Comments on: What’s Mortal and What’s Venial, Part II http://catechistsjourney.loyolapress.com/2006/12/19/what%e2%80%99s-mortal-and-what%e2%80%99s-venial-part-ii/ Thu, 29 Jul 2010 02:28:26 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Joe http://catechistsjourney.loyolapress.com/2006/12/19/what%e2%80%99s-mortal-and-what%e2%80%99s-venial-part-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-23 Joe Wed, 20 Dec 2006 17:27:03 +0000 http://www.catechistsjourney.org/2006/12/19/what%e2%80%99s-mortal-and-what%e2%80%99s-venial-part-ii/#comment-23 Jose, either extreme is, of course, unnacceptable. We each need to accept responsibility for our actions and at the same time, we need to maintain perspective so as not to be weighed down by guilt. While you may have children at different ends of the spectrum, you are calling them all to the middle: a healthy sense of responsibility and guilt leading to conversion and reconciliation. Emphasize both aspects: acceptance of responisiblity and forgiveness. In Jesus, these come together to lead us to salvation from sin. Jose, either extreme is, of course, unnacceptable. We each need to accept responsibility for our actions and at the same time, we need to maintain perspective so as not to be weighed down by guilt. While you may have children at different ends of the spectrum, you are calling them all to the middle: a healthy sense of responsibility and guilt leading to conversion and reconciliation. Emphasize both aspects: acceptance of responisiblity and forgiveness. In Jesus, these come together to lead us to salvation from sin.

]]> By: Jose http://catechistsjourney.loyolapress.com/2006/12/19/what%e2%80%99s-mortal-and-what%e2%80%99s-venial-part-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-22 Jose Wed, 20 Dec 2006 14:32:11 +0000 http://www.catechistsjourney.org/2006/12/19/what%e2%80%99s-mortal-and-what%e2%80%99s-venial-part-ii/#comment-22 This whole area of sin and guilt is very complex. Some of the children I teach seem to have little or no sense of personal responsibility and yet there are others who have way too much guilt weighing them down. How do you deal with their differing levels of development? This whole area of sin and guilt is very complex. Some of the children I teach seem to have little or no sense of personal responsibility and yet there are others who have way too much guilt weighing them down. How do you deal with their differing levels of development?

]]> By: Joe http://catechistsjourney.loyolapress.com/2006/12/19/what%e2%80%99s-mortal-and-what%e2%80%99s-venial-part-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-21 Joe Wed, 20 Dec 2006 04:45:13 +0000 http://www.catechistsjourney.org/2006/12/19/what%e2%80%99s-mortal-and-what%e2%80%99s-venial-part-ii/#comment-21 Pat, you're right, Paprocki is not Irish, but the Polish also have a strong tradition of guilt! Seriously though, I would emphasize the word "sprinkle." We don't want to create excessive guilt. On the other hand, guilt is a precursor to conversion. When we experience guilt - a sense that we are not doing all we can do or have acted improperly - and have that accompanied by an invitation to reconciliation, we are moved to change our behavior. Guilt is also associated with humility. Without some degree of guilt, we can fall prey to self-righteousness. I can't emphasize enough, however, that any sprinkle of guilt must be accompanied by a large helping of forgiveness. Guilt should be a means to an end and that end is an intimate relationship with our loving God. Pat, you’re right, Paprocki is not Irish, but the Polish also have a strong tradition of guilt! Seriously though, I would emphasize the word “sprinkle.” We don’t want to create excessive guilt. On the other hand, guilt is a precursor to conversion. When we experience guilt – a sense that we are not doing all we can do or have acted improperly – and have that accompanied by an invitation to reconciliation, we are moved to change our behavior. Guilt is also associated with humility. Without some degree of guilt, we can fall prey to self-righteousness. I can’t emphasize enough, however, that any sprinkle of guilt must be accompanied by a large helping of forgiveness. Guilt should be a means to an end and that end is an intimate relationship with our loving God.

]]> By: Patricia http://catechistsjourney.loyolapress.com/2006/12/19/what%e2%80%99s-mortal-and-what%e2%80%99s-venial-part-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-20 Patricia Wed, 20 Dec 2006 02:18:21 +0000 http://www.catechistsjourney.org/2006/12/19/what%e2%80%99s-mortal-and-what%e2%80%99s-venial-part-ii/#comment-20 Joe, I was surprized to read, "A sprinkle of guilt.. can serve as an excellent tool for growth." Paprocki didn't sound Irish to me! I accept that guilt may be effective in the short term, but won't it be harmful in the long term? Pat Joe,

I was surprized to read, “A sprinkle of guilt.. can serve as an excellent tool for growth.” Paprocki didn’t sound Irish to me! I accept that guilt may be effective in the short term, but won’t it be harmful in the long term?

Pat

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