Daily Retreat 11/20/07
2007 Nov 20 Tue
2 Mc 6:18-31/ Ps 3:2-3. 4-5. 6-7/ Lk 19:1-10
From today’s readings: “He declared that above all he would be loyal to the holy laws given by God.... The Lord upholds me.... Today salvation has come to this house....”
Simulation of Sin
Temptations come at times with a seductive “option”- after tempting a person to outrightly do something gravely sinful, since that can seem too blatant and barefaced, the devil will follow up with a curve ball: perhaps the person tempted will at least pretend to sin in order to “save face” in some manner. That’s wouldn’t be too bad, would it?
Teenagers are particularly faced with such temptations: in order to “fit in,” when talking with peers, many will claim to skip class, shoplift, use vulgar language, take drugs, have sex, deny their faith etc., even if, thanks be to God, they don’t actually commit such sins. The teenage peer pressure is well known in this regard, but parallels exist among adults as well - think, for instance, of people who will deliberately downplay their faith commitment so as not to appear the least bit “fanatical” to their neighbors and co-workers.
To feign to sin is in itself a sin, especially when the simulation of sin can be just as scandalous as the sin itself. At times, the simulation may objectively be less sinful than carrying out the sin itself, but that fact alone doesn’t excuse such simulation. The example of Eleazar, in the Second Book of Maccabees, gives an ardent explanation of the evils inherent in simulation, an example which can inspire you and me to completely stop even pretending to sin.
2 Mc 6:18-31/ Ps 3:2-3. 4-5. 6-7/ Lk 19:1-10
From today’s readings: “He declared that above all he would be loyal to the holy laws given by God.... The Lord upholds me.... Today salvation has come to this house....”
Simulation of Sin
Temptations come at times with a seductive “option”- after tempting a person to outrightly do something gravely sinful, since that can seem too blatant and barefaced, the devil will follow up with a curve ball: perhaps the person tempted will at least pretend to sin in order to “save face” in some manner. That’s wouldn’t be too bad, would it?
Teenagers are particularly faced with such temptations: in order to “fit in,” when talking with peers, many will claim to skip class, shoplift, use vulgar language, take drugs, have sex, deny their faith etc., even if, thanks be to God, they don’t actually commit such sins. The teenage peer pressure is well known in this regard, but parallels exist among adults as well - think, for instance, of people who will deliberately downplay their faith commitment so as not to appear the least bit “fanatical” to their neighbors and co-workers.
To feign to sin is in itself a sin, especially when the simulation of sin can be just as scandalous as the sin itself. At times, the simulation may objectively be less sinful than carrying out the sin itself, but that fact alone doesn’t excuse such simulation. The example of Eleazar, in the Second Book of Maccabees, gives an ardent explanation of the evils inherent in simulation, an example which can inspire you and me to completely stop even pretending to sin.
posted by FrPitstick | 11/18/2007
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