The Seven Deadly Sins.
Pride, sloth, lust, greed, gluttony, anger, envy.
What makes them deadly?
I don't know the theologically correct answer to that, but a few days ago, as I was reflecting on my lack of Lenten spirit, here's what occurred to me.
They are deadly because they are the feelings, emotions, and dispositions that disguise, that numb, our thirst for God.
When we lack God in our life, the emptiness that is supposed to remind us of our desire for God gets covered up by our pride (our desire to build ourselves up), our sloth (our lack of desire to do anything), our lust, our greed ....
And instead of getting in touch with the part of ourselves that hungers for God, we address, instead, the pride or sloth or lust or greed, trying to fill ourselves up with things that give us superficial satisfaction. We become self-righteous or adopt an attitude of entitlement, we fill our idle hours with superficial time-wasters, we try to gratify our sexual desire with loveless sexual conquests, we fill our lives with material things that we don't really need but which we think make us feel better. And yet, beneath the momentary pleasure that all that brings, the emptiness and lack of God remains, a gaping hollowness deep within our hearts.
The amazing thing, however, is that, as St. Augustine reminds us, God can bring goodness even out of evil situations. And maybe, if we are aware of how the devil works, then the next time any of the seven deadly sins strikes, we can recognize the moment as a sign that we need God in our lives, and respond by striving harder to nourish our relationship with the Lord.
Have a blessed Holy Week, everyone. May all of us get in touch with our thirst for God.
What makes them deadly?
I don't know the theologically correct answer to that, but a few days ago, as I was reflecting on my lack of Lenten spirit, here's what occurred to me.
They are deadly because they are the feelings, emotions, and dispositions that disguise, that numb, our thirst for God.
When we lack God in our life, the emptiness that is supposed to remind us of our desire for God gets covered up by our pride (our desire to build ourselves up), our sloth (our lack of desire to do anything), our lust, our greed ....
And instead of getting in touch with the part of ourselves that hungers for God, we address, instead, the pride or sloth or lust or greed, trying to fill ourselves up with things that give us superficial satisfaction. We become self-righteous or adopt an attitude of entitlement, we fill our idle hours with superficial time-wasters, we try to gratify our sexual desire with loveless sexual conquests, we fill our lives with material things that we don't really need but which we think make us feel better. And yet, beneath the momentary pleasure that all that brings, the emptiness and lack of God remains, a gaping hollowness deep within our hearts.
The amazing thing, however, is that, as St. Augustine reminds us, God can bring goodness even out of evil situations. And maybe, if we are aware of how the devil works, then the next time any of the seven deadly sins strikes, we can recognize the moment as a sign that we need God in our lives, and respond by striving harder to nourish our relationship with the Lord.
Have a blessed Holy Week, everyone. May all of us get in touch with our thirst for God.
posted by rowie at
9:22 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home