Freedom from Sin

Day 8: Your Enemy

Thu, 1 Jan 2009 19:19:34 -0500

There are two things the devil would have you believe: that he does not exist, or that he has the power of God. The devil (also known as Satan or Lucifer) is a fallen angel. Angels, like us, were given a free choice to follow God. But the devil and other fallen angels (demons) rebelled.

The devil not only hates God, but also hates us, because we are made in the image and likeness of God. He can't fight God, so he tries to destroy us. The best way to hurt a loving father is to kill his children.

Now before you get too concerned, let's talk about the power of the devil. If you have never given serious thought to the devil's existence (which is his first tactic), then you may start to overestimate his power (his second tactic). In the hierarchy of heaven, God is at the top. He is WAY at the top, and nothing else is even close to His equal. About a universe down is Mary, our Blessed Mother. Scripture and tradition tell us that she can crush Satan with her heel, and that St. Michael the Archangel defeated Satan when he rebelled. So compared to the power of God and the angels and saints, the devil is nothing.

Why does God let the devil exist? A better question is, "Why do we let the devil exist?" We let the devil exist by continuing to rebel and sin against God. Satan doesn't make us do things, but he does tempt us. We make the choice to sin. The devil can't read our minds (because he's not God), but he can see our weaknesses.

The devil's plan is to lure us out of the power and protection that Jesus offers us, then strike. But our God has overcome death and the snares of the devil. When we live in Him, we have no reason to fear.

Our battle is a spiritual one. Things that are not of God are of the devil and the demons. Things like Ouija boards, tarot cards, and psychics are all ways Satan lures us away from the power of God. If you have been a part of those things, get them out of your life immediately. As a child of God, you have power over the devil in Christ. Pray for protection, and repent of ways that you have allowed evil to have a hold on you. We pray for protection from the devil when we say the Our Father (lead us not into temptation, deliver us from evil). Another great prayer is the prayer to St. Michael the Archangel (in prayers).

Day 9: Temptation

Thu, 1 Jan 2009 18:52:12 -0500

We must distinguish between temptation and sin. We cannot be free of temptation, but we can avoid sin. Our holiness is not marked by how little we are tempted, but by our actions when we are. Temptation is the first step to sin, but it is not sin itself. God allows temptation, but it is not He who tempts us. We are tempted by the world around us, by our flesh, and by the devil.

But God is not inactive during our temptation. He is always there to help us. In 1 Corinthians we are given a promise: God will never allow us to be tempted beyond our ability to resist it, and He will always give us a way out.

Though temptation is something we all bear, we have a responsibility to avoid it as much as we can. We have an obligation to avoid the near occasion of sin. If you struggle with alcohol, you shouldn't go into bars. Putting yourself in situations you know to be full of temptation can be sinful.

We need prudence. Prudence is the use of our moral reason to know what is the right thing to do in each situation. It is "common sense" based in God's truths. A prudent person avoids tempting situations. If that person were trying not to swear, he or she would avoid music with bad words, etc. (The picture above of someone who is NOT prudent. But we are like him when we walk into situations we know will tempt us.)

The bottom line is this: You have to choose not to sin. That's not as simple as it sounds. The truth is that we enjoy sin. But the pleasure we get from sinful acts comes not from Satan but from God. Sin takes God's pleasures and distorts them for ungodly purposes. They are devastating shortcuts and temporary highs.

Satan tempted Jesus with immediate power. Jesus was going to get power anyway, but Satan offered it to Him "right away." God might be calling you to marriage and to enjoy the gift of sex with your future husband/wife, but the devil offers that gift "right now" with your current boyfriend/girlfriend. The gift is from God, but it is more “stolen” than “given”. The shortcuts that sin offer lead only to death, spiritually or physically.

So what should we do when we are being tempted? Pray. An Our Father, Hail Mary, or St. Michael the Archangel prayer are all useful prayers during those times. Another way is to memorize Scripture (try 1 Corinthians 10: 13). When the devil tempted Jesus, Jesus replied with quotes from Scripture. Scripture lets you use God's words of truth against the deceiver. Pray about the situations you put yourself in that lead you to sin. Start to see the connection, and take responsibility to avoid them.

Day 10: The Mercy of God

Thu, 1 Jan 2009 17:12:22 -0500

A father had two sons, the younger of which wanted his inheritance right away. "I want you to give me the money I'd get from you when you die," he said. Amazingly, the father agreed. So the son took the money and went off to a distant land to "live it up" and party all night long.

The problem with partying all night long is that the night doesn't last forever. Soon the son had wasted all his money, and he became so poor and hungry that he had to work with pigs. T here he was, longing to eat the slop the pigs ate! (Have you ever seen how nasty pig slop is?)

In this pitiful state, the son came to his senses. He realized even the lowliest of his father's servants had it better than he did. So he headed back home, hoping at least to get a decent job.

When he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming, because every day he had been waiting to see if he would come home. Many times had he looked toward the horizon, hoping to see the figure of his boy returning. Finally, he was coming home. And once he saw him, he ran toward his child. Before the son could even finish what he wanted to say, the father was hugging him and welcoming him home.

And then the celebration began. It is ironic that this son who left his home to "party" found the best one in his father's house. God is the father. We are the son. And every time we repent of our sins He welcomes us home with open arms. He never gets tired of forgiving us. All we need to do is to turn to Him, and his mercy does the rest.

The passage in Ephesians talks about a God rich in mercy, and the grace by which we are saved. It points out that God's grace "is not from you, it is the gift of God, not by works, so no one may boast." God's mercy is a gift we cannot earn. All we have to do is take it.

There are many things we can (and must) do to grow in holiness and faith. But our actions are one one millionth of what we need to do to be saved or to have a relationship with God. God's free gift of grace covers the rest of it. Reread the story of the prodigal son, and this time picture yourself in it. No matter how far we stray, there is always a loving Father watching and waiting for us to return. Truly, there is "no place like home."

Day 11: Forgiveness

Thu, 1 Jan 2009 16:38:05 -0500

(The picture above is Pope John Paul II talking with the man who tried to assassinate him.)

Our Christian faith is not just about being forgiven, but also about forgiving others. In the Our Father, we pray "forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." We don't pray, "Forgive us our trespasses, and help us to forgive others', too." Jesus showed us there is a connection between the mercy we show to others and the mercy we receive.

In this world, we are taught to see certain people as better than others. But in the sight of God, we are equal. "All have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God," writes St. Paul. The bad news is that we are in the same sinful boat together. The good news is that God equally loves us and forgives all of us.

Since God has shown such mercy to us, we must show it to others. In Luke 15, we read the story about the brother in the "prodigal son" story. A great celebration is going on, but he is missing it. Why? He won't forgive his brother. When we don't forgive others or harbor grudges against them, we are like that brother, missing the joy of God's party because we don't like the people inside.

Forgiveness is a choice, not a feeling. We might still feel the hurt from someone, but we can choose to forgive. That begins the healing for the wounds we have received.

God knows how hard it is to forgive- He had to die on a cross to forgive us! But through the power of that cross, He gives us the grace to let go of the ways we have been hurt, and forgive those who have hurt us. Forgiving others is one of the key ways we experience freedom in Christ.

There is one more important person you must forgive: yourself. Many times we think we've sinned so badly that God can't let us off the hook so simply. But His mercy is simple, and is open to all hearts that turn to Him. When the father began the party for his son, the prodigal could have said, "I'm not going in. I don't deserve it." The father's response would have been, "I don't need you to deserve it, I just want you to receive it."

Meditate upon people who have hurt you and forgive them. If you can't, pray for the grace to do so, and talk to someone about it. In your prayers, ask God to allow those you have hurt to forgive you. Most importantly, allow God to forgive you totally.

Day 12: Purity

Thu, 1 Jan 2009 15:38:24 -0500

St. Paul, when writing on our sexual behavior, doesn't try to "scare" us into purity. He simply says, "Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit?" Sex is more than a physical activity. It is not just a uniting of bodies, but a uniting of souls.

Jesus gives us a high standard to attain. "Everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her," He says. Not only premarital sex, but also pornography, masturbation, and lustful fantasies are all sins against our purity. Christ tells us to cut these things out of our lives. (An important note: no saint ever took this passage literally!)

Obviously, you should avoid pornography. But there are a lot of magazines and web sites that are driven by sex- scantly people on the cover, articles that boast “how to have better sex” or “get more sex!” These kind of things have become accepted by our culture... but not by the kingdom of God.

If having a girlfriend or boyfriend over at your house gets you into trouble, then stay in public places instead (make this decision before you go out!). God helps us overcome temptation, but we must avoid tempting places.

When we engage in premarital sexual activities with another person, it clouds our true feelings for them. We become addicted to them, not because of their personality, but because of their body. If you are in a relationship that includes sexual activity (sex, nudity, fondling, etc.), then you're not truly loving that person. If you care for that person, you must stop. Your sexual activity is hurting them, hurting you, and separating both of you from God.

Sexual sins are worse than others because they affect our vocation. If a person called to be a priest becomes sexually active, he might miss his calling. If a person called to be married sleeps around before marriage, they might miss the spouse God has destined for them. Sexual purity (also known as chastity) is more than not having intercourse. It is about the way we treat others and ourselves.

Pray for purity, especially through the intercession of Mary and St. Joseph. Ask God to heal the memories you have of things you have done or seen. Since sexual sins are of a grave matter, the sacrament of Reconciliation is the best way to truly repent and be healed. If you are struggling with an area of sexual purity, talk to a youth leader or someone of your gender about it. Sexual sins gain power in shadows. We are called to live in the light.

Day 13: Reconciliation

Thu, 1 Jan 2009 13:38:32 -0500

The sacrament of Reconciliation is a gift from God, not a punishment. Too many people say, "Do I have to go? I think God forgives me without going to confession." These are just excuses that keep us away from the sacrament.

In Baptism we were washed clean of sin, but we were left with our human weaknesses. When we sin, our souls once again become stained. How can we return to our baptismal state of grace? Reconciliation. In that sacrament our souls are again washed clean and it is as though we had just emerged from baptismal waters. Though are baptized only once, we can receive Reconciliation time and time again.

Sin is never a private affair. Look at how the sin of Adam and Eve affected our lives! Our sins affect not only our own lives, but the lives of those around us. In Reconciliation, we seek mercy not only for the ways that we have sinned against God, but against the Church as well.

In John 20 we see Jesus empowering the apostles with the ability to forgive sins in His name. Today's apostles are our priests. When they speak the words of absolution at the end of the sacrament, "I forgive you of all of your sins," they are speaking in the person of Christ! Only God can forgive sins, and He gave this ministry of reconciliation to the Church for our benefit.

The priest is there to forgive, not condemn. He is there to say the words of Christ: "Your sins are forgiven." In our walk with Christ, we can perform actions that sever our relationship with Him, known as mortal sins. Only through the sacrament of Reconciliation can we be restored to His grace. Lesser sins, known as venial sins, can be forgiven through prayer and receiving the Eucharist, but Reconciliation brings added grace to those wounds as well.

The sacrament of Reconciliation heals our souls. Through confession our sins are forgiven, and we receive grace and advice to help overcome those sins in the future. Bishops suggest that we receive Reconciliation every month to help us live holy lives.

As you grow closer to Christ, you will start to realize sins in your life that you never noticed before. You may feel powerless to overcome them on your own. It is for that reason we have the sacrament of Reconciliation to forgive us, heal us, and empower us. Don't be afraid to receive it rejoice! It's a gift. (See prayers on how to go to Reconciliation.)

Day 14: The Second Coming

Thu, 1 Jan 2009 12:38:46 -0500

The early Church was built upon the belief that Christ would come again... soon! The Christ who came clothed in humility will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead. This isn't mythical fantasy. It's biblical fact.

God continually tells us what is to come. There have been many "stages" to our salvation, all of which He told us about well before they happened. But the final step was that a woman (Mary) would give birth to a child (Jesus) that would offer salvation to the whole world. The only thing left is for Jesus to come in glory and claim His own.

The Bible ends with Jesus saying, "I am coming soon." There is a reason it ends like that. It tells us of our place in history. We exist between the First and Second Coming of Christ. There will be no “Third”. When Christ comes again He will establish a new heaven and a new earth. He will separate the weeds from the wheat, calling his own to Himself and casting out evildoers from his presence. It is not a moment we should fear; when it comes Christ tells us to "stand straight and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand."

When will it happen? Peter tells us it will come like "a thief in the night." We don't know when it will occur. Why hasn't it happened yet? "Consider the patience of the Lord as our salvation," answers Peter. God is giving us time to get our act together. But Scripture is clear that time is running out.

Christ comes for all of us. Even if the Second Coming doesn't happen in our lifetime, death is something that we all have to face. As Christians, death is not something to fear, but something to prepare for. The day will come when we will "meet our maker." But our maker is a God who loves us. As God's children, it is a homecoming where we are freed from the weeds of sin that bind and choke us, where we can enter into the eternal celebration of God's glory.

If you knew Christ was coming tomorrow, how would you go about your day? Would you share Christ with a friend? Would you tell somebody that you loved him or her? The truth is that we don't know when this life will end, but know that it will. "Be eager to be found without spot or blemish before Him," writes St. Peter. Christ will come again. How ready are you?