Br. Cyril Stola, O.P., on Sin and Watchfulness

"Satan is an excellent marketer. He does his best to make sin attractive. He introduces maxims like 'heaven for the climate, hell for the company' into common discourse, as if sin makes one interesting instead of simply destructive. He makes us love the antihero trope, which does not merely portray the hero's flaws as tragic, but instead it embraces such flaws and makes that embrace central to the character. He gives us a subversive thrill in vice. Sin, however, is nothingness. Sin is always an emptiness and a void, it gives us nothing positive and has no redeeming qualities. The only attention it deserves is in combating it and healing its effects. 

"The moral tradition of the Church shines the proper light on sin by helping us understand it. It describes seven capital vices under which all sins and temptations fall: gluttony, lust, greed, anger, sloth, envy, and pride. These vices arise from our desires for genuine goods, but, in consequence of the fall, we desire good things in wicked ways. We all have temptations, and categorizing our vices helps us see their inter-relations and unveils the ways in which we may combat them."

In a recent commentary, Brother Cyril Stola, O.P., reflected on the importance of watchfulness in addressing the issue of sin in our lives.

To access Br. Cyril's complete post, please visit:

Dominicana: Sin and Watchfulness (8 JUL 20)