Reflections By The Bay

Sunday, April 15, 2018

WHAT’S YOUR TAKE
ON SIN?

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily for this 3rd Sunday of Easter is, “What’s Your Take on Sin?”

Today’s second reading from the 1^st Letter of St. John begins this way: “My children, I am writing this to you so that you may not commit sin.”

Isn’t that one of the top concerns for parents - that worry about their kids - not to get messed up in sin - the bad and the ugly - and miss out on the good?

ONE OF THE 5 TOP QUESTIONS PEOPLE ASK PRIESTS

One of the 5 top questions people ask priests is this: “Father, did I commit a sin?”

When I’m asked that question, I want to say, “I don’t know. Did you?” I want to throw the ball back into their court - which is going to be a take in this homily about sin.”

If I have time and it’s the right situation or moment, I might say something like, “Tell me more.” And then add, “Come Holy Spirit.”

To some questions - I’m tempted to say what Jesus said when asked by someone in a crowd: “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.” Jesus said, “Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?” [Luke 12: 13-14]

That’s kind of an “Ouchy” response, but there’s some truth sitting there in that response by Jesus.

Now I don’t know if there is a list somewhere of top questions people ask priests, but I know that, “Father, did I commit a sin?” has to be one of them.

However, I know another question people ask priests and it’s definitely the # 1 question: “Father, does this count for Sunday Mass?”

We’re asked that at weddings - not in church - but at the reception - after an afternoon wedding Mass. And somewhere in the attic or cellar of that question is the worry about sin.

BACK TO THE TITLE OF MY HOMILY: WHAT’S YOUR TAKE ON SIN?

I’ll begin by saying that sometimes people think they are committing sins - when they are not.

Then I’d say a lot of people are committing sins - and they don’t realize it - especially sins of omission - like neglecting affirmation and affection for the people around them.

I’d also say that if someone thinks something that is not sinful is sinful then they don’t sin - even though they think it’s sinful.

However, having said that, I think that’s also an, “It all depends.”

So one of my takes on sin is: “Sin is tricky stuff.”

What’s your take on sin?

Does every person have to go into the desert for 40 days - for example Lent every year - or 40 years and do their own homework and heart work and mind work on the reality of sin? By that I mean this: Is growing up, is forming our own conscience, all about becoming one’s own priest - one’s own deacon [that is, servant of one’s soul] - one’s own judge - one’s own decider whether something is a sin or not?

I say 40 years - because I read something some 40 years ago that went something like this: “The greatest sin is the inability to accept the otherness of the other person.”

I’ve been thinking about that statement for some 40 years now. It comes up when I’m dealing with someone - usually a priest - [I live with priests] - when they don’t think the way I think.

So is that the greatest sin? I don’t know.

The Bible talks about an unforgivable sin. Mark 3: 28-30 and Matthew 12:31-32 are quoted. Jesus seems to be saying, If someone refuses the Holy Spirit when there is a question of forgiveness going on - then they are refusing the Holy Spirit who forgives - so they are not forgiven. It’s their own choice - done by their own free will. So it’s not God who won’t forgive, but themselves who won’t accept forgiveness - for our own mistakes or mistakes and sins or trespasses against us.

Now that’s my take on that issue of whether or not there are unforgiveable sins. There are many other takes on that issue. It’s one of those mysterious God and self-questions.

Here’s another issue when it comes to sin. Some 50 years ago - someone - I don’t know who the person was - told me that they don’t bring God into the picture when they are thinking about sin - when they are thinking about right and wrong. They said that they simply ask: is what I am doing here or thinking here making things better or worse for how I am doing life or how I am doing life with others.

She added - it was a woman - but I don’t remember who: “Too many people think sin hurts God and they don’t pay attention to how sin hurts themselves and/or others. They seem to leave themselves out of the effects of sin.

Now that’s numbness. Now that’s dumbness.

Now I think that’s something right there that I need to think about a lot more.

MESSES THINGS UP

How do you define sin?

How do you describe sin?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says the following. It's somewhat different to what that someone told me 50 years ago.

“Sin is an offense against reason, truth, and right conscience; it is failure in genuine love for God and neighbor caused by a perverse attachment to certain goods. It wounds the nature of man and injures human solidarity. It has been defined as ‘an utterance, a deed, or a desire contrary to the eternal law.’” That's # 1849 in the New Catechism

# 1850 is also very different and much more official: “Sin is an offense against God: ‘Against you, you alone, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in your sight.’ Sin sets itself against God's love for us and turns our hearts away from it. Like the first sin, it is disobedience, a revolt against God through the will to become ‘like gods,’ knowing and determining good and evil. Sin is thus ‘love of oneself even to contempt of God.’ In this proud self- exaltation, sin is diametrically opposed to the obedience of Jesus, which achieves our salvation.^”

So is sin that and a list of things in The Baltimore Catechism which many of us were brought up with and were taught - and then become our way of seeing and thinking - that are wrong?

Yes.

Like, “Thou shall not steal.”

Like, “Make sure you take care of your kids when they are young and your parents when they are old.”

Like, “Keep your married vows!” Better, “Love one another as I have loved you.”

Like, “Keep the Golden Rule” - don’t be doing things to others that you hate happen to you.”

I like to call sin: the mess!

A gal I know, Patricia Livingston, wrote a whole book called: This Blessed Mess. It's an excellent read.

But when sin happens, it doesn’t feel like a blessing.

It takes time to learn from our sins and our messes.

So sin is what messes things up - or keeps things messy - when beauty and unity and love should be going on.

Go back to that comment I heard some 40 years ago: “The greatest sin is the inability to accept the otherness of the other person.”

If we spend our time at work not accepting the personality of a boss or co-worker or person we’re hired to serve - then our personality can get filled with agita - and we might become nasty or a person others can’t accept and we then bring that itchy agita onto the road or home.

Sin messes things up and messes us up.

That’s what hits God - seeing us messed up.

I think that’s part of the background Jesus saw and thought about and cried about from the cross. Here are all these people who yelled and spat at him.

Those nasties can anesthetizes us from being nice and decent to each other.

How did the person who nailed Jesus to the cross treat his kids at supper that night? Was he moody, silent, nasty or what?

Is that why Jesus said, “Father forgive them for they don’t know what the heck they are doing.”

CONCLUSION

We come to church - we take walks - we think while we’re driving - and hopefully in our adult relationships - we talk to each other about sin - what works, what doesn’t work.

These are just a few ideas about my take on sin - then there are all those other thoughts - like sins of omission - like how we treat our earth - our front yards and back yards - like how we treat our bodies - health wise - like parking in the far end of the parking lot to get some extra walking in - and making parking easier for others - maybe older than us - like becoming the person whom God and others hope we become to make life on this planet that much sweeter for each other.