Predominant Sin: Kill it.

Predominant Sin: Kill it. August 29, 2010

Everyone has a predominant sin, a sin they commit the most; an arch-enemy; any one of the 7 deadly sins. And realizing that sin, naming it, and deciding to work against it can be one of the most spiritually beneficial acts you do. For instance, I cannot win the battle against lust until I admit that my predominant sin is pride. I can try, sure, but the root of the problem is that I would rather sinfully disobey than humble myself to the will of God. And that’s pride. That’s what drives my plethora of other sins.
Knowing that pride is my predominant sin helps me immensely because I know where my enemy’s keep is.

Fighting your predominant sin naked is not required,
but not entirely condemned either.

When you attack your predominant sin, you cut the head off the snake.

Or you blow up the Queen with the Dr. Device and all the buggers die with her. You break the White Witch’s wand and she’s powerless. You capture Robert E. Lee to win the war. You destroy VIKI with the Nanites and all the robots stop killing people. You burn the headless necks of the Hydra so no heads will grow back. Or…now that you know I can reference other things…resist…resist…ALRIGHT FINE, YOU DESTROY THE RING AND SAURON GOES WITH IT!

Ahem, anyhow. What’s great is that every sin has its mighty destroyer, one of the ever-badass moral virtues. Humility kicks pride; generosity dropkicks greed; chastity puts the reigns on lust; meekness gives anger a wind-up slap; temperance K.O’s gluttony; brotherly love just confuses envy, and diligence gives sloth a fist in the face, like Neo serves up in the above clip. (Bet you were wondering how it’d apply.) I apologize if I sound blithe or flippant in my writing, but this is the exciting stuff. Sinning is awful, confession can be grueling, but this is actively planning to fight sin, and we should rejoice that we can do it. The devil, more than anything, hates to be laughed at. If we can marshal the courage to do that, to laugh in his face while we strike at him, when we strike at our predominant sins, then we will do him the full damage of an old-school exorcism. So, find your predominant sin, right now.

What sin do you find yourself confessing the most? What sin is the hardest to resist? Really, honestly, think about what it is. It may seem some sins don’t fit. For instance, despair and hopelessness aren’t on the Big Seven. But it only takes a little thought to realize that despair is rooted in pride, in the thought that God isn’t as great as your doubt. So what is it? I’m asking for your anonymous answer here, because knowing what people are struggling with the most will help BadCatholic write, and because I find it helps to admit to it, even anonymously.

What is your predominant sin?
Pride
Wrath
Greed
Lust
Gluttony
Sloth (Apathy)
Envy

  

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Once you’ve named that sin, go back and find the virtue that crushes it and practice it. God be with you. How’s that for a proactive, go-get-em kind of post? Almost too focused. Needs a good tangent to wrap it up.

How about this. If you are struggling with any sin, read this for the most singularly badass piece of inspiration ever.


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