Archbishop Angelo Comastri: "Lord, we have lost the sense of sin!"

Archbishop Angelo Comastri forcefully denounces the vices of a secularized modern society in the meditations that will be read during this year's Stations of the Cross on Good Friday at the Roman Coliseum.

"Lord, we have lost the sense of sin!" the Italian prelate remarks in his text, which was obtained by the I Media news agency in Rome. His meditations go on to condemn "an insidious propaganda" that leads toward "an idiotic apology for evil, an absurd cult of Satan, a mad desire for transgression, a false liberty, without conscience, that exalts caprice, vice, and selfishness." [More]

I speak for myself in this when I say how true this is -- how we got this way isn't the issue at stake here, but how can we change is at the crux of the issue. Hopefully, our Lenten prayer and fasting has changed each of us to a degree. The challenge is to continue it beyond the Lenten season -- to make a lasting change which improves the state of our soul and our relationship with God.


At daily Mass, this realization was recently brought home to me during the homily, when the celebrant held up the crucifix and said, "This is what sin does to God." I believe he said "mortal" sin; however, all sin -- mortal, as well as venial, hurts God and must be atoned for in some way. I am ashamed to admit that it seems like the only times I personally reflect on my sins hurting God are when I view the movie 'The Passion of the Christ', or meditate on the Stations of the Cross or I myself am experiencing much pain. Then I wonder why I am so insensitive to His pain and why it takes so much to make me realize how terrible my sins actually are -- how they hurt God and hurt others.

Why am I so attached to my sins? Why do I keep returning to the sacrament of Reconcilliation confessing the same sins over and over? They are like ugly weeds in a beautiful garden that aren't pulled out by the root and keep growing back!

I could talk about the sins of others, but I won't, because I know that I only have control over my own. Before I can evangelize others, I must first focus on myself. I must focus not only on cleansing and purifying my own soul, but on developing godly virtues -- not false piety -- by appearing to look holy on the outside, but by doing a major overhaul on my interior life.


Retreats and pilgrimages are wonderful opporunities for spiritual growth, but I find the best times to hear God's voice are in the quiet times I spend with Him during Eucharistic Adoration, in the privacy and peace of my own home during the wee hours of the morning or in the middle of the night. Reflection after the Scriptures, listening to the birds sing in the early morning light of day, reading a beautiful poem and reflecting on its meaning, taking time to sit down with a close friend or family member and share my faith, my beliefs, and spiritual goals, sharing myself with others and the precious gifts that God has given me -- these are the times that God reveals His presence to me and speaks to me in the silence of my heart. There are so many simple ways He calls us everyday to grow in love for Him.

I pray that today we will all be drawn to the ways He is calling each one of us to grow closer to Him and out of love for Him, surrender our hearts and wills to that call.

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