Unashamed ... by Kathleen

Sin is not the most fun thing to talk about. We are human beings, and thinking about our own flaws and mistakes is never pleasant. It’s easy to listen to lies about ourselves that others have put in our head – “not smart enough”, “not attractive enough”, “not good enough”… but it is hard to look past those and really delve into our own mess and own up to it. The culture today promotes an attitude of “If I’m not hurting anybody, it’s fine to do it”, and tells us that we should have no shame in the things we do. “Just be yourself!”


But we as Christians know that truly being ourselves means more than doing whatever we want. We know that it means for us to be exactly who God created us to be – a faithful child to Him. There is a mis-conception about Catholics -  that we foster a culture of shame and guilt. Our Lord does not want us to live in shame, but He asks us to bring the things that create our feelings of inadequacy and lay them at the foot of His cross. Only when we truly do this can we find true freedom. Letting go of our shame though the sacrament of Reconciliation brings a deep sense of peace and freedom. You might not leave the confessional jumping for joy, but your heart will change over time. What a beautiful blessing that He has given to us!


All around your school, you see people who wear sin as a badge of pride – people who brag about cheating on assignments or impurity or breaking the law like they got away with something great. In our hearts we know that it’s wrong, and yet we brush God aside and go with the status quo. This thing continues into adulthood, and is rampant in the workplace as well. We have to stand up for our beliefs and react appropriately when people do this – lovingly, but with the knowledge that what they are doing is sin. It’s a very challenging thing to do! But God desires only the best for us; He does not want us to live in shame for the things we have done. He calls us gently towards His loving embrace in the sacraments.


How have you seen a culture of sin in your school or home this week? What can you do to distance yourself from the things that break your loving relationship with God?
I like to say a prayer : “Lord Jesus Christ, King of the world, have mercy on us sinners!”
And thankfully, He does. 😊

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