Is Sin Contagious?

When I was a kid, our family would take trips together. Sometimes it was just the seven miles from Loretto to my Grandmother's home in St. Mary's, KY. But at other times it was a vacation trip to Clearwater or St. Pete Beach, FL. My sister, brother, and I would sit in the backseat of our Ford Galaxie, or LTD. Dad would drive the whole way with Mom in the "shotgun" seat. (She also doubled as the trip disciplinarian!!!) Since I was the oldest and most mischievous I was the one who usually started the trouble that caused Mom to put on her disciplinarian hat and dole out punishments for our (MY) misbehavior. It didn't take much to get my brother in trouble. He was the youngest and thus had the smallest bladder. So I would just start suggesting watery things like swimming, rain, water hoses, and he would start to get the urge. Then I'd step it up a little bit and start talking about flushing toilets and bath rooms, and then he'd start whining about needing to use the toilet. This would cause Dad to get mad (because we had just stopped a few miles back, and besides going to the rest room, Stephen had used some of his vacation money to buy him another Dr. Pepper). When Dad got irritated, Mom was called upon to settle us down. By this time Stephen was crying and begging to stop at the first big bush. I was smirking because my mission was accomplished. My sister Kathy was tougher to get going. She had the patience of a mountain. I'd tease her and call her a "girl" and she'd remain un-flustered. I'd make fun of her dolls that she played with, and still was undaunted. Finally, I'd resort to holding my finger one inch from her ear and whisper the mantra, "I'm not touching you! I'm not touching you!" That would eventually get her to start slapping at me and yelling at me. That in turn got Dad upset, which got Mom in gear, which got her to pull me into the middle of the front seat (to separate us), which is where I wanted to sit all along.

The readings for this Sunday tell me that sin is a virus. The Letter of James (5:1-6) and the Gospel of Mark (9:38 & following) say that how we treat others has an effect on how they behave. James accuses the rich and the high and mighty in society of having the most effect on folks. But because God sees the way that they treat the poor and little ones of the earth, then they will have "HELL" to pay later. Jesus gives His disciples an ominous warning too. If we cause folks to sin then our sins will be punished.

The good news is that we can influence people positively too. We usually don't notice that our small acts of kindness and virtue also have a ripple effect on others. They do! Sin and virtue are always personal choices. I choose to do good or bad. But my choices and behaviors always effect others. I choose to make a snide remark about my boss, or the president, or a family member. That may cause a shadow of doubt and negativity to be formed in the mind or heart of another. I show kindness to someone who may have a bad reputation, or someone who is low on the social totem pole. That may cause someone else to have second thoughts about how "bad" that person might be. If someone sees me picking up a piece of litter on the sidewalk, it may make them hesitate the next time they're tempted to drop a candy wrapper on the ground.

We're in this world and in the Kingdom of God together. Everything we do has an influence on our planet and the rest of the Body of Christ. Let us pray for the strength and the grace to act virtuously, so that that God's will may be done and not thwarted.

peace,
Fr. Chuck Walker