Fourth Sunday of Lent_A - Sin: The Bad We Do; The Good We Fail to Do_031923

Deacon Tom Writes,

“Sin: The Bad We Do; The Good We Fail to Do”

Fourth Sunday of Lent, Year A

Today’s Gospel brings up the topic of sin from the perspective of its consequences. Jewish understanding was that if there was an illness, mental deficiency or the occurrence of some misfortune, it was attributable to sin on the part of the individual or the parent. That’s why the disciples wonder who is responsible for the man’s blindness: the man himself because of his own sins, or was it his parents’ fault, i.e., because of their sins. Jesus avoids laying blame. Rather, he says, “it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him” (Jn 9:2-3). Jesus puts an end to the notion that God employs disease to punish us for our sins. 

According to St. Thomas, “sin is nothing else than a morally bad act (St. Thomas, "De malo", 7:3), an act not in accord with reason informed by the Divine law. God has endowed us with reason and free-will, and a sense of responsibility; He has made us subject to His law, which is known to us by the dictates of conscience, and our acts must conform with these dictates, otherwise we sin.”  

Actual sin is committed by a free personal act of the will. It is divided into sins of commission and sins of omission. That’s right; you can actually sin by doing nothing, by failing to perform an action!! That raises the table stakes slightly, doesn’t it? Why is that? Well, sometimes we have a moral obligation to act. That’s the lesson of the Good Samaritan. You just can’t ignore someone in need. Sometimes you can’t choose not “to get involved.”  

Look at the words of the “Confetior that is sometimes recited during the Penitential Rite during Lent. We acknowledge to God and our brothers and sisters that we have wronged them by our thoughts, words, and deeds; in what I have done, and in what I have failed to do…. It’s right here. I’m not making this up…

I confess to almighty God

and to you, my brothers and sisters,

that I have sinned through my own fault,

in my thoughts and in my words,

in what I have done,

and in what I have failed to do;

and I ask Blessed Mary, ever Virgin,

all the angels and saints,

and you, my brothers and sisters,

to pray for me to the Lord our God.

There is still a lot of Lent to go. In the days ahead may God give us the courage and ability to recognize our many faults and the grace to change our ways for the better. 

Enjoy the day!

Deacon Tom 

Please Visit www.deaconspod.com for a contemporary conversation exploring the treasures our Catholic faith has to offer.

 

OTHER RESOURCES

Recommended Reading: The Sin of Omission - Some food for thought on this year’s Lenten journey.

 

Recommended YouTube Video The Spirituality of Everyday Life, Part 1 by Thomas Keating, O.C.S.O