[Greek] ἁμαρτάνω (hamartanō), [Latin] peccare, [Latin] delinquere, [French] faillir, [French] faire faute: to sin, the miss the mark, to do wrong, to commit sin; 48 scriptural references
Why does Pope Leo wants to downplay sexual sins? Is it for the sake of “unity”, or for “not rocking the boat”? or for accommodating the culture?
Background information:
Old Testament: This term means to offend, to trespass, to be guilty, to miss the way, to sin, to act unfaithfully, and to corrupt.
New Testament: This term means to sin, to wrong, and to commit a crime. I will point some noteworthy scriptural examples.
Mt.18:15: “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault and between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother.” (Jesus states the duty that Christian disciples must follow in dealing with sinners. The first step involves private correction. If this fails, the matter is to be brought before 2 or 3 witnesses [the Church]. If this fails, the sinner is to be expelled.)
Mt.27:4: “Judas returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, ‘I have sinned in betraying innocent blood.'” (Judas, seeing that Jesus had been condemned, deeply regretted what he had done.)
Lk.17:3: “Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and he repents, forgive him.” (There are some sins that are SO SERIOUS that it would be better to have a millstone around one’s neck and be drowned [LESS SERIOUS] than to have caused others to sin. [MORE SERIOUS]) *** see link below
Jn.8:11-12: “Jesus said to the adulterous woman, ‘Neither do I condemn you. Go and from now one do not sin anymore’. He said to them again, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'” (The scribes and Pharisees were attempting to trick Jesus in how He would react to the adulterous woman. Jesus turns the tables in pointing out their innocence. Jesus points out that not following Him means that one is walking in darkness.)
Jn.9:3: “Jesus answered, ‘Neither he [man born blind from birth] nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be visible through him.” (Jesus points out that sin was not responsible for the blindness. God’s providence sometimes allows for acts of God’s mercy.)
1Cor.6:18: “Avoid immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the immoral person sins against his own body.” (This sin expresses the intimacy and depth of sexual disorder which violates the very orientation of our bodies.)
1Tim.5:20: “Reprimand publicly those [presbyters] who do sin, so that the rest will also be afraid.” (The public positions of presbyters and clergy can be subject to adverse criticism if there is a need for it.)
Tit.3:10-11: “Break off contact with a heretic, realizing that such a person is perverted, sinful, and self-condemned.” (One is called to stand firm in good conduct and doctrine in avoiding such heretic or divisive clergy.)
2Pet.2:4: False teachers will be punished just as surely as the fallen angels. (False teachers will be more accountable to judgment for their actions.)
1Jn.1:10: “If we say, “We have not sinned, we make God a liar, and His word is not in us.'” (Denial of the condition of sin is self-deception and contradictory to divine revelation. Forgiveness and deliverance from sin through Christ are assured through acknowledgment and repentance.)
Pope Leo XIV affirms blessings for homosexual couples and downplays sexual sin.
- “We tend to think that, when the Church is talking about morality, the only issue of morality is sexual. In reality there are much greater and more important [moral issues].” (Pope Leo seeks to downplay sexual sins and highlights that there are more serious social issues and concerns that the Church must address. Pope Leo is downplaying the consequences of Fiducia Supplicans. This also sounds like SELF-DECEPTION.)
- “To go beyond that, I think the topic can cause more disunity than unity, and that we should look for ways to build our unity upon Jesus Christ and what Jesus Christ teaches.” (It seems that Pope Leo does not want to “rock the boat.” For the sake of unity, he does not want to address the blessing of same-sex unions head on. He seems to focus more on unity rather than on adhering to Church teachings. That sounds like Synodality.)
- “We do not agree with the formalized blessing of homosexual couples or couples in irregular situations, beyond what was specifically allowed by Pope Francis.” (Pope Leo doesn’t agree with the German bishop’s to seek formalized, but has essentially SUPPORTED and ENDORSED Fiducia Supplicans.)
- “And that we should look for ways to build our unity upon Jesus and what Jesus Christ teaches.” (Yes, we are called to be unified in believing what Jesus taught. But Jesus taught others to sin no more. ‘Whoever follows me [by not sinning] will NOT walk in darkness. In other words, ‘whoever does NOT follow Me will walk in darkness.’ (Jn.8:11-12)
- Bishop Athanasius Schneider correctly points out blessing same-sex couples is a great deception and evil. Same-sex union directly contradicts God’s divine plans for marriage. To bless or endorse this relationship is to bless evil.
Some noteworthy (but not all) scripture about sexual immorality:
- Acts 15:29: abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from sexual immorality
- Rom.1:24-25: God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity. They exchange the truth about God for a lie.
- 1Cor.6:9: the sexually immoral, idolators, adulterers, who practice homosexuality
- 1Cor.6:13-15: their sexual activity is as common as food for the stomach
- Col.3:5: put to death what is earthly in you (sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, covetousness), which is idolatry
From Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body:
What is a woman? (Feminine Genius): A woman is called to be a mother, sometimes in body, always in soul. A woman is called to be a gift to nourish and nurture life all around us, to encourage, affirm, teach, welcome and pay attention to every person God sends our way. A woman is complementary to the man.
What is a man? (Masculine Genius): A man is called to do (work), externalizing his surroundings. A man is called to be a gift, to care for and lay down his life for the other. A man is complementary to the woman.
How can we solve the problem? One must first acknowledge the reality that God created only two genders: male and female. One must understand the physical and psychological consequences of undermining, changing, blurring, and redefining gender. One must more fully understand the dangers and enormous moral consequences of acting like God in thinking “I know better than God as to what gender I should be.”
Instead, one must have humility in understanding the magnitude and gravity of this existential problem!
Hildegard of Bingen (born in 1098) prophesies that Antichrist will deceive through sexual immorality:
“The Antichrist will be infused by the devil when he opens his mouth to teach perversity…He will destroy all that God established within the ancient and the new law, and he will assert that sexual immorality and other like things are not sins at all…He will say: ‘Your law of sexual restraint was established contrary to the way of nature…Consider that Christ gave you unjust commands.…So see here and do not be misled any longer by an unjust teaching, for with me you get to do whatever you want, or not….For your first teacher [Christ] deceived you and didn’t help you in anything. But I inspire you really to learn about yourselves and to know what you are.’
“That wretched son of perdition [Antichrist] will mislead people, teaching them to live according to the flesh’s fiery appetite and to achieve their flesh’s every want–despite the fact that both the old and the new law encourage humans to chastity. In this way, Lucifer will reject God’s justice through that son [Antichrist].”
“The Book of Divine Works” (Part III, Vision 5) c.1163
True compassion: Jesus was called to come to sinners. Jesus does not condemn sinners, but calls them to sin no more. But Jesus does not tolerate or condone sinful behavior.
Jn.8:11: Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more!
Jn.8:12: Whoever follows Me [by not sinning] will not walk in darkness. In other words, sinning ===> walking in darkness
False compassion:
- Lived experiences, tolerance, inclusion, “mercy above all else” often TAKE PRECEDENCE over Church teachings and scripture What is sinful is NOT being taught.
- Many clergy and laity seek to promote their certain beliefs and ideology which is counter to Church teachings. (Pro-LGBTQ beliefs)
- Church teachings are often downplayed, contradicted, or ignored, because of the culture.
- Certain sinful practices (according to Church teachings) are often de-stigmatized, normalized, or even advocated, because of the culture.
- Some claim that existing Church teachings and practices are hurtful and hateful to certain communities.
- Clergy are NOT teaching about what is sinful. Laity are NOT being taught what is sinful. One’s eternal mortal soul could be potentially in peril.
Catholic psychiatrist Conrad Baars explains false compassion:
“A person in authority who deprives his subjects of the truth when he says, even with the best intention of helping them, ‘You may ignore the teachings of the Magisterium: GOD’S LAWS ARE TOO HARD FOR YOU.‘ By that he says in effect, ‘YOU ARE NOT AND NEVER WILL BE STRONG ENOUGH AND GOOD ENOUGH TO ADHERE TO THESE LAWS.”
Etymology:
- The Greek verb hamartano means to miss the mark.
- The Latin verb delinquere means to fail and to offend.
- The Latin verb peccare means to sin, to do wrong, and to stumble.
- A peccadillo is a slight sin, petty fault, or fault. Impeccable means not capable of sin (error).
- The French noun faute means fault.
Conclusion:
Pecadillo, impeccable, delinquent, fail, failure,
Missing the mark implies failing, not meeting or refusing a standard. (This provides the basis for sin).
Jesus rightly cautions us to be on guard for the potential scandals which may come from sin.
Church leaders (not acting like clergy) must be continually called to task by their fellow clergy and laity. The clergy will also be harshly judged by their failure to act like priests. I can easily imagine Jesus asking each priest: “What have you done for Me and My Church?” (How would these priests answer this question?)
Some Catholic cardinals, bishops, and priests are now being rightfully being called out for advocating for promoting their pro-LGBTQ ideology, blessing same sex unions and sacrilegious practices.
Many have rightly called GK Chesterton “the apostle of common sense.” He has become very prophetic in predicting what has later happened in the culture.
Update: Vatican II conciliar Church has continually has had “intercourse” with the world (world’s values) because it was thought that the Church “needed to get with the times.”
- “Fresh air” (worldliness/tolerance/inclusion, human traditions) and the “smoke of Satan” (spirit of undermining) was brought into the Church.
- Human traditions and innovations were brought into the Church.
- Questionable ecumenical efforts have been continuing to seek unity of faith OUTSIDE the Catholic Church.
- Synodality has essentially continued to double down on what Vatican II started.
The Synodal Church continues to have “intercourse” with the world ===> syncretism, politics, lived experiences, inclusion, tolerance, ignoring sin, MAKING A BETTER WORLD/SEEKING FAVOR WITH THE WORLD, social justice, illegal immigration, environment
Synodality often TAKES PRECEDENCE over Church teachings and scripture. Synodality becomes an IDOL!
Fiducia Supplicans is a result of the Vatican placating the German bishops.
Presenting Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body (understanding God’s PURPOSEFUL design for the human body) would be the true compassionate way to respond to the problem (confusion) of gender ideology. Yet, nothing is heard about this from the Vatican.
Many cannot [will not] see (or fail to see) that homosexuality and transgenderism undermine God’s design for marriage and procreation.
When you associate Fiducia Supplicans with millstones, sexual sins are NOT trivial!
“The sin of this century is the loss of the sense of sin.” Pope Pius XI
“The Church is in danger when the laity are more spiritual than the clergy.” Archbishop Fulton Sheen
“It is right to submit to a higher authority whenever a command of God would be violated.” St. Basil
*** A millstone moment for clergy and laity: affirming the soul in mortal sin https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/blessing-homosexual-couples-flings-the-door-open-to-the-demonic-exorcists-assistant-warns/