ExplORE
1 Begin Say: Take a moment to ask yourself, “If I didn’t have to follow any rules today, what would I do?” Ask: Do you think it would be good for us to live in a world where there weren’t any rules? Encourage young people to explain their responses. Point out that in this article, young people will read about the consequences of choosing to act in ways that are contrary to God’s rules as well as about practices that help us remain faithful to these rules.
2 Connect Invite volunteers to read aloud the article title and the first two paragraphs. Ask: Why do you think we use the Greek concept “to miss the mark” to define sin? (Possible answer: When we sin, we miss the mark by failing to live as God wants us to live.) What does the term the seal of the confessional mean? (that a priest can never reveal the sins that are confessed to him in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.) Invite volunteers to read aloud the section Types of Sin. Ask: What three conditions must be present for a sin to be considered mortal? (The action must be serious. The person must know that it is serious. The person must freely choose to commit the sin.) Point out that when a person commits a mortal sin, he or she chooses to turn away from God totally. Emphasize that the person can also choose to turn back to God and receive his forgiveness through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Write on the board the terms mortal sin, venial sin, personal sin, and social sin. Invite volunteers to explain each type of sin. Write on the board young people’s responses. Encourage young people to use the Glossary if necessary.
our Catholic Character
Read aloud the feature. As you discuss the capital sins, explain that greed is also known as avarice or covetousness.
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Si n a nd s s e n e v i g r Fo THE
Greek word for sin means “to miss the mark.” When we sin, we hurt others by refusing to follow God’s commandments. The choice to sin, or to turn away from God, harms our relationship with God and with others. Thankfully, the Church offers a path to forgiveness through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The priest to whom we confess our sins in this sacrament can never repeat them to anyone. This is called the “seal of the confessional” or “the sacramental seal.” How has the Sacrament of Reconciliation helped you grow in your relationship with God?
When we sin, God calls us to repent and seek forgiveness through the grace of the Holy Spirit. In addition, the Holy Spirit gives us the resolve to make better choices and strengthens us against future temptation.
Types of Sin
Sometimes a person chooses to turn away from God totally and completely by doing something that is seriously wrong. Such an action is a mortal sin. To commit a mortal sin, the action must be a serious offense, the person must know that the action is a serious offense, and the person must freely choose to commit the offense. When someone commits a mortal sin, the Holy Spirit calls the person to contrition. After committing a mortal sin, a person must celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation in order to reconcile his or her relationship The Church has identified certain sins as capital sins. These with God and with others. A person include behaviors that can lead to serious sinful actions. The who is in a state of mortal sin is not to capital sins are lust (an inordinate craving for bodily pleasure), receive Holy Communion.
Our Catholic Character
greed (the desire for material goods or money simply for the
sake of having them), envy (a desire for what others have simply because they have it and we don’t), gluttony (eating and drinking in excess), sloth (being careless about our spiritual development), pride (having a false image of ourselves that goes beyond what we deserve as God’s creation), and anger (uncontrolled feelings of hatred or wrath). The Church teaches that baptized people combat these sins through good will, humility, and trust in God.
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Sometimes people make less serious choices to turn away from God. Such a decision is a venial sin. These sins weaken our relationship with God and with others. They can also lead to mortal sins. A person who has committed a venial sin can receive Holy Communion, which forgives venial sins and strengthens us against
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Tone Talk In aPDF large, open space, have young people form two lines, facing one Signoff: Production _______ Design _______ Editorial _______ another. Then give young people a nonsense phrase such as doodlescrood hummicruffs. One at a time, have young people walk down the aisle formed by the two lines. While the person is walking down the aisle, have the people in the two lines repeat the phrase, one at a time, using different tones of voice. Explain that the walker’s goal is to walk to the end of the aisle without smiling or laughing. After all the young people have had a chance to walk down the aisle, discuss the effects that various speakers’ tones had on the walkers and the other speakers. Explain that the “tone,” or spirit in which we commit a sin, can also have various effects. Provide an example, such as borrowing your sister’s hairbrush without asking versus stealing money from a classmate. Then invite young people to provide examples of their own.