This is what one of my friends said about me at a pool party recently.\u00a0The most innocent soul I have ever met<\/em>. It\u2019s one of the best compliments I have ever been given. Especially at a time when I am struggling with a sin that makes me feel decidedly not innocent.<\/p>\n But what is innocence exactly? And why is it so good?<\/p>\n Innocence is one of those things that is more easily defined by what it is not rather than by what it is.<\/p>\n Innocence is not:<\/p>\n In a word, I would define innocence as being childlike. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, innocence is<\/p>\n Freedom from sin, guilt, or moral wrong in general; the state of being untainted with, or unacquainted with, evil Children are all of these things. Guilelessness<\/strong>. Jesus himself praises this, lauding Nathaneal when they first meet: \u201cBehold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile\u201d (Jn 1:47)<\/p>\n Moreover, Jesus is constantly exalting us to be more like little children, \u201cfor to such belongs the kingdom of heaven\u201d (Mt 19:14).<\/p>\n Innocence is two six-year olds, one black and one white, maintaining with 100% certainty that they are twins (here\u2019s the video<\/a>). Innocence is my seven-year old self\u2019s insistence that the entire family lay on the grass to watch the birds fly by. And innocence is Ariel\u2019s ability to recognize the good in the human world in spite of the evil (check out my last post for more on Ariel\u2019s desires and ours<\/a>).<\/p>\n Anyone can see we are living in a non-innocent age. Sexuality in all its forms is actively encouraged. The dignity and value of human life is under constant attack. And we are exploiting our very home with no regard for its intrinsic value.<\/p>\n But even the most worldly people recognize the value of innocence. Imagine a child waving to all sitting in an airport. Who wouldn\u2019t look up from their phone and smile back? For a moment, stress, worries, and bad moods dissipate. This is the power of innocence. And in a non-innocent world, innocence is all the more necessary. Luckily, we don\u2019t need to be actual children to achieve innocence.<\/p>\n After all, Jesus calls us to be childlike and he would never ask the impossible of us.<\/p>\n So, if it\u2019s not impossible, how can we achieve innocence?<\/p>\n Here are three things to remember when searching for innocence.<\/p>\n Perhaps you\u2019re reading this and you have a sense of sadness. You might think, I\u2019ve lost my innocence. I can\u2019t unsee the things I\u2019ve seen, I can\u2019t undo what I\u2019ve tried.<\/em> But innocence is like virginity. It is a choice. No one can take it from you. And, in a sense, God can restore it.<\/p>\n Though we live in time, though we might be forever marked by the things that have eroded our innocence, God transcends time<\/strong>. He can transform us and he can restore us.<\/p>\n Innocence is a choice. It can\u2019t be taken. And if you\u2019ve lost it, God can restore it.<\/p>\n The catechism acknowledges that chastity, intrinsically tied to innocence, is a \u201can apprenticeship in self-mastery\u201d and that \u201cself-mastery is a long and exacting work. One can never consider it acquired once and for all\u201d (CCC 2339, 2342). This implies that chastity can be achieved even after a state of unchastity<\/em>. If it is a lifelong journey, then that allows for failure.<\/p>\n Mary Magdalene<\/strong> is the ultimate example of this. Possessed by seven demons and likely having lived an unchaste life, she was perfectly restored. So much so that she was the first to see the risen Lord.\u00a0It is not too late to be restored to innocence.<\/p>\n In Christ\u2019s sacrifice, God fulfills his promise in Isaiah: \u201cThough your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow\u201d (Is 1:18).<\/p>\n We cannot be innocent without Jesus\u2019 sacrifice. Christ is \u201choly, innocent, and undefiled\u201d (LG 8). It is this sacrifice that allows us to be innocent as well. By our Baptism, we are brought into Christ\u2019s innocence:\u00a0The Holy Spirit enables one whom the water of Baptism has regenerated to imitate the purity of Christ (CCC 2345).<\/p>\n Therefore, we must rely on God\u2019s grace. We must throw ourselves into daily prayer and engage with the sacraments frequently. Especially confession! God will transform us.<\/p>\n In a struggle with a certain sin, I\u2019ve found myself going to Confession around two times a week. Though this can be frustrating, I choose to keep my focus on God\u2019s grace. My desire to be innocent of my sin is pleasing to God, regardless of my current failures to live up to said desire.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Apart from Jesus and Mary, we are all afflicted by original sin. Thus, none of us are truly innocent. The world has its grip on us. The internet seems to make it particularly easy to lose our innocence.<\/strong> Social media can easily expose us to the wrong kinds of voices. Sometimes it\u2019s not as obvious as extremists declaring that all forms of sex are good. Sometimes it\u2019s subtle, hidden in subtext.<\/p>\nWhat is innocence?<\/h2>\n
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Innocence is Being Childlike<\/h3>\n
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\nFreedom from cunning or artifice, guilelessness, artlessness, simplicity<\/p><\/blockquote>\nThe World Needs Innocence<\/h3>\n
How can I achieve innocence?<\/h2>\n
1. Remember, it is not too late<\/h3>\n
2. Rely On God\u2019s Grace<\/h3>\n
3. Protect Yourself<\/h3>\n
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