“My life is full of such lapses, and my one hope is in your great mercy” – St. Augustine

I have been in Pennsylvania for a month now. When I first come up here, I had the plans that I would work as much as I possibly could and spend my off time reading and writing. I have found that idle time can be a blessing or a curse. At first, I spent time at the library and the rest of time in my hotel room. I have noticed that idle time in my hotel room can easily lead to sin. It can start from something as simple as watching certain movies or shows on the television which could then lead to more sins like fornication or adultery. I’m not saying that movies or shows in themselves are sin; that would be ridiculous. What I’m saying is that these things can lead to thoughts which could easily lead one to going out and actually committing sins.  As one proverb says, Idle hands are the devil’s playground. We can blame temptation from demons, or it could be curiosity. Curiosity can be a good thing or a bad thing. St. Augustine considered curiosity a temptation to be avoided. In his Confessions, Augustine sees curiosity as a good thing when it leads to praise of God but can be dangerous when it leads to other things. Avoiding sin is always a challenge and a battle.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us that “This dramatic situation of ‘the whole world (which) is in the power of the evil one’ makes man’s life a battle: The whole of man’s history has been the story of dour combat with the powers of evil, stretching, so our Lord tells us, from the very dawn of history until the last day. Finding himself in the midst of the battlefield man has to struggle to do what is right, and it is at great cost to himself, and aided by God’s grace, that he succeeds in achieving his own inner integrity” (409).

So, what happens when we do slip up and sin? After all, sin can easily lead to more sin. “The wage of the righteous leads to life, the gain of the wicked to sin” (Proverbs 10:16 RSVCE). There are two possible solutions, and one is a must. One absolutely must go to confessions. The second possible beneficial thing one may do is counseling or therapy. Confession cleanses our soul and therapy can help us get to the root of issues. Go to confession. Seek God’s forgiveness in the box and come out anew and refreshed from God’s grace.