Repitious Sin

Repitious Sin

Submitted by Thomas Stidl

         Did you ever wonder why you commit the same sins day after day, week after week, and month after month?  We are all weak vessels.  This all began in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve did not obey God.  That concupiscence or weakness comes through original sin.  Baptism takes the stain of original sin from our souls, but it does not remove the weakness from our character.  This is part of the human condition.

         So, how do we rid ourselves of repitious sin?  First, we should confess these sins to a priest, receive his advice, receive sacramental absolution, and do the penance that the priest advises.  Whether the sins are venial or mortal, they still offend God.  Second, after the Sacrament of Penance, please receive the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. Jesus will fortify the soul with sanctifying and actual graces with his body, blood, soul, and divinity better known as the true presence. Penance and the Holy Eucharist will calm the desire to commit these sins.  Unfortunately, if the sins become a habit or a compulsion, it will be necessary to take more action on our part to add to our storehouse of actual graces.  One may need to contemplate the pain and suffering of Jesus.  The five sorrowful mysteries of the Rosary are an excellent meditation of the sufferings of Jesus.

         The Agony in the Garden illustrates the anguish of the beginning of Our Lord’s passion.  Jesus actually sweated blood in the garden of Gethsemane and had to be strengthened by angels.  Remember, Jesus is true God and true man.  After being arrested and brought by his own people to Pontius Pilate, he was scourged or flogged that drew an intense amount of blood and was excruciatingly painful.  The meditation for this decade of the Rosary is that by his stripes we are healed.  The film, “The Passion of the Christ illustrates this quite graphically.  Then, Jesus was mocked, insulted, and slapped.  A crown of thorns was formed and was thrust into the holy head of Jesus drawing more blood and making him weaker.

         Next, Jesus was made to carry his cross to Calvary.  He was too weak to carry that cross all the way to his place of crucifixion so Simon of Cyrene was ordered to assist Jesus.  At Calvary, Jesus was stripped of his clothes and nailed to the cross.  Did you ever stick you finger with a pin?  Imagine what Jesus felt with those nails piercing his flesh.

         When you look at all the physical suffering of Jesus, it should dampen or eliminate the desire to commit sin.  Keep these thoughts in the back of your mind.  These thoughts and meditations will increase the amounts of Actual Graces for your soul to utilize.  Actual graces are provided for a soul to resist sin.  How does this increase in grace occur?  By meditating on these mysteries of the Rosary we actually console God.  God is pleased when we accomplish this.  From the cross, Jesus said, “I thirst.”  Was he thirsting for something to drink?  I do not think so.  He was thirsting for our love.  We then fulfill his desire for our love.  He then shows us his love by granting more grace to subdue evil.

         The Stations of the Cross are another great meditation remedy for sin.  Looking at the crucifix is another great form of meditation or consoling Jesus giving the soul additional actual graces.  When Saint Paul asked Jesus in prayer for removing a particular vice, The Lord’s interior response to Saint Paul was, “My grace is enough for you.”  Just keep persevering in prayer and meditation, keep availing yourself to the Sacrament of Penance, and receive Holy Communion worthily (no grievous sins on your soul.)  As time passes you will become an over comer.  At the last judgment, Jesus will welcome you to sit on his throne to assist Him in ruling the earth.

        Until next time, Laus Tibi, Christe.  Deo Gratias.  Gloria Tibi Domini.  Praise be to God.  See you in Paradise. Amen.