Today is Feb 15, Saturday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time.
We read at today’s Mass, “The LORD God then asked the woman, ‘Why did you do such a thing?’ The woman answered, ‘The serpent tricked me into it, so I ate it'” (Gen 3:13).
In the library of my Catholic grade school, although we had adopted computer systems, the diligent librarian kept a card catalog. It was a magnificent little register filled with a proper abundance of bibliographic entries. A relic of times past, I loved all the little drawers with row upon row of cards.
At first glance, the catalog of sins may look like a card catalog. By distinguishing sins according to the commandments broken or particular virtues offended, we gain insight into how to grow in the spiritual life. If we wanted to, the disorder of our lives could be sorted, cataloged and filed on neat little cards.
But what are row upon row of our sins really about? “For the malice of sin consists precisely in the aversion of the soul from God,” says Msgr. Ronald Knox. We don’t actually need drawers full of cards. Sin arises because we’ve put distance between ourselves and God.
The essence of sin lies in turning away from God
The essence of sin, in fact, lies in the soul’s turning away from God. While sins may seem to primarily affect oneself (such as self-destruction through intemperance), others (such as theft or other sins against justice), or God directly (such as blasphemy), the true malice of every sin is that they all violate God’s law. Regardless of the consequences — whether harming oneself, committing injustice against others or dishonoring God — the fundamental wrongdoing is the rejection of him.
“Turn which way you will, there is but one voice of command which is peremptory, which admits of no excuses,” says Msgr. Knox. “And whether that voice breathes from the happy soil of Paradise, or comes down in thunder from Sinai, or goes forth to Christendom from the City of the Seven Hills, it is the same voice, the voice of God.”
Let us pray,
Keep your family safe, O Lord, with unfailing care, that, relying solely on the hope of heavenly grace, they may be defended always by your protection. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
