The Seven Deadly Sins (And the Virtues that Oppose Them!)

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "The Seven Deadly Sins (And the Virtues that Oppose Them!)"

Thomas Stewart
5 years ago
Views:

1 The Seven Deadly Sins (And the Virtues that Oppose Them!)

Background Sin (hamartia)--- To miss the mark, To miss the point These sins are particularly deadly because they kill grace Also known as the Capital Sins (from Caput, the Latin word for head ) They

2 Background Sin (hamartia)--- To miss the mark, To miss the point These sins are particularly deadly because they kill grace Also known as the Capital Sins (from Caput, the Latin word for head ) They take something good, and distort it (Satan can t create) Spoken and written about for thousands of years Agreement about what they are in all the great religions of the world All other sins grow out of these seven Grouped according to how they alter Love Ego-perverted love (Pride, Anger, Envy) Weak love (Sloth) Immoderate love (Greed, Gluttony, Lust) All the deadly sins dethrone God, and enthrone something less than God---violate the First Commandment

3 Pride Human arrogance begins when people rebel against the Lord, and their hearts rebel against the one who made them. Sirach 10:12 The Queen of the deadly sins Enthrones ego Defined as inordinate self-esteem that leads one to see others as less-than Distorts how one sees God, self, and others Dante has the Prideful walking in a circle, bent double by tombstones, and praying the Pater Noster Humility combats Pride

4 Anger In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give the Devil a foothold. Ephesians 4:26-27 Arises when a real or perceived injury occurs (emotional or physical) Enthrones vengeance Not all anger is sin---jesus got angry! -Does it illuminate Truth or confuse it? Does it build up or destroy? Dante has the wrathful singing the Agnus Dei in perfect union, as acrid smoke burns their eyes Meekness and Peacemaking combat Anger

5 Envy A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones. Proverbs 14:30 Sorrow at another s good ---we don t want others to have what we want. Enthrones a sense of deprivation--- one down Different from Jealousy Only deadly sin where there is no sense of pleasure From the Latin word to look Dante has the envious sitting on bruise-colored rock, leaning against each other, with their eyes sewn shut Love combats Envy

6 Sloth Because you are lukewarm, I will spit you out of My mouth. Revelation 3:15 Sloth from the Old English word for slow Spiritual sluggishness ---you know the right thing to do, but you don t do it or take your time doing it. Enthrones ease Dante has the slothful running in circles, never slowing down Zeal ( eagerness to serve ) combats Sloth

7 Greed What does it profit one, to gain the world and lose one s soul. Mark 8:36 Love of possessing, not possessions Enthrones possessing Can be about acquiring and/or hoarding Fundamentally connected to a lack of trust in God Scriptures warn about greed more than any other deadly sin Dante has the greedy lying face down in the dust Generosity combats Greed

Gluttony Do not join those who drink too much wine, or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor and drowsiness clothes them in rags.

8 Gluttony Do not join those who drink too much wine, or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor and drowsiness clothes them in rags. Proverbs 23:20-21 From the Latin word for devour Enthrones appetite(s) ---food, drink, or drugs Dante has the gluttonous circling around a fruit tree, but not eating of the tree, while singing praises to God We all have a God-sized vacuum that only God can fill Moderation combats Gluttony

9 Lust Do not lust in your hearts for can one scoop burning coals into one s lap without being burned? Proverbs 6:25-27 From the Anglo-Saxon word for pleasure Enthrones sexual attraction What s normal turns deadly when it turns others into things to be used Dante has the lustful walking in a river of fire that purifies but doesn t destroy, and embracing one another with a kiss of peace Chastity combats Lust

A Word about Grace Sanctifying Grace stays in the soul. It s what makes the soul holy. It is the Divine infusing supernatural life into the soul. This grace is most obviously given in the Sacraments.

10 A Word about Grace Sanctifying Grace stays in the soul. It s what makes the soul holy. It is the Divine infusing supernatural life into the soul. This grace is most obviously given in the Sacraments. -cf. Acts 10:45, Rom. 5:5 Titus 3:5 7 One can increase sanctifying grace through the practice of virtue, and one can kill sanctifying grace through mortal sin. Actual Grace, by contrast, is a supernatural push or encouragement. It s transient. It doesn t live in the soul, but acts on the soul from the outside, so to speak. It s a supernatural kick in the pants. It gets the will and intellect moving so we can seek out and keep sanctifying grace.

11 Questions for Reflection

Sunday Bible College. Chapter 13. Holy Trinity Anglican Church Fernandina Beach, Florida. The Parables

Sunday Bible College. Chapter 13. Holy Trinity Anglican Church Fernandina Beach, Florida. The Parables Sunday Bible College Chapter 13 The Parables Holy Trinity Anglican Church Fernandina Beach, Florida What is a parable? Greek: A spoken or literary comparison between two things for illustration. The word