The truth is, it is hard not to sin! We are all faced with so many temptations each day, and we often find ourselves falling into sin over and over again…and sometimes falling really hard. But God’s mercy is infinite, and He is ready to forgive ANY sin that we ask Him forgiveness for. There is no catch—so long as we ask forgiveness with a contrite heart, and He has given us the Sacrament of Confession to do just that. Perhaps that’s why St. Isidore said, “All hope consists in Confession.”

Many of us suffer from duplicity due to our sinfulness. Our hearts tend to be divided, making our intentions sometimes impure. (See how St. Paul talks about his struggle with duplicity in Romans 7.) Many artists show Judas in depictions of the Last Supper with only one side of his face displayed—a clear example of his own duplicity. We should all seek to rid ourselves of the duplicity that plagues our lives, so that Jesus can say of us what He said about Nathanial: “Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him (John 1:47).” 

What is sin?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes sin as

The Catechism classifies the gravity of sin by calling some venial and some sins mortal.

For a sin to be mortal, it must be of grave matter and be committed with full knowledge and deliberate consent of the sinner.

What sins do you find yourself struggling with most often? Click on the boxes below to see the sins that fall within each category. Then, learn more about each sin that is keeping you from loving God, loving others, and loving the person God created you to be, and how you can help change that. If you can diagnose yourself, you will know what you need to do to get back in good ‘spiritual health’!