Solitary Soul

SIN, PUNISHMENT AND REDEMPTION Mario D’Couto             In the most traditional way, sin has always been defined as a turning away from God. But on a more broader level, sin is a choosing of a lesser good over a higher good. In one of my previous articles called the “The Phenomenon of Sin – A Lenten Reflection,” I made a note that scripture teaches that whatever God created was good. There was no flaw in His creation. Hence, if such is the case, the next question is why would there be evil? St. Augustine gives us an apt answer, “Evil is the absence of good.” Hence to illustrate this point concretely, when a person steals it is the act of stealing that is wrong. Perhaps the deeper question to ask in why would a person steal? In the most genuine of cases, let us assume that the person is broke and is hungry which is why he or she has stolen. However, the end does not justify the means.      ...

THE PHENOMENON OF SIN – A LENTEN REFLECTION Mario D’Couto             In this season of lent, I thought of sharing something that touches me personally and some of the insights that I have gained through reading and experience. In trying to live out our lives, it is but natural that human as we are, we would fall down. Yet that does not mean we should give up. Christ is our example in this regard who showed us that only in conversation with God can afflicted souls find refuge given the number of hours He spent in prayer besides His public ministry. Human life is a constant struggle, not only as a quest for survival or making ends meet but on a deeper level, it is about being the person that God wants us to be.             The irony of sin is that there is a hidden good present inside it. No one commits evil for its own sake. St. Augustine speaks about this by illus...