Sin

What is Sin? It is any offense against Godby any thought, word, deed or omission against the law of God. Love God- Gods creatures we are called to love God with our whole being. In the OT, God gave the Israelites a command, Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. This is centered on doing the will of God in whatever stage of life we are in. It is the desire and obligation to do what is right, to center our hearts on God; it is our call to holiness. Two Kinds of Sin: Original Sin and Actual Sin.

Original Sin

Sin

Adam had received original holiness and justice not for himself alone, but for all human nature. By yielding to the tempter, Adam and Eve committed a personal sin, but this sin affected the human nature that they would then transmit in a fallen state. It is a sin which will be transmitted by propagation to all mankind, that is, by the transmission of a human nature deprived of original holiness and justice. On account of their sin Adam and Eve lost sanctifying grace, the right to heaven, and their special gifts; they became subject to death, disease, and suffering, and to a strong inclination to evil (concupiscence), and were driven from the Garden of Paradise. Adam and leave loss their friendship with God, whereas they used to walk with Him in the garden. Their mind was darkened (inability to reason clearly) and their will was weakened (inability to choose to act perfectly). Before the fall, they had perfect control their passions, but after the fall, they are have difficulty keeping their passions under control. Before the fall, they were able to perfectly control their thoughts and emotions, but not so after the fall. Before the fall, when it would have been time for them to go to heaven, they would not have died. Death is a effect of original sin. However, their nature was not completely corrupt.

John the Baptist was cleansed of Original Sin while in the womb of his mother, Elizabeth. He was born free from sin, but like us, conceived in sin.

Sin Original Sin Original sin entails "captivity under the power of him who thenceforth had the power of death, that is, the devil". The result of the Fall is that all mankind contracted the guilt and stain of Original Sin, except the Blessed Virgin Mary, who, through the merits of Her Divine Son was preserved from original sin and so She was conceived without sin. Mary is The Immaculate Conception. Through the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus and through the sacrament of Baptism, Jesus restored mans friendship with God, opened heaven for us, but not its effects. Through baptism, we receive sanctifying grace, we have union with God, share in Gods divine life, original sin is washed away, personal sin and all punishment due to sin washed away. We become a child of God and we are no longer under the power of the evil one. We become a child of God.

Sin

Actual Sin (Personal Sin)

Sin is the attraction of the soul to follow our own desires and inclinations which, because of original sin, already tend toward evil, which is concupiscence. -Humanity can be pulled from God and doing what is right by Satan, who through temptation lures man away from God. -Sin wounds and sometimes breaks our relationship with God. -Sin also wounds us and all sin affects the mystical body of Christ. -Sin is when we choose to genuinely turn our hearts from love of God and neighbor. -The choice of self over God is the exact opposite of Jesus obedience to the Father. -Personal Mortal & Venial sin is forgiven in Confession. -Venial sins are also forgiven -other ways. Ignorance of the fact that man has a wounded nature inclined to evil gives rise to serious errors in the areas of education, politics, social action and morals. The whole of man's history has been the story of combat with the powers of evil, stretching, so our Lord tells us, from the very dawn of history until the last day. Finding himself in the midst of the battlefield man has to struggle to do what is right, and it is at great cost to himself, and aided by God's grace, that he succeeds in achieving his own inner integrity.

Sin

Sin and Grace

-We have the power through our own free will, to bring about our own destruction, but not bring about our salvation, for which we need Gods grace. -We must avoid giving offense to God at all cost, even as some Christians have done to the point of martyrdom. -If we fail, we must recognize our sinfulness, beg God for forgiveness especially through the Sacrament of Reconciliation and to make a firm purpose of amendment. The Cross, the Church and the Confessional are the Christs legacies for each of us to combat sin.

Venial Sin

Sin

Actual Sin- any sin that we ourselves commit. There are two kinds of Actual Sin: Mortal and Venial. Venial Sin- less grievous than mortal sin, but wounds charity and wounds our relationship with God, but is not deadly. -Every Venial Sin Offends God. -Venial sins weaken our will. -If the smaller sins are not eradicated, they lead us to vices and create the habit of sin. -A disposition to sin leads to dulling of the conscience and foster an environment that can lead us to mortal sin. -We can lose our sense of sin, but we need to be vigilant, for we know not the day nor hour when God will demand a reckoning. -We should Confess our Sins at least Monthly in Confession. -Venial sins can be forgiven by a sincere act of repentance or by Holy Water. However, it is best to confess venial sins in Confession regularly, to receive sacramental grace to avoid them. -We are not required to confess venial sins in Confession, but it is very good if we do. -Sin is a reality, but God expects us to avoid sin and not offend Him.

Sin

Mortal Sin
There is sin which is mortal.All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin which is not mortal (1 Jn 5:16-17) Mortal Sin- Grievous offense against God. It is called mortal because it kills the supernatural life of the soul and makes the soul deserving of Hell, should the person die in that state without repentance. The soul is deprived of sanctifying grace. Those who die in mortal sin, will go to hell for all eternity. CCC 1857 For a sin to be mortal, three conditions must together be met: Mortal sin is sin whose object is grave matter and which is also committed with full knowledge and deliberate consent. If one of the three conditions are not met, then its a venial sin.

Sin

Mortal Sin
Mortal sin destroys charity in a persons heart, breaking his or her relationship with God. Mortal sin causes loss of sanctifying grace. We are excluded from Gods kingdom. We are no longer friends of God. We lose all the merits, we have obtained. (Ez 18:24) To die in the state of mortal sin is to condemn ourselves to eternal separation from God, we give up heaven for all eternity and subject ourselves, soul and body, to the horrible, endless torment of Hell. All Sin offends God, but only Mortal Sin destroys the love of God in us. Mortal sin directly chooses something that directly contradicts the love of God. Ordinarily Mortal Sins can only be forgiven by the Sacrament of Confession. Mortal sin brings both temporal and eternal punishment. Mortal sin is the greatest of all evils. Catholics are Required to Confess all mortal sins in Kind and Number. St. Paul tells us that to receive Holy Communion in the state of mortal sin is a sacrilege, Whoever; therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. 1 Cor. 11:27 When we receive Holy Communion unworthily, we force Jesus to enter our heart where Satan already holds sway is an unspeakable sin. Unintentional Ignorance- excuses one from the responsibility of a deadly sin.

Sin

Sin Against the Holy Spirit- the deliberate hardhearted refusal to accept Gods forgiveness offered through the Holy Spirit , without repentance of it-- leads to eternal damnation. Whoever says a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, neither in this age or the age to come. (Matt. 12:32). We refuse to ask God to be forgiven and so we prevent God from forgiving, though He wants to forgive us.

Sin

The 7 Deadly Sins We are often pre-occupied with our bodys health (diet, exorcise, go to dentists, see physicians, take medication all for the pursuit of health), which is good and necessary.
However, how much time do we spend our spiritual counterpart which is our immortal soul. Often times we neglect the most important element of our natureour soul. The roots of sin in our fallen nature are a group of tendencies or inclinations, known as Capital Sins or Deadly Sins. They are called Capital Sins because they engender other sins or habits of sin in us. The 7 Deadly Sins : Pride, Avarice, Envy, Anger, Lust, Gluttony, Acedia.

1. Pride-- or arrogance is an inordinate sense of ones importance. It was pride, which prompted our first parents to want to be like God. They were seduced by Satan, whose sin was pride. We sin by pride whenever we deem ourselves more important than others, especially God. Catering to our self-importance leads us into the sin of pride. Example: The Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Lk 18:9-14) Humility-The antidote to pride. Humility is truth. It is seeing our self in the proper perspective. How God sees us. Jesus said, I came to serve . (Matt. 20:28) We do Gods will, rather than our own. Though He was in the form of God, He deemed not equality with God, rather He emptied Himself and took the form of a slave, being born in the likeness of men. He humbled Himself, becoming obedient, even unto to death. (Phil 2:6-8) (O Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto thine. 2. Avarice-- Is Greed, which is a desire for attachment to material possessions. The satisfaction of desires can lead to the accumulation and hoarding of things out of proportion to need. Avarice is a form of idolatry; material things become gods. Poverty exists partly because avarice promotes the inequitable distribution of Gods abundance. Detachment and Charity-- Detachment helps us to use what is created and enjoyed not hoarded. Charity concentrates on the needs of others and prompts us to help them. 3. Envy-- is characterized by the begrudging of good that another possesses, and an immoderate desire to obtain them for oneself, even if it be done unjustly. This sin resents the accomplishments or good things of others, and leads to dislike and hatred of persons. Envy comes from pride, but is the clear mark of a self-centered heart. The envious person rejoices over the misfortunes of others. It was the envy of Satan that led him to tempt Adam and Eve. Charity also opposes envy and jealousy. We are glad at the good fortune of others. The virtue of gratitude teaches us to be thankful for the good things God has given us, rather than we are feeling we are owed by God. 4. Anger-- It is the root of violence. Sinful anger is not the same as righteous anger, such as when Jesus cleared His Fathers house of wrongdoers. It is morally neutral until it becomes damaging thoughts, words, or deeds. The deadly sin of anger is disproportionate to its cause. Satan is pure hatred, while God is pure love. Anger corrodes a persons soul. Meekness- Gentleness and patience help us to control our anger.

Sin (7 Deadly Sins, Part 1)

Sin (7 Deadly Sins, Part 2)

5. Lust-- It includes all forms of sexual impurity, un-chastity, and undue desire for sexual gratification, whether with others or with oneself. It treats others as objects for personal gratification, rather than as persons worthy of self-sacrificing love. Selfish satisfaction is all that matters. Because lust seeks some of the greatest physical pleasures the body can know, it attracts the mind and body more than most other evils. (ex: pornography & movies) Purity and ChastityOvercome lust in our lives. We are to love and respect others as our self. See God in others. Essential for achieving chastity is the virtue of self-mastery by which we control the passion of sexual desire. Turn to Mary, Virgin Most Pure for help. (St. Alphonsus said if anyone prays three Hails Marys in honor or Marys Purity, and for the gift of Purity, one will always become more pure.) 6. GluttonyLike Lust is associated with a lack of self-control. It is the inordinate desire for bodily satisfaction in the use of food, or drink or sleep for its own sake. One who is gluttonous fails to exercise restraint on satisfaction of physical desires. Temperance- counteracts gluttony by tempering our attraction to physical pleasures. And Self-Control gives us self-mastery. (Fasting)

7. Acedia-- Also called Sloth- is a sickness of the soul. The slothful person, knows the good but does not desire it. It is spiritual laziness whereby we refuse to seek what is needful for our souls salvation is a deadly sin. It rejects the efforts which we must make to combat difficulties in the pursuit of holiness. Slothful people neither seek God, nor find Him. Zeal for the Good and Perseverance oppose Sloth. We must hunger and thirst for righteousness.

Sin
What are the Six Sins Against the Holy Spirit? 1. Presumption 2. Despair 3. Resisting the Known Truth 4. Envy of Anothers Good 5. Obstinacy in Sin 6. Final Impenitence What are the Four Sins crying out to Heaven for Vengeance? 1. Willful Murder 2. Oppression of the poor (widows) 3. Homosexual Acts 4. Defrauding Laborers their Wages What are the Ways We Either Cause or Share the Guilt of Anothers Sin? Counsel, Command, Consent, Provocation, Praise or Flattery, Concealment, Partner in the Sin, Silence, Defending the Wrong Done What are Our Three Enemies We Must Fight Against, all the Days of Our Life? The world- false maxims of the world and society of those who love vanities, riches & pleasure The flesh- our own corrupt inclinations and passions The devil- Satan and all the evil spirits, who are ever seeking to draw us into sin We Must Hate All Sin- We should resolve to never willfully commit any sin

Baltimore Catechism

Sin

Q. 774. How many kinds of occasions of sin are there? There are four kinds of occasions of sin: 1.Near occasions, through which we always fall; 2.Remote occasions, through which we sometimes fall; 3. Voluntary occasions or those we can avoid; and a person who lives in a near and voluntary occasion of sin need not expect forgiveness while he continues in that state. 4. Involuntary occasions or those we cannot avoid

Q. 775. What persons, places and things are usually occasions of sin? 1.The persons who are occasions of sin are all those in whose company we sin, whether they be bad of themselves or bad only while in our company, in which case we also become occasions of sin for them; 2.The places are usually liquor saloons, low theaters, indecent dances, entertainments, amusements, exhibitions, and all immoral resorts of any kind, whether we sin in them or not; 3.The things are all bad books, indecent pictures, songs, jokes and the like, even when they are tolerated by public opinion and found in public places.

The Mystery of Evil

Why Does Evil Exist? Freedom to Choose Good or Bad (Free Will is Necessary to Love)
-It seems as though God is powerless in the face of evil and suffering. -Some think God cannot be good if He allows so much evil & suffering, especially when the afflict the innocent. -Some even reject their belief in God due to evil. -Instead of hating evil, they choose to hate God. -Evil did not exist in the Garden of Eden, until Adam and Eve chose it. -God did not create evil. -It exists because we choose to make it exist. -God did not create robots, He created us to seek happiness, by choosing the good. -In His wisdom He gave us freedom to choose. -Evil came into the world because our first parents chose it. -God did not prevent Adam and Eve from choosing evil because He respected the very nature of mankind as He had created us: free to choose to love Him or reject Him.

Natural Calamities are the Consequence of Evil. (Storms, earthquakes, hurricanes)

-If God wanted-- He could eliminate all evil. But, He would accomplish this by removing free will from us. However, without freewill we would not be truly human. -Without free will, we would no longer love because love requires freedom.

The Mystery of Evil

-Due to our fallen nature and our tendency to sin, evil will exist until the end of time. -God does not allow evil in the world without intending to bring a greater good from it. Where there is sin, grace abounds all the more. (Rom. 5:20) -Despite Adam and Eves choice of evil, God worked a miracle of love by giving us something better than what they had thrown away, His Son, Jesus. -Jesus did not come to destroy suffering but to sanctify it. -The more we choose evil, the more we are trapped in the slavery of sin. -When we use our gifts to choose good, we embrace happiness and freedom and we become creatures of virtue and holiness. -The more we choose to do good, the more pleasing we become to God. -And in this way we change the world to be back into harmony that existed before the fall. -We can learn to offer our sufferings and difficulties to God. -Saints give us an example to live to overcome evil.
--The

The Greatest Act of Evil was to Crucify Jesus!

Catholic Answer to the Mystery of Evil

is to have the right desirewhich is God; to have the right will, which is choosing Jesus; and to do the right actions, which is holiness, the conscious avoidance of sin and evil. And this is real happiness, joy and freedom, here on earth and in eternity.

We unite our sufferings to the Sufferings of Jesus

Mystery of Evil

Only Christian faith as a whole constitutes the answer to this question; the goodness of creation, the drama of sin, the patient love of God who comes to meet man by His covenants, the redemptive Incarnation of His Son, His Gift of the Holy Spirit, His gathering of the Church, the power of the sacraments, and His call to a blessed life to which free creatures are invited to consent in advance, but from which, by a terrible mystery, they can also turn away in advance. There is not a single aspect of the Christian message that is not in part an answer to the question of evil (CCC 309).

The Mystery of Evil

The message of the Cross, coming from Christs passion and death, is, therefore, the only answer to human agonizing over evil. Our Savior reveals a loving Father who sent His only-begotten Son to pay the debt that the human race incurred by their sins. In His redemptive mission He came precisely to suffer and die. Suffering and death are the result of original sin, and His redeeming sacrifice not only nailed sin to the cross (Col. 2:14) and broke the strangle hold of Satan on humanity, but opened the gates of heaven and took the sting out of suffering and death. He took the sting out of suffering by transforming it into a means of expiation. When the head of the Mystical Body freely accepted the sufferings of the Passion to atone for the sins of mankind, He won for us the capacity of transforming our suffering (physical or mental) into a means of atonement for our sins and those of the world, when accepted voluntarily in union with His sacrifice. So while the justice of God demands that sin be punished, Christ conquered as well the evil of punishment. He transforms punishment inflicted because of sin into a means of expiation when accepted voluntarily in union with the mystery of the Cross. Christ took the sting out of death, for with the resurrection of the body, death shall be defeated, and life will triumph in all its glory. In heaven there will be no more death or suffering of any kind. That is why St. Paul exclaims: O death, where is your victory, where is your sting? (I Cor. 15:55) Commenting on this text the Jerome Biblical commentary states: Sin has been vanquished by Christ the Redeemer. Thus death, like a serpent deprived of its venomous sting, can no longer harm those who are in Christ. The enemies which made man their slave - sin, death and Satan - have been conquered. Thus by dying on the Cross for the offenses of mankind Christ conquered sin and the devil, and by His resurrection (which insures our resurrection) He conquered death.

The Mystery of Evil While sin is punished by suffering, it does not follow that those who suffer more have sinned more. On the contrary, those closest to Christ are given a greater share in His Cross. Aware of the redeeming value of suffering, they are able to say with St. Paul, I rejoice in my suffering . . . in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christs suffering for the sake of His Body, . . . the Church" (Col. 1:24). That is why Christs Mother, the Blessed Virgin, became the Queen of Martyrs and Co-redemptrix. We have a little better understanding, then, of the mystery of evil, and why God allows it. It brings out more clearly the mercy of God, who never fails to forgive the repentant sinner. It occasioned the coming of the Redeemer, whose coming brought far more blessings, than we were deprived of by the deceit and envy of Satan. We see why God permits pain and sorrow, financial or family problems, natural disasters, sickness and death. All of these are for the sake of something better. For the Christian all suffering and death is oriented towards the resurrection and glory. For as St. Paul says: We are heirs of God, coheirs with Christ, sharing his sufferings so as to share his glory. (Rom. 8:17)

The Mystery of Evil

CCC 618 The cross is the unique sacrifice of Christ, the "one mediator between God and men. (1Tim. 2:5) But because in His incarnate divine person He has in some way united himself to every man, "the possibility of being made partners, in a way known to God, in the paschal mystery" is offered to all men. He calls His disciples to "take up *their+ cross and follow *Him+, (Matt. 16:24) for "Christ also suffered for *us+, leaving [us] an example so that [we] should follow in His steps. (1 Pt. 2:21) In fact Jesus desires to associate with His redeeming sacrifice those who were to be its first beneficiaries. This is achieved supremely in the case of His Mother, who was associated more intimately than any other person in the mystery of his redemptive suffering. Apart from the cross there is no other ladder by which we may get to heaven.--St. Rose of Lima St Augustine--God willed to create us without our assistance, but he wills to save us with our assistance.

Jesus the One Mediator and Mary the Mediatrix of All Graces
If Jesus is the only Mediator between God and man, than why do we call Mary, the Mediatrix of All Graces? First of all, then, I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity. This is good and pleasing to God our savior, who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth. For there is one God. There is also one mediator between God and the human race, Christ Jesus, himself human, who gave himself as ransom for all. ( 1Tim. 2:1-6) --All of us are mediate for one another with supplications, prayers, On the third day there was petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone. We help each other a marriage at Cana in Galilee, and the Mother of to get to heaven. Jesus was there. Jesus also invited to the --Our Lords Mediation is Different. His mediation was accomplished as God, was marriage with His disciples. When the wine failed, the who gave Himself as a ransom for all. No one could give oneself as a of Jesus said to ransom for all, except God. Only Jesus can redeem us, because He is God. Mother Him, They have no wine. Because as God, He took upon our human nature, only He could redeem us And Jesus said to Her, O what has this to do on the Cross. He wills we participate in His one mediation, as creatures. He woman, with me and you? My hour does not need us, but He chooses to use us to mediate for others. Mary, as has not yet come. His Mother said the servants, a creature, participates in the highest way possible, by Her supplications, Do whatever He tells prayers, petitions and thanksgiving . She is more powerful than any other you.---Jesus said to them, the jars with water. creature. First because She is His Mother, but also because She was totally Fill (Jn 2:1-7) without sin. She mediated Our Lords first miracle at Cana.

The Mystery of Evil

Baltimore Catechism

Sin

Q. 774. How many kinds of occasions of sin are there? There are four kinds of occasions of sin: 1.Near occasions, through which we always fall; 2.Remote occasions, through which we sometimes fall; 3. Voluntary occasions or those we can avoid; and a person who lives in a near and voluntary occasion of sin need not expect forgiveness while he continues in that state. 4. Involuntary occasions or those we cannot avoid

Q. 775. What persons, places and things are usually occasions of sin? 1.The persons who are occasions of sin are all those in whose company we sin, whether they be bad of themselves or bad only while in our company, in which case we also become occasions of sin for them; 2.The places are usually liquor saloons, low theaters, indecent dances, entertainments, amusements, exhibitions, and all immoral resorts of any kind, whether we sin in them or not; 3.The things are all bad books, indecent pictures, songs, jokes and the like, even when they are tolerated by public opinion and found in public places.

Virtues and Beatitudes

Virtue- The Habitual and firm disposition to do good.

--A virtue is a good habit. --The moral law serves as a compass to guide us through life. --The goal of a virtuous life is to be like God. --Our actions help us to be holy and perfect like the heavenly Father. --Virtues work in harmony toward the attainment of our ultimate goal and perfection. Human Virtues- CCC 1804 Firm attitudes, stable dispositions and habitual perfections of intellect and will that govern our actions, order our passions, and guide our conduct. They are not dependant upon sacramental graces. They are acquired by human effort, but are aided and elevated by sacramental graces. These virtues lead us to live good lives. The orient us to the supernatural destiny revealed and made possible by Christ.

Virtues and Beatitudes Cardinal Virtues (Moral Virtues) Lead us to Live Moral Lives.
The cardinal virtues are the four primary moral virtues. The English word cardinal comes from the Latin word cardo, which means "hinge." All other virtues hinge upon these four virtues. Unlike the theological virtues, which are gifts of God through grace, the cardinal virtues can be practiced by anyone. The four cardinal virtues are prudence, justice, fortitude (or courage), and temperance (or moderation). Prudence- the virtue that allows us to judge correctly what is right and what is wrong in any given situation. When we mistake the evil for the good, we are not exercising prudencein fact, we are showing our lack of it. Justice- the constant and permanent determination to give everyone his or her rightful due. Governs our relationship with others Fortitude- allows us to overcome fear and to remain steady in our will in the face of obstacles, but it is always reasoned and reasonable; the person exercising fortitude does not seek danger for danger's sake. Fortitude is the only one of the cardinal virtues that is also a gift of the Holy Spirit, allowing us to rise above our natural fears in defense of the Christian faith. Strength to provide good actions in the face of difficulty. Temperance- the restraint of our desires or passions. Food, drink, and sex are all necessary for our survival, individually and as a species; yet a disordered desire for any of these goods can have disastrous consequences, physical and moral. Temperance is the virtue that attempts to keep us from excess, and, as such, requires the balancing of legitimate goods against our inordinate desire for them.

Virtues and Beatitudes Theological Virtues

Unlike the cardinal virtues, which can be practiced by anyone, the theological virtues are gifts of grace from God, and the object of the virtueswhat the practice of the virtue aims atis God Himself. They are Faith, Hope and Charity. Faith-Divine virtue by which we firmly believe the truths which God has revealed. Is essential for our salvation. By faith we commit our self to God. Hope- Divine virtue by which we firmly trust that God will give us eternal life and the means to obtain. It keeps us from getting discouraged. Charity- Divine virtue by which we love God above all things for His own sake, and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God. The greatest of all virtues. Jesus revealed the depths of His charity when He opened His arms on the Cross.

Virtues and Beatitudes

Act of Faith O my God, I firmly believe that You are one God in three divine Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I believe that Your divine son became Man, died for our sins, and that He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths which the Holy Catholic Church teaches, because You have revealed them, who can neither deceive nor be deceived.

Virtues and Beatitudes

Act of Hope O my God, relying on Your almighty power and infinite mercy and promises, I hope to obtain pardon of my sins, the help of Your grace, and life everlasting through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer.
Act of Love O my God, I love You above all things, with my whole heart and soul, because You are all-good and worthy of all love. I love my neighbor as myself for the love of You. I forgive all who have injured me, and ask pardon of all whom I have injured. Amen.

Virtues and Beatitudes

Humility- Disposes us to appreciate and acknowledge our true position with respect to God and others. God is the source of all good things. He who is greatest among you shall be your servant. Matt. 23:11 (Opposes Pride) Liberality- Generosity towards others, disposing us to use material goods rightly. (Opposes Covetousness) Chastity- Pure in body and soul. Those who keep themselves pure are like angels on earth. All are to practice chastity, married, virgins (Opposes Lust) Meekness- Its patience. Disposes us to control anger when offended and resentment when rebuked. (Opposes Anger) Abstinence- Keeps in bounds use of and pleasure in food and drink. A man eats only what he needs, not to fully satisfy his appetite. (Opposes Gluttony) Zeal- Fervor for our salvation and for that of others, out of love for God. The Kingdom of Heaven has been enduring violent assault, and the violent are taking it by force. Matt. 11:12 (Opposes Sloth) Brotherly Love- Charity towards our fellow men. Love one another, as I have loved you. John 15:12

At a very early age St. Agnes had such a high regard for the virtue of chastity that she vowed her virginity to God. At the age of 13, Roman soldiers tried to make her offer incense to God, but she refused. They offered to marry her to the son of an official. But she answered that she was consecrated to her heavenly bridegroom. She suffered torture and meekly laid her head on the execution block.

Virtues and Beatitudes The Beatitudes

The Eight Beatitudes form the core of the Christian life. As Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J., writes in his Modern Catholic Dictionary, they are the "promises of happiness made by Christ to those who faithfully accept his teaching and follow his divine example." That happiness is not in the future but now for those who conform their lives to Christ. There are two versions of the Beatitudes, one from the Gospel of Matthew and one from the Gospel of Luke. Both are delivered by Christ during the Sermon on the Mount. The text of the Beatitudes given here is from Saint Matthew, Chap. 5, the version most commonly quoted and from which we derive the traditional count of Eight Beatitudes.
1. Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 2. Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land. 3. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. 4. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill. 5. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 6. Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God. 7. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called children of God. 8. Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Beatitudes

1. Blessed are the Poor in Spirit

To be poor in spirit means that we come to understand and accept-- we truly own nothing because all we have is a gift from God. We trust in Gods providence that He will provide for all our needs. This beatitude reminds us to follow the stewardship way of life. As a steward of Gods gifts, we should use our time, talent and treasure as God desires. When I become aware of my intelligence, wealth, success, gifts and talents-- do I give God the credit. If I have a financial hardship do I trust God to take care of all my needs and abandon myself to His care?

2. Blessed are Those who Mourn As Christians we are to comfort those who suffer, especially the loss of a loved one. We should attend funerals and comfort those who mourn. We should pray for those who have died and offer Masses for the repose of their soul. We should also comfort those who go through difficult situations, such as illness, tragedies, divorce or family hardship. Those who have teenswe should listen to themand support them during their difficult time as they mature into adulthood.

Beatitudes

3. Blessed are the Meek To be meek means we control our anger and impatience. Most of the time, we become angry or impatient because we do not want to accept suffering associated with the anger or impatience. To be meek one needs to be willing to embrace ones cross and to be willing to suffer with love.
4. Blessed are Those Who Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness How many of us wake up in the morning and pray to Jesus, I want to become a saint! I desire to be holy and virtuous! We can grow in holiness by coming to daily Mass, going to confession weekly or monthly, praying the Rosary everyday, daily reading a paragraph from one of the Gospels and meditating on the life of Jesus and spending an hour with Jesus in Eucharistic Adoration. If you want to hunger and thirst for righteousness, wake up every morning and pray, Jesus, help me to become a saint!

Beatitudes

5. Blessed are the Merciful First, we should show mercy toward others, especially our own family and friends, who may have hurt us. Its not easy to forgive someone who has deeply hurt us, especially spouses and ex-spouses. We are to forgive those who trespass against us. In addition to showing mercy by forgiving, we can practice the 7 corporal works of mercy: feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, cloth the naked, visit the sick, visit prisoners, shelter the homeless and bury the dead. Or the 7 spiritual works of mercy: pray for the living and the dead, counsel the doubtful, comfort the sorrowing, convert sinners, instruct the ignorant, patiently bear adversity, and forgive others. Choose to become an Apostle of Mercy, not only praying for mercy when you pray the Chaplet of Mercy, but also by giving mercy to others.

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6. Blessed are the Pure of Heart This beatitude calls us to have a pure heart, by looking at others as persons. We attempt to overlook the faults of others and see Jesus in everyone. We attempt to be pure in mind and body, avoiding all persons, places and things that can cause us to have impure thoughts and actions-- such as television, movies and inappropriate websites. Avoid watching television, install an Internet Filter, go to confession frequently, especially if one suffers from frequent impure temptations. Entrust yourself to the Virgin Most Pure and daily seek Her intercession.
7. Blessed are the Peacemakers We should strive to be a peacemaker especially trying to heal family divisions, so that unity in the family may prevail. Misunderstandings or disagreements may have caused strained relationships with family, friends and co-workers. To set down and calmly work things out would not be easy, but would be a loving thing to do.

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8. Blessed are They Who are Persecuted for the Sake of Righteousness Not many of us are insulted for our faith, primarily because we dont express it to others. However, all Catholics are insulted when the pope or our Church is insulted. Catholics suffer persecution when we stand up for abortion or stand up for our faith. We suffer persecution when the government tries to take away our religious freedom. We can also express our faith among family and co-workers, and talk about topics such as abortion, contraception, the Blessed Virgin Mary or belief in the true presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.