What’s the Big Deal?

By Casey Sprehe

There is a tendency, at times, in the spiritual life to overlook venial sins. As one decidedly on the Christian journey, I can think, well I’m not killing anyone. Really? Is that my standard?

With a bare minimum approach to morality, I can expect only to bear minimal fruit. Minimal fruit is like out of season fruit-lacking the fullness of how God created it to taste.

The norms the church puts forth for confession can sometimes negatively affect the faithful with the idea that we only approach confession when in mortal sin or once a year, though the Church strongly encourages us to frequent the sacrament more.

Additionally, due to the desensitization of sin in society, I think many people, Christians included, have become numb to what sin is.

St. John of the Cross said, “a bird, whether it is tied down by a thread or a chain, it cannot fly.” Applying this to the spiritual life, I, too, am not free to be who God created me to be when I’m in sin, venial or mortal.

Now having two children who have made their first Reconcilliation, I find it more of an encouragement to frequent the sacrament as a good example for them and so that they can receive the sacrament.

I found myself subscribing to the bare minimum approach previously. I am grateful that while my children were receiving the sacrament for the first time, it became a chance for me to renew my commitment to the sacrament.