Evil and Sin; the Dichotomy of their Relationship

Evil, an existence of a depraved mindset that has its intent of destroying anything good in its path.  Sin, when evil has completed its effectiveness upon one who falls, trapped under the very existence of the subtleness of the attraction to deadly sin.  

Throughout the gospels Jesus, when confronted with questions regarding certain persons whom He forgave, never once asked what their sins were, or were they sorry.  He simply forgave their sins whatever they were.  

“And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men”.  Since they could not get close to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed roof tiles and lowered the paralytic on a pallet.  Jesus saw their faith and said to the paralytic; “My son, your sins are forgiven.”  Of course the Pharisees murmured saying, “It is blasphemy!  Who can forgive sins but God alone?”  Jesus retorts saying, “which is easier to say to the paralytic; your sins are forgiven “ or Rise, take up you pallet and walk.”  He never asked the man what his sins were.  (See Mk. 2: 3 ff). 

One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to dine with him.  After seating himself at the table, a woman of the city who was a sinner, learning Jesus was at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought in an alabaster flask of ointment .  Standing behind him at his feet she began to wet his feet with her tears, and wiped them with her hair.  She kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.  When the Pharisee who invited Jesus saw this he said to himself , “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is.”  Jesus, answered his host saying. “Simon, I have something to say to you.”  A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.”  “Because neither could repay the debt, he forgave them both.”  “Which one would love him more?”  Simon answered, “the one to whom he forgave more.”   Jesus said to him, “you have judged correctly.”  Then turning to the woman he said to Simon, “do you see this woman?”  I entered your house, you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.  You gave me no kiss but from the time I came in she has not ceased kissing my feet.  You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.  Therefore, I tell you her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.”  (See Lk. 7: 36-50).

Of course both stories are very familiar to readers of the gospels and they bring out the very essence of sin, from the perspective of God.  It isn’t the sin itself that He is interested in, but the very reason our Gracious and Loving Father sent His Only Begotten Son.  Not to pick apart and announce to all each detail or failure we commit, but that He seeks the sins that darken our soul and shows forgiveness that should bring tears to our eyes in reparation for turning away from Him.

There are several articles I wrote that deal with sin, attraction to it, the personification of evil, and recently “Forgiveness; the Challenge we face daily.”  They remind us that sin plagues our innermost connection in life and only God’s Mercy can pervade this attack upon His Love for us.  Evil and Sin are synonymous with our human weakness and the struggle we adhere with to correct the attacks of Satan must be confronted each waking moment.         

Yes, there certainly is a dichotomy between Evil and Sin, and neither one is subordinating itself to the other.  Each is a scourge upon our faith in God and both do nothing but darken the beauty that lies within our soul.  We are Temples of the Holy Spirit, Who took up residence the moment we were baptized and never leaves our being.  As difficult as the attacks from Satan’s relentless attempts to dissuade us, know that we are not alone.  There is Grace through forgiveness, and each time we fail Sanctifying Grace is restored through Reconciliation, and prayer through our Blessed Mother as an intercessor to her Son Jesus Christ does everything to reconcile us with our Heavenly Father.