No Sin is Private
It does not matter if you are in a room alone, it is still a sin. Our culture lives as if this truth, after all, if you feel inclined to do something clearly that is what you need to do. At first, bless we can be taken by this siren song, but at its root, it reduces one's subjective interpretation of objective reality to be totally self-centered. At one moment they are condemning someone for not being fair the next they encourage us to satisfy ourselves, without discernment, whatever we desire. Of course, the assumption is that either it would not hurt anyone, or it wouldn't matter if it did. Individuals have a heart enough to probably add conditions to the statement to make it work, but it does not. Truth be told, even if we indulge our corrupt and non-conformed-to-reality desires alone behind closed doors, the effects are not delimited by the room.
We answer that "...Every sin is social insofar as and because it also has social repercussions." [1] "'Every soul that rises above itself, raises up the world.' To this law of ascent there unfortunately corresponds the law of descent. Consequently, one can speak of a communion of sin, whereby a soul that lowers itself through sin drags down with itself the church and, in some way, the whole world. In other words, there is no sin, not even the most intimate and secret one, the most strictly individual one, that exclusively concerns the person committing it."[2] The world is helped by our holiness and hurt by our corruption. We are all one body and insofar as the individuals are a part of the whole ".[3] Since even "the most strictly individual [sin]" is a wound of human solidarity, we decisively turn away from the Gospel. Further, we cannot separate ourselves from the head and not be separated from the body which is never separated from the head.
In conclusion, it is decisively preposterous to say that "my sin did not hurt anyone". Have we forgotten ourselves? Further, every sin no matter how indirect or private injures first one's relationship with God, and then at least thereby, with our fellow man. Every sin costs us dearly, and very often our neighbor and God, respectively. Supporting the sins of others is also spiritually hazardous even if by-standing, every sin whether direct or indirect allows space for even greater sin to develop and virtue to be forsaken. The greater we give ourselves over to darkness, the more it will seem acceptable for others to do the same. If we cannot forgive ourselves for something we did, we will engage others uncharitably. If we spend time in prayer and attain peace and through ascetics and perseverance, we grow in virtue our neighbors will feel inclined to do so as well. The world needs who we can be far more than what we can do.
We find God's love so personal,how do we still find sin more so?
Written by Carter Carruthers
FN:
- John Paul II, Reconcilio et Poenitentia, 15.
- John Paul II, Reconcilio et Poenitentia, 16.
- 1 Corinthians 12:26
