This past Sunday's readings focused on the topic of sin. This can often be an unpleasant and uncomfortable topic to consider, as negative feelings often arise when thinking about what one has done wrong. However, the examination of conscience can actually be a positive experience when looked at through a proactive lens. The key when dealing with one's sins is to do so with a genuine and meaningful sense of self-awareness.
When it comes to actively and positively dealing with sin, there are three important and related questions to be asked:
1. What was my sin?
When it comes to actively and positively dealing with sin, there are three important and related questions to be asked:
1. What was my sin?
2. What led up to my sin?
3. How can I avoid this sin in the future and instead, replace this negative action with a more positive, loving one?
Let us look at these three questions more closely now.
Let us look at these three questions more closely now.
Acknowledging Our Sins
Sometimes, we do not even realize we have sinned, because we have indeed not committed any of the "big sins". That is, we might look at the 10 Commandments, and as we "go down the list", think, "No, I haven't killed anyone, or stolen anything, or committed adultery. I'm good." Well, it certainly is good to have avoided committing these acts. However, as a local priest once said, the 10 Commandments are not the only guidelines for how we should and should not behave; they are merely a starting point. We must also be conscious of the "little sins" that may begin to pervade our lives.
"Little sins" may be things like speaking negatively about someone, expressing anger and frustration at a loved one, or failing to lend a hand to someone else because it isn't convenient for you at the time. It may involve being prideful and working to take credit for something, perhaps at another's expense. It may involve putting material things at a priority, telling a "white lie", or refusing to grant forgiveness to someone seeking it.
The "little sins" may seem rather harmless in isolation; one might think, "No one was really hurt by it." However the problem with little sins is that they can build up and, over time, become habitual. When "smaller" sins become habitual, we grow accustomed to them and accept them as normal. In turn, they extend themselves and grow into bigger sins. For example, if a little white lie here and there becomes more and more commonplace, it becomes easier to lie about bigger and more important things, and then the pattern of dishonesty proliferates even more.
It is easy to spot our "big sins" because they are so noticeable; it is not so easy to recognize our little sins. We can think of sins as snowflakes. A "big sin" such as killing someone can be thought of as a huge blizzard that arrives with a bang and builds up quickly. This is certainly hard to ignore. On the other hand, "little sins" are like the tiny, wispy snowflakes that arrive with a whimper and fall slowly. We do not think much of this type of snow; "It's only a dusting. Everything will be fine." However, if this "insignificant" snow continues to fall for an extended period, before we know it, it will accumulate and cover up our grass, trees, roads, and so on, just the same as that big blizzard did.
Let us try to always be cognizant of both our "big" and "little" sins, before they start to build up to the point where we are buried by them.
"Little sins" may be things like speaking negatively about someone, expressing anger and frustration at a loved one, or failing to lend a hand to someone else because it isn't convenient for you at the time. It may involve being prideful and working to take credit for something, perhaps at another's expense. It may involve putting material things at a priority, telling a "white lie", or refusing to grant forgiveness to someone seeking it.
The "little sins" may seem rather harmless in isolation; one might think, "No one was really hurt by it." However the problem with little sins is that they can build up and, over time, become habitual. When "smaller" sins become habitual, we grow accustomed to them and accept them as normal. In turn, they extend themselves and grow into bigger sins. For example, if a little white lie here and there becomes more and more commonplace, it becomes easier to lie about bigger and more important things, and then the pattern of dishonesty proliferates even more.
It is easy to spot our "big sins" because they are so noticeable; it is not so easy to recognize our little sins. We can think of sins as snowflakes. A "big sin" such as killing someone can be thought of as a huge blizzard that arrives with a bang and builds up quickly. This is certainly hard to ignore. On the other hand, "little sins" are like the tiny, wispy snowflakes that arrive with a whimper and fall slowly. We do not think much of this type of snow; "It's only a dusting. Everything will be fine." However, if this "insignificant" snow continues to fall for an extended period, before we know it, it will accumulate and cover up our grass, trees, roads, and so on, just the same as that big blizzard did.
Let us try to always be cognizant of both our "big" and "little" sins, before they start to build up to the point where we are buried by them.
Factors Precipitating Sin
Once we have acknowledged the things we have done wrong, it is helpful to examine what might have led us to sin. This is not to say that we are looking for someone or something else to blame; rather, we can look for internal factors that may have combined to make sin more likely.
By and large, negative emotions and cognitions can set the stage for sin. Anger, frustration, desperation, fear, jealousy, or embarrassment, just to name a few, can all play in a role in our behaving in ways we normally wouldn't.
Consider a student (let's call her Student A) who sees other kids picking on someone (Student B). Student A likely knows that this behaviour is wrong. However, Student A may be fearful that if she doesn't 'go along with the crowd' in being mean to Student B, she too will be ostracized; as such, Student A chooses to make fun of Student B, too. Fear of social exclusion or ridicule can be a powerful trigger for making poor decisions.
Similarly, feelings of stress and frustration can often lead one to say things one shouldn't. These feelings can be overwhelming at times, and tend to bubble over to the point where one vents one's anger in another person's direction, whether or not this other person had anything to do with it. In one's stress and anger, which are strong self-focused feelings, one might not even notice the hurt the other person experiences as a result. This is an unfortunate but rather commonplace situation.
As I have said, however, determining the precipitating factors of sin is not meant as a means of justification for our wrongdoings. One should not think, "Oh, I was feeling stressed and anxious about work, so I'm off the hook for snapping at my brother." Rather, we should use this self-awareness as a means for avoiding the repetition of our mistakes. Herein lies facet #3 of our sin self-awareness.
Replacing Sin with More Loving Actions
By and large, negative emotions and cognitions can set the stage for sin. Anger, frustration, desperation, fear, jealousy, or embarrassment, just to name a few, can all play in a role in our behaving in ways we normally wouldn't.
Consider a student (let's call her Student A) who sees other kids picking on someone (Student B). Student A likely knows that this behaviour is wrong. However, Student A may be fearful that if she doesn't 'go along with the crowd' in being mean to Student B, she too will be ostracized; as such, Student A chooses to make fun of Student B, too. Fear of social exclusion or ridicule can be a powerful trigger for making poor decisions.
Similarly, feelings of stress and frustration can often lead one to say things one shouldn't. These feelings can be overwhelming at times, and tend to bubble over to the point where one vents one's anger in another person's direction, whether or not this other person had anything to do with it. In one's stress and anger, which are strong self-focused feelings, one might not even notice the hurt the other person experiences as a result. This is an unfortunate but rather commonplace situation.
As I have said, however, determining the precipitating factors of sin is not meant as a means of justification for our wrongdoings. One should not think, "Oh, I was feeling stressed and anxious about work, so I'm off the hook for snapping at my brother." Rather, we should use this self-awareness as a means for avoiding the repetition of our mistakes. Herein lies facet #3 of our sin self-awareness.
Replacing Sin with More Loving Actions
Once we have determined the areas in which we have struggled, and the internal factors involved, it is time for the third, and, I'd argue, the most important step: to actively work to avoid making the same mistakes again and to instead choose to act in a more Christlike way.
For example, once the student realizes that her mean social behaviour stems from a fear of others' opinions of her, that student can try to work on building her self-confidence and independence, so that if a similar situation arises, she will feel better prepared to stand up for what is right, rather than taking the easier route of joining the crowd. Likewise, once the person in our example understands that he lets his work stress spill over into his personal life, he can work to deal with this stress in more proactive ways. For instance, the next time he is in a situation where he is already in a bad mood and hears his brother say something 'annoying', he can take the "take a deep breath and count to ten before responding" approach. It sounds simple and perhaps a little cheesy, but it is effective!
All in all, when we have sinned, we can use these three facets of self-awareness to help us turn the feelings of shame we may experience into a positive, loving commitment to do better in the future.
Let me leave you with two songs for your listening pleasure: "Heaven Help Us All" by Stevie Wonder and "Dust in the Wind" by Kansas. My choir did these songs for our second Communion hymn and second Recessional hymn respectively. Both discuss the topic of sin, albeit in different ways; "Heaven Help Us All" mentions several different types of sin, such as racial discrimination and violence, for which one might need forgiveness; "Dust in the Wind" describes the folly of putting material goods on a pedestal. Enjoy!
"Heaven Help Us All" - Stevie Wonder
"Dust in the Wind" - Kansas
May God bless you today and always!
Karen
For example, once the student realizes that her mean social behaviour stems from a fear of others' opinions of her, that student can try to work on building her self-confidence and independence, so that if a similar situation arises, she will feel better prepared to stand up for what is right, rather than taking the easier route of joining the crowd. Likewise, once the person in our example understands that he lets his work stress spill over into his personal life, he can work to deal with this stress in more proactive ways. For instance, the next time he is in a situation where he is already in a bad mood and hears his brother say something 'annoying', he can take the "take a deep breath and count to ten before responding" approach. It sounds simple and perhaps a little cheesy, but it is effective!
All in all, when we have sinned, we can use these three facets of self-awareness to help us turn the feelings of shame we may experience into a positive, loving commitment to do better in the future.
Let me leave you with two songs for your listening pleasure: "Heaven Help Us All" by Stevie Wonder and "Dust in the Wind" by Kansas. My choir did these songs for our second Communion hymn and second Recessional hymn respectively. Both discuss the topic of sin, albeit in different ways; "Heaven Help Us All" mentions several different types of sin, such as racial discrimination and violence, for which one might need forgiveness; "Dust in the Wind" describes the folly of putting material goods on a pedestal. Enjoy!
"Heaven Help Us All" - Stevie Wonder
"Dust in the Wind" - Kansas
May God bless you today and always!
Karen
Great Perspective
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