Sin at the root of unhappiness...........(article)

[BarbaraTherese]

http://www.wcr.ab.ca/columns/rolheiser/2006/rolheiser011606.shtml
Western Catholic Reporter
Week of January 16, 2006

"Sin makes us more sad than bad"
By FR. RON ROLHEISER, omi

"…French philosopher, Leon Bloy, a man very instrumental in helping bring Jacques and Raissa Maritain to faith, once stated: “There is only one real sadness in life, that of not being a saint.”

That’s not a statement of piety, but a deep insight into the heart of life itself. Sin makes us sad. Life would be better if we understood that. We’ve always associated sin with badness more than sadness, but we lose something in that equation. Sin makes us more sad than it makes us bad…"

For full text of article, go to above link.

 

[tjmiller]

Sin makes us sad because it makes us bad…

 

[the_phoenix]

Sister Monica, who runs a healing ministry from Incarnate Word, has a saying, “There is only one tragedy in life, and that is sin.”

~~ the phoenix

 

[BarbaraTherese]

I think we fail to insight that God’s Will is the source of all joy, great peace ( His own Peace) and happiness, whereas sin is to think, speak or act outside of God’s Will and hence unhappiness is the result.
What most confuses us is what exactly will result in our happiness…God’s Will in all things.

Regards - Barb

 

[Mark_Robert]

One aspect of sin unsettles our spirit and that is attachment to temporal things. As long as we depend upon material goods, prestige or whatever else is not of God we will be disappointed and disillusioned. Only God is permament and unshakeable. Anything else can be taken away or destroyed. That is why people who depend upon temporal things often become disappointed and sad.

 

[aimee]

FR. RON ROLHEISER is recomended by Pax Christi…that is a problem as they are a dissenting organization…

 

[BarbaraTherese]

Mark Robert:

One aspect of sin unsettles our spirit and that is attachment to temporal things. As long as we depend upon material goods, prestige or whatever else is not of God we will be disappointed and disillusioned. Only God is permament and unshakeable. Anything else can be taken away or destroyed. That is why people who depend upon temporal things often become disappointed and sad.

Excellent post and well put! God Wills that we involve ourselves with temporal things wisely…and in the knowledge that they are self destructing or passing “can be taken away or destroyed”. God however from whom all good things come is “permanent and unshakeable” as you have pointed out. Not only this, but temporal matters only in some way reflect God and are not the Source, who is God.
Nevertheless since God is the source of temporal goods, we should treat them with respect and the knowledge that they do indeed come from God who asks our stewardship of them.

Regards Mark…Barb

 

[BarbaraTherese]

aimee:

FR. RON ROLHEISER is recomended by Pax Christi…that is a problem as they are a dissenting organization…

Thank you for that info Aimee…I had wondered why Father Ron’s name had ‘in exile’ alongside it. Now I know.
Nevertheless I think his article did have something valid to say in that I may sin and be instantly sorrowful and remorseful, hence sin has only made me ‘bad’ in passing. Whereas my sorrowful and remorseful…and unhappy state…may last certainly if it is serious perhaps until I subject it to Confession. At times even after that a person may find it very hard to forgive themselves, tho God has forgiven…hence sin does have the power to make us sad perhaps far longer than it can make us some degree anyway of ‘bad’.

Thank you again for your info re Father Rolheiser - I shall remember this in future…regards, Barb