Live 4 The LORD

Mark 8:31-33

And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

Mark 8:31-33 Why is fighting sin wrong? I thought we were to fight sin and evil. So god does want some sin to happen for his plans and we have to discern when to let go?

The passage from Mark 8:31-33 speaks to the heart of understanding sin, divine will, and our response to both. Here's an explanation of why fighting sin is necessary, while also addressing the complexities of God's plan and human discernment:

Understanding Sin

Sin is fundamentally an offense against God, a failure in love, and a wound to human nature 1 2 3 4 5 6. It is a conscious choice against reason, truth, and right conscience 1.

• Offense Against God: Sin is a revolt against God's love and a turning away from Him 4. It sets itself against God's will and disrupts our communion with Him 8 10.

• Failure in Love: Sin represents a failure to genuinely love God and our neighbor, often stemming from an excessive attachment to certain personal desires 1 5.

• Wounding Human Nature: Sin injures both the individual and human solidarity, disrupting the harmony within ourselves and our relationships with others 1 6.

The Necessity of Fighting Sin

While the idea of "fighting sin" might seem contradictory, it is essential for several reasons:

• Conversion and Salvation: Conversion involves turning away from sin and towards God 10. The Christian life is a continuous call to personal conversion, sealed in an encounter with Christ 15.

• Spiritual Growth: Resisting sin is crucial for spiritual progress. Overcoming obstacles on our earthly pilgrimage is aided by divine grace, prayer, and the sacraments 11 13.

• Love of God's Law: We are called to form our humanity in the image and likeness of God, loving God's law and living according to it 7.

God's Providence and Human Freedom

God's providence refers to how God guides His creation towards its ultimate perfection with wisdom and love 22 26. This guidance includes human actions 21.

• Cooperation with God's Plans: God grants humans the ability to freely cooperate with His plans 21. We are called to be intelligent and free causes, perfecting creation's harmony for our good and that of our neighbors 24.

• Freedom of Will: God's providence does not negate human free will 27. Taking away free will would diminish many good things, such as the praise of virtue, the justice of rewards and punishments, and the value of counsel 2728 29.

• Foreknowledge and Permission: God permits humans to enjoy the freedom He has given them, even foreseeing the possibility of their misuse of that freedom 30.

Discernment and God's Will

Discerning when to "let go" does not mean accepting sin, but rather understanding God's larger plan and trusting in His ability to bring good out of evil.

• Avoiding Obstacles to God's Will: In Mark 8:31-33, Jesus rebukes Peter for objecting to His prediction of suffering and death. Jesus says, "Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's." This highlights the need to align our perspective with God's will, even when it involves suffering 15.

• Trusting in God's Wisdom: Even when bad things happen, we can trust that God is working to bring about a greater good 22 23. This doesn't mean we should passively accept evil, but rather that we should trust in God's ultimate plan 24.

• Using Free Will Wisely: God allows us to use our free will, but we must strive to use it in accordance with His will, seeking what is true and good 29.

Practical Application

• Prayer and Sacraments: Frequent prayer and reception of the sacraments, especially the Eucharist and Reconciliation, are essential for maintaining moral balance and receiving the grace to resist evil 11 12 13 14 15 16 1718 19.

• Formation of Conscience: Cultivate a sensitive and clear conscience, linked to the knowledge of God 7.

• Spiritual Direction: Seek spiritual guidance to progressively enlighten the stages of growth and provide moral support 11 14.

Conclusion

Fighting sin is a continuous and necessary aspect of the Christian life, involving a turning away from evil and towards God. While God's providence allows for human freedom and the possibility of sin, it does not mean that God desires sin. Instead, we are called to align our will with God's, trust in His plan, and use our freedom to choose what is good, aided by prayer, the sacraments, and spiritual guidance.

[1] CCC 1849

[2] Compendium of the CCC 392

[3] CCC 1871

[4] CCC 1850

[5] The Mystery of the Eucharist in the Life of the Church 12

[6] CCC 1872

[7] CCC 1440

[8] Penance and Reconciliation C.III.1

[9] To the Episcopal Conference of Canada (September 20, 1984) - Speech 5

[10] Educational Guidance in Human Love: Outlines for Sex Education 44

[11] CCC 1811

[12] 6 June 1999: Apostolic Journey to Poland, Elblag - Homily 

[13] CCC 302

[14] CCC 321

[15] CCC 323

[16] CCC 307

[17] Summa Contra Gentiles Book III. Chap. 73

[18] Instruction on Christian freedom and liberation – Libertatis conscientia 30

[19] CCC 1704

[20] Against Marcion Book II. Chapter 7

[21] CCC 301

[22] Sacra Virginitas 63

[23] The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality: Guidelines for Education Within the Family 74

[24] To His Eminence Cardinal William W. Baum (April 1, 2000) - Speech 5

[25] To lay people, catechists and Catholic women in Kaduna, Nigeria (February 14, 1982) - Speech 4

[26] Address to the Bishops of Ireland on occasion of their ad Limina visit (27 August 1987) - Speech 8

[27] To the Bishops of New Zealand on their ad Limina visit (April 9, 1988) 3