One doesn’t need to become a theological scholar to understand sin even though reading the Catechism does shed light on the many aspects of sin. An honest heart is, by far, the most important requirement.

“A simple question to ask is: What would Jesus do? That cuts through (the confusion),” Msgr. Bishop said. “If one really is trying to deepen his relationship with Jesus Christ, if one really is trying to live the Gospel promise of Christ, and if one really sees Christ in everyone he meets and respects them, then one would not want to commit a mortal or a venial sin.”

Sin distracts us from a relationship with God, he continued. “What is a worry to Christians is that we live in a society where Christ is rejected and materialistic values are embraced. There’s no room for respect for life, respect for privacy, respect for a person’s dignity … All of us become pawns in a game that likes to create stars, kings and queens, winners and losers. It’s a cutthroat society where what I want becomes more important than the common good.”

Father Hepburn also acknowledged the weakness in society’s consciousness that comes from not knowing God. He pointed to two places in Scripture where encounters with Christ led to sincere repentance. In Luke 5: 8 Peter casts out his nets on Christ’s command and is astonished at the bountiful catch. He tells Jesus, “Leave me Lord; I am a sinful man.” In Luke 7: 36-50, Jesus is dining at a Pharisee’s home when a woman of ill repute anoints his feet with oil and her own tears. Like Peter, the repentance of the woman is a reaction to Jesus. “It was the presence of his love that she felt and demonstrated, leading her to repentance … The fundamental point is that many people are not in touch with the person of Jesus, and they don’t know why they need to repent.”

Too often people may not approach the sacrament of reconciliation because, in a lot of cases, Father Hepburn said, they think they will commit the same sin again. “Being freed from sin is based on what Christ can do, not on what we can do,” he said. “It is possible to be free from sin, not that we are ever sinless. Sins that enslave and ensnare us today, Christ can take care of … (Secondly), it is possible to come to a place in your life where you don’t consciously rebel against God.”

Father Hepburn noted that some people stumble because their own will comes before trust in the Lord.

“People blame God a lot. ‘He’s not fair,’ they say. I’m thinking of the young adult crowd, those who have not gotten married or don’t have the right person in their lives, or maybe their careers aren’t where they had hoped. Subtly, in people’s sins, I hear them saying ‘God is not fair. I’m going to make my life fun. At least, I’m going to have it my way.’”

“Having it my way” denies the necessary sacrifice needed to follow Christ. If our fear is that sacrifice will lead us to spartan lives similar to that of John the Baptist—who lived in the wilderness eating locusts—take heart. When people asked John what they must do to avoid God’s retribution for the then comfortable and complacent status quo, he told them to exercise love wherever life found them. “Share one of two coats with a neighbor who has none,” he said. “Be fair,” he told the taxpayers and to the soldiers he admonished, “Don’t intimidate.” Following these directives pleases God.

Msgr. Bishop offered this advice on handling sin.

“People need to listen to their hearts,” he advised. “Honestly listen to your heart, and it will let you know if you made poor choices. And the church should be listened to as the herald of God’s Gospel … as a serious guide.”

“Individuals need to claim their own sinfulness,” he added. “Confession is a wonderful time to say ‘I’m sorry.’ But we don’t like to say it. Husbands and wives don’t say it to each other enough. Kids don’t say it to their parents enough. Priests don’t say it to their parish councils enough and presidents don’t say it to society enough.”

Msgr. Bishop said repenting of sins is a powerful experience.

“Go in and look at the choices you’ve made. Say to God and his people, who the priest represents, ‘I am sorry’ and take full responsibility for your actions.”

[Check out this link to the Vatican and its presentation of The Ten Commandments: http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/command.htm

Also, for more information on the sacrament of reconciliation, here's a link to "How to Make a Good Confession:" http://www.georgiabulletin.org/local/2000/03/16/c/?s=reconciliation]

Part 3: Truly A Super Hero

“Christ is staring sinfulness in its face and laughing it down, overcoming it, so we no longer have an excuse to be its victims,” Msgr. Pat Bishop

The Goodness Reigns Staff appreciates the Georgia Bulletin (the archdiocesan newspaper of the Atlanta Archdiocese), Monsignor Pat Bishop and Father Tim Hepburn for their willingness to share this story with you. Check out the original story and others at http://www.georgiabulletin.org/local/2000/03/16/a/?s=haugh.