Holiness requires avoiding evil and embracing good

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Alfredo E. Cárdenas is Editor of the South Texas Catholic.

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One of the first things we do at the start of Mass is pray the Penitential Act, in which we confess, "I have sinned…in what I have done and what I have failed to do." Those last six words have always gnawed at my conscience.

What does that mean "what I have failed to do"? Why is that a sin? Why is this important anyway?

Not easy questions, nor easy answers.

The Apostle James puts it quite clearly, "So for one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, it is a sin (James 4:17)". The Apostle John tells us, "If someone who has worldly means sees a brother in need and refuses him compassion, how can the love of God remain in him (1 Jn 3:17)?" 

In the parable of the Prodigal Son, Jesus gives us a prime example of what we are called to do when confronted with someone requiring mercy. The Lord gives an even more clear understanding of mercy in The Judgment of the Nations when he says "…I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.' Then they will answer and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?' He will answer them, 'Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me' (Mt 25:42-45)."

 In all these situations, it seems to me that we are confronted with a choice that requires our action. We must, as James tells, know "the right thing to do" and if we fail to do it we commit a sin. In John's example we must "possess worldly means," which suggests a responsibility dependent on other factors, such as ability. The Good Samaritan gives an example of how we can use these "worldly means" to extend mercy. In the Judgment of the Nations, one assumes that we must see those in need in order for a responsibility to extend mercy to adhere.

Even in the Penitential Act, immediately following the phrase of my concern, we pray "through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault." Suggesting that if there is no "fault" there is no sin.

So unless we see someone in need and we are capable of assisting that person, and we fail to do so, then we are committing a sin of omission.  On the other hand, if we are not confronted by a person in need and or we do not have the means to help a person in need, we are free of the sin of omission. 

It would seem that way. Perhaps, but that may be an oversimplification. 

St. Thomas Aquinas tells us that "In God's law…men might be gradually led to virtue, first by abstaining from evil…and afterwards by doing good…(Summa Theologica, 72.6). It is not enough that we may escape sin by pleading ignorance or incompetence. 

God calls us to holiness and we cannot achieve that by simply avoiding evil, we must also embrace good. 

So my conundrum continues. What shall we do? 

This Lenten season we should try to grow in spirituality by doing what the Lord calls us to do; try–in all instances–to do good, whether the call to do good is before us or by taking that extra step and seek out those situations in which doing good calls out to all men.

Let us fulfill Christ's command in Mathew 25. With God's mercy we will all be on the right side at the Judgment of the Nations.