I was making a podcast yesterday and St. Francis de Sales was talking about purifying ourselves from the affection to sin.
While no Christian on earth would probably admit to you or themselves that they have an affection to sin, the hard truth is this: We all have at least one sin that we struggle to let go of because we “like” committing it.
This is going to sound weird, but hang with me. I think one of the greatest sins we cling to and refuse to give up is the sin of refusing God’s mercy and forgiveness because we believe we are just too “big of a sinner.”
Now why would anyone have an affection to this sin? Well, because it lets us off the hook and we “like” that because:
1. We don’t really have to face our souls because we refuse confession. We don’t have to see who we’ve become.
2. It allows us to have an excuse for the sad state of our lives and the lack of growth. It’s a false victimhood and it allows us to sit around licking our wounds, but never really allowing them to heal.
We like pitying ourselves. “God could never love me. Poor me. I’m just too far gone. (Sigh) Guess I’ll just keep on down this sinful road I’m on because I’m the worst anyway. No hope for me now.”
This way of existing wastes years and years of your life. Better always to turn to our God who says in Isaiah 1:18:
“Come now, let us set things right, says the Lord: Though your sins be like scarlet, they may become white as snow.”
Nothing is beyond God’s forgiveness, Catholic Pilgrims, we need just ask for it and have contrition for our sins.
Have a blessed Tuesday.
