I had to chuckle to myself during our recent Parish Mission led by the Dominican Friars from the Angelicum. They kept commenting on the large number of Confessions in our parish. In many parts of the U.S. and in many parishes, the number of people coming to Confession is lackluster. That is not the case in our parish or in our archdiocese. Cardinal DiNardo regularly comments on the fact that Confessions in this archdiocese are relatively robust. That is a good thing. Now, if we can only increase Mass attendance, religious education enrollment, and priestly vocations throughout the archdiocese!
While the sanctity of the seal of the Sacrament of Penance is absolute and a priest can never reveal specifics of anyone’s private confession, as a confessor I have learned a lot about what people are dealing with in their lives and what sins and kind of sins are causing so much pain and destruction. Amazingly, in this Post Sexual Revolution age, sins of the flesh continue to wreak havoc in people’s lives and cause great harm and pain. Though I have to say over the years there has been a metamorphosis of carnal sins. In times past, the most prevalent expressions of carnal sins involved two people. Today, with cell phones, computers, and the internet, physical and mental impurity has introduced a whole new environment for sexual sin. These sins impact relationships, marriages, and psychological health, in addition to the spiritual health and well-being of souls. The sin of lust is wrecking more and more lives and at a wider range of ages from even younger ages to older persons.
Lies and falsehoods never seem to take a holiday. Only now, we don’t have to call our lies and falsehoods bad. Instead, we can call them “our truth”. Women who give birth to children are not mothers, they are “inseminated persons” (at least according to the governor of Wisconsin). Abortion is not the killing of an innocent child before birth, it is a choice. To physically mutilate a person by removing perfectly good organs is a good thing and “affirming care”. Heck, with whoppers like these, who cares about our little “white lies” or creative excuses?
It has often been said that truth is the first casualty of war. Today, it seems that everyone is a relativist. There is MY TRUTH and your truth and of course MY TRUTH is true because I say so and your truth is hate speech or fake news! That is why so many tell themselves it is okay not to pray, not to come to Mass or bring my kids to Mass. Basketball practice, shopping, and general tiredness all come before God. Right? To force my kids to come to Mass and miss their sports practice or tournament game on Sunday would be unfair to the other kids on the team. Right? It is okay to go shopping, do household chores, and catch up on office work on Sunday when we are so busy during the week. Right? It is okay not to do our best at work or school, because after all the boss/teacher really doesn’t appreciate us and we don’t get paid enough and deserve an A+ anyway. Right? We don’t have to obey our parents, teachers, supervisors, employers, coaches, police, and others in authority because they are not perfect either, in fact, they are hypocrites. Right?
Nihil novum sub sole – there is nothing new under the sun! Eccl 1:9.
The Seven Capital Sins – Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy and Pride are all still very much with us. We have just found new and improved ways to express them. They continue to mortally damage our souls, our relationships, our health and our psyches. While we have figured out new and even more dangerous ways to sin, we have not invented any new sins. Sin is still sin.