Evagrius Ponticus (also known as Evagrius the Solitary) was a Christian monk and ascetic who resided in a monastery in the Egyptian desert. Concerned with the temptations that besought people the most, in the year 375 he compiled a list of eight terrible thoughts, also referred to as the eight evil temptations. The eight patterns of evil thought he identified are gluttony, greed, sloth, sorrow, lust, anger, vainglory, and pride. The list was not to be one of condemnation; rather, it was to raise awareness about our most compelling temptations so that we would be self-disciplined enough to avert our attention from them. Almost two centuries later, in the year 590, Pope Gregory I (also known as Pope Gregory the Great) revisited the list and refined it to seven by combining two and adding two more of his own. Gregory’s list is more commonly known as the Seven Deadly Sins, which are: pride, envy, anger, sloth, greed, gluttony, and lust.
Now some 1,400 years later, as we move into the 21st century, perhaps we ought to restore the list to eight -- this time adding a temptation that had not appeared before but is appropriate for a technological society. The new temptation would be “fame.” In a November 11, 2009 article in the New York Times, Alessandra Stanley wrote: “Fame has a spellbinding power in American society, the one thing that can trump wealth, talent, breeding, and even elected office. Reality shows and social websites like Facebook long ago knocked down barriers that kept ordinary people trapped in obscurity.” For this reason, Stanley wrote, “...some people take huge risks for the freedom to be someone else -- a celebrity.” She lifted up as examples the Salahis (a couple who notoriously crashed a White House state dinner), the Heenes (who pretended their child was trapped in a runaway balloon), and the Gosselins (parents who showcased their eight children, all desiring to share the limelight of a reality television show).
May we pray that we are not led into the temptation of seeking celebrity status as our lasting “fame,” the kingdom with which we choose to affiliate. Seeking notoriety as our dwelling place may highlight us in the tabloids of this day and even permanently record us on page B2 in the local newspaper. But wasn’t this the kingdom Satan desired Jesus to preside over?
The recognition that Jesus sought was not to be found in the fleeting fame of celebrity stardom or in the limited tenure of public politics. Instead, Jesus desired to rule in the hearts of men and women through the ages, the authentic kingdom of God free of publicity but abounding in celestial recognition. If one should ever question his or her worth, ask by what standard it is being measured. Is being important authenticated by a marquee name or a name recorded in the Book of Life? Realizing this, Jesus easily discounted the unworthiness of Satan’s offer to rule over earthly kingdoms. In so doing, Jesus directed our ambitions to focus on ministering to the lives of those with whom we are in contact on a daily basis. Indeed, this may be a small kingdom -- but can there be any more important kingdom to which we can be assigned?
However you count them, be it six or seven or eight, sin is an act of disobedience to God. A sin is often measured as little or big, such as a “little white lie,” which usually means a harmless lie; but is it possible for a sin to be harmless, measured on any scale? When we engage in the acts of pride, envy, anger, sloth, greed, gluttony, and lust, it demonstrates a disregard for God, a disdain for others, and even holding oneself in dis-esteem.
The religion of Hinduism understands the entrapment of living a self-centered life. Hinduism is the oldest established religion in the world and the third largest. At the end of the first century CE, the laws of Manu were established. These laws report the four basic goals that motivate humanity; thus they have also come to be called the “Four Ends of Human Life.” A young man should transcend from a lower level to the next, until he discovers the true meaning of life.
The journey begins with kama, or pleasure. The aim is to discover purpose by gratifying the senses. At this stage Kama-sutra may be a familiar phrase to us, having become a part of the English lexicon. Kama-sutra is an often-quoted text for its picturesque descriptions of various positions for sexual intercourse. It is here, at kama, as a hedonist, that one begins the journey of life. Unfulfilled, the young man moves to artha, which means financial success or wealth. This is the first attempt to set some real goals, but it also reflects a misplaced ambition. He continues to sense an inner disquiet, because as well as being successful he equally desires to be respected. Therefore he strives for dharma, which is righteous living. As a viable contributor to the community he knows he is doing good for others; yet there still remains an emptiness. His goal now becomes moksha, which means liberation or spiritual freedom, and it is at this stage that the real purpose of life is realized. Moksha is attained by disidentification with the body and mind, which becomes the realization of our true identity.
Sin is not an abstract concept, as we all dwell behind the dark curtain of kama. Sin is not the evening news; it is what the front door of our dwelling conceals from friends and family. Sin is not absent from the temples of righteousness, as steeples cast a foreboding shadow upon the pretenders of virtue.
In the 1970s Karl Menninger wrote a book that was widely read, studied, and discussed. Menninger was a Harvard-educated psychiatrist who established the Menninger Sanitarium in 1925. As a psychiatrist he believed that mental health is dependent upon physical, social, cultural, and moral (spiritual) health. A significant aspect of spiritual health is to be unencumbered by the ramifications of sin. Therefore his book, penned by a medical doctor, was titled Whatever Became of Sin? The following paragraph is the one that is most often quoted:
The very word “sin,” which seems to have disappeared, was a proud word. It was once a strong word, an ominous and serious word. It described a central point in every civilized human being’s life plan and lifestyle. But the word went away. It has almost disappeared -- the word, along with the notion. Why? Doesn’t anyone sin anymore? Doesn’t anyone believe in sin?
Has the word “sin” gone out of your vocabulary, or is it just reserved for the other person? Has sin gone out of your life, but lives abundant in your neighbors? Has sin avoided your church pew, but inhabit that which is behind, in front, and of course across the aisle? If sin is not to be found in your life, then where is it?
This is the significance of Ash Wednesday in our liturgical calendar. It is the understanding that we are sinners in need of repentance. As a sign of repentance we place ashes on our foreheads, to show that we have died to our sins and live for Christ. As the ashes are being placed upon us in the form of a cross, the celebrant will say: “Repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15).
Joel 2:1-2, 12-17
The trumpet is sounded as an alarm, warning the Israelites of God’s impending judgment. No one can escape this judgment as all the people are to be gathered together, even the infants and the aged. Darkness and gloom cover the land because of the Israelites’ disobedience. Judgment will come as the Assyrian army marches upon them and will devour them like a herd of locusts destroys a field of crops. Yet God “is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing.” If the Israelites are truly repentant and re-establish their covenant with God, then the judgment of God shall pass over them.
2 Corinthians 5:20b--6:10
In our repentance we cannot receive the grace of Christ in vain, but we must be transformed by it. As Jesus was sinless, if we are to identify with him then we must strive to be sinless in our own lives. This means we are to persevere in the faith. This is what Paul tried to accomplish in his own life. Paul lists the ten weaknesses that he had to overcome to be pure and faithful to Christ (vv. 7-10).
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
We are cautioned by Jesus to guard against hypocrisy. The term “hypocrisy” comes from Greek theater, where an actor on stage pretends to be someone he is not. In all of his teachings, Jesus only judged hypocrites. He denounced sin, but did not judge the sinner. He only admonished the sinner to henceforth go and live a virtuous life. But hypocrites, like the Pharisees, he harshly judged.
Application
1. Discuss the meaning of sin, especially the meaning of hypocrisy.
2. Discuss repentance.
3. Discuss the liturgical significance of Ash Wednesday.
Alternate Applications
1. Discuss the judgment of God versus the grace of God.
2. Discuss how our sins can call forth the judgment of God. Discuss how we are less judged by God but must live by the consequences of our sinful behavior.
3. Discuss the liturgical significance of Ash Wednesday.
