Ruminations of an Irascible Hermit.: Despair over your sins is actually a form of pride

Thursday, August 4, 2022

Despair over your sins is actually a form of pride

I really love this - not sure if it’s a genuine story, but something I’ve found to be true in my own spiritual journey.

Often when we sin, we get so frustrated and angry with ourselves and have a pity party. What we don’t realise is that it’s actually pride!

The devil wants us to grow discouraged, fall into shame and to give up. Instead we need to be humble, repent, say “Jesus I’m sorry, I love you, please have mercy on me and forgive me, help me” and then keep moving forward without dwelling on our sins.

The only difference between Judas and anyone of us is that Judas didn’t repent, but fell into despair. All of us, while we are alive can repent at any moment. Just turn to Jesus, get back up and with his grace keep walking forward as you carry your cross. It’s human to fall and be weak - but Jesus is always next to us offering us his hand, all we need to do is accept it

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Disclaimer

Please note. I am a Catholic layman, not a qualified theologian or philosopher. What I say and write here are my own personal thoughts and ideas, although I always try to conform my writings to the Magisterium of the Church.

I- with firm faith believe and profess everything that is contained in the symbol of faith: namely,

I believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven: By the power of the Holy Spirit, he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered, died and was buried. On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. I believe in the one holy catholic and apostolic church. I acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

With firm faith I believe as well everything contained in God's word, written or handed down in tradition and proposed by the church--whether in solemn judgment or in the ordinary and universal Magisterium--as divinely revealed and called for faith.

I also firmly accept and hold each and every thing that is proposed by that same church definitively with regard to teaching concerning faith or morals.

What is more, I adhere with religious submission of will and intellect to the teachings which either the Roman pontiff or the college of bishops enunciate when they exercise the authentic Magisterium even if they proclaim those teachings in an act that is not definitive.