Tag: Sin

From Sin to Sainthood

After watching this video about three years ago I had the following conversation with my husband: Me: Would you please proofread this questionnaire for the canonization of saints?Tom: Are you thinking about advocating for the canonization of a saint...

A Better Way to Live

Once upon a time there were three friends—Ralph, Reuben, and Roger—down on their luck and searching for work, but without success. Then they finally got very lucky: a wealthy landowner hired them to live on and take care of his large apple orchard...

Whatever Happened to Sin, Part 2

In Part 1 of this essay, I noted that the Catholic hierarchy is attempting to straddle two incompatible views: the modern pagan view that denies the existence of sin, and the Catechism view that affirms it. I added that they cannot have it both...

Whatever Happened to Sin?

Whatever happened to sin? For the answer to this perplexing question, simply replace the question mark with a period. What happened to sin is that the “whatever” perspective on right and wrong has rendered sin archaic. When whatever feels...

Saying Yes to Love and No to Shame

Have you ever felt like a failure? Have you ever told yourself that you are too ugly or too fat to wear something? Have you ever not done an activity because you felt that you were not good enough? Have you ever told yourself you are unworthy and...

Would You Let Them Drink Poison?

In a recent Sunday Gospel reading, Jesus reminded us that the gate into heaven is a narrow one. (Luke 13) The reading made me uncomfortable. The Church tells us that sin requires an element of knowing that we are doing it. The Gospels this summer...

The Narrow Gate

If the angels were capable of envy, they would envy us for two things; one is the receiving of Holy Communion, and the other is suffering. (Diary 1804) Today, millions of Catholics, religious and lay people, continue to pray for the situation in...

False Freedom

“For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.” (Gal. 5:1) St. Paul writes to us of a type of freedom loftier than the one guaranteed us by the Constitution. It is the freedom for which Christ died and...