Have you ever felt distant from God, as if something had gone cold inside your heart? Maybe without knowing exactly why? This might be related to a word that can seem heavy at first but that we need to understand with care and truth: sin.
The word can be intimidating, but let’s talk about it calmly, like someone sitting down to listen to a friend who truly wants our good. Because that’s exactly what God does with us: He doesn’t come to accuse us, but to heal us.
Sin is everything that separates us from God. It’s when, knowingly or not, we choose to walk a path that goes against the love God teaches us. It’s like turning our back on the Creator and saying with our actions or thoughts: “I’d rather do things my way.”
It can be an action, a word, a thought, or even a failure to act. The most important thing to understand is that sin is not just “doing something wrong”, but rather breaking our friendship with God and hurting our relationship with Him and with others.
Why is this so important in the life of faith?
Because God created us to live in communion with Him — in peace and freedom. When we sin, it’s as if we disconnect from the source of life. We lose our sense of direction, the sparkle in our eyes fades, our hearts harden. And worse: many times we don’t even realize how much this harms us.
The logic of the world — or even the lies the devil tries to sow — wants to make us believe that it’s not a big deal, that it’s normal, that everyone does it. But the saints of the Church teach us with their very lives that sin never helps us move forward — it only pulls us back.
How does sin appear in our daily lives?
- When we choose to lie, even if “convenient.”
- When we let pride keep us from asking for forgiveness.
- When selfishness takes over our relationships.
- When we fail to love God above all else.
Practical example: a person who holds a grudge and refuses to forgive — even knowing that it hurts their heart and blocks their peace — is being overcome by sin. Instead of opening to the healing love of God, they close in on themselves.
What can we do to come out of this darkness?
- Acknowledge it with humility: “Yes, I sinned. I need help.”
- Seek God’s forgiveness: through sincere prayer and the sacrament of Confession.
- Change direction, with God’s grace. This is what we call conversion.
- Receive the Eucharist, which strengthens and nourishes our soul.
- Walk with the Church, with the Word of God and good brothers and sisters in the faith.
As the Scriptures say:
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
Yes, sin exists. But God’s mercy is greater. Always. He never gives up on us, even when we fall. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who goes after the lost sheep — not to condemn it, but to carry it in His arms and bring it back to the path. And lovingly, He also corrects it, because His correction is a sign of care and desire for salvation.
It’s curious how we often feel ashamed to confess to a priest, yet we’re not ashamed to sin — and sin truly is something horrible. We should be ashamed not of repentance, but of the moment we allowed sin into our lives.
This is exactly what the enemy wants: to invert values, making us believe that the shame lies in seeking forgiveness, not in committing the sin. But the real shame is in sinning, not in confessing.
With humility and a repentant heart, we should seek the priest — who represents Christ Himself — and open our hearts. It doesn’t matter what or how many sins there are: if there is sincere repentance, the Lord will forgive. That’s certain.
This is our God: worthy of honor and glory, always ready to welcome us with mercy when we seek Him with sincerity.
But remember: the Lord is merciful, yes — but He is also just. So don’t wait. Run into His arms today.
👉 Today, how about saying a simple prayer asking God for the grace to recognize what is pulling you away from Him and the sincere desire to return to the Father’s arms?
