Volume V/Issue 12/March 2021

Sin Is the Only Evil Which We Ought to Hate

We call many things in the world evils, because they go against our own desires and the way we things should go to make our lives easier. It is difficult for us to think of our house catching on fire as something good, because of the destruction of our property and the disruption of our lives. But, let us consider what might have happened if our house had not burned down. What sins were we indulging in our house?

In fact, let us consider the evil of sin. Saint John Eudes says: "It would be most just, if God were to punish a single sin by stripping us of life and of all the temporal and spiritual graces which He has given us, letting fall upon us every kind of punishment." Consider how evil sin must be to merit such a punishment! And Saint John did not say mortal sin, but any sin. We measure an offense by the dignity of the person offended. Since God's dignity is infinite, the offense of sin is infinite.

Let us return to Saint John Eudes: "I say, furthermore, that, according to all theologians, the extinction of every natural being is not so great an evil as a venial sin. So he who commits a venial sin works an evil greater than the destruction of the whole world; consequently God might justly destroy the whole world in punishment for a venial sin." One venial sin is a worse evil than the destruction of the world. Do we think like this?

If we truly believed sin is evil, we would work hard on removing sin from our lives. There are two kinds of sin, deliberate and in-deliberate sins. We know that all mortal sins are deliberate sins, because that is one of the requirements. All in-deliberate sins are venial sins, even the matter happens to be serious. The difference between a mortal sin and a deliberate venial sin is the seriousness of the matter. All venial sin is evil, but a lighter matter in that it is not punished with eternal damnation as it could be if God had so willed.

Our problem with our attitude towards sin is considering venial sins small, when in fact they are still an infinite offense against God. Rather than draw the line between good and evil, sin being the evil, we draw a line between levels of evil and tolerate small evils in our life, that is our pet venial sins. Tolerating a small evil in our life is liking taking in a lion cub and letting it grow up in our house. Some day he will be big enough to eat us.

"He that contemneth small things, shall fall by little and little." (Ecclesiasticus 19:1) When we deliberately sin, we become weaker. Let us consider mortal sin as a fast acting poison that will kill us instantly, while venial sin is a slow acting poison that weakens our system. When we weaken our heart and soul by deliberate venial sin we prepare ourselves for a major fall. When the temptation to sin mortally comes we are far more likely to commit mortal sin, than if we had been living a life of virtue and asking God to remove all sin from our lives.

The holy Cure of Ars, Saint John Vianney tells us: "pride produces every sin." Deliberate sin flows from our pride. I deserve to indulge myself, because... If they would not do …, I would have no reason to get angry. Then we always have a good reason to do so. Sin has a number or reasons used to excuse it. These are called rationalizations, because we create reasons to excuse our sin or at least to minimize it. When we begin this habit to minimize.

Pride is at the root of our sins, especially those we proudly commit. When I choose sin, I am also proud. Humility desires to get as far away from sin as possible.

Saint John Vianney says that pride is an untrue opinion of what we are not. How many of us think of ourselves as paragons of virtue. And yet, when we honestly walk into the confessional we will see that we have many small vices. The problem is that vice is like cancer that will grow until it kills us, if not checked and removed. Someone I know recently had cancer surgery. The oncologist has declared her cancer free, but still wants to see her regularly to make sure she stays that way. This is why we make our daily examination of conscience every evening. This is why we have a regular time to confess, if possible. We need to make sure we keep free from the cancer of sin.Saint Thomas Aquinas writes: "Contrition is a sorrow for sin, because it is an offense against the divine goodness. Theologians say that contrition is a formal act of perfect love of God; for he who has contrition, is moved by the love which he bears to the goodness of God to repent of having offended Him. Hence, to make an act of the love of God, saying, My God, because you are infinite goodness, I love you above all things; and, because I love you, I am sorry above all things for having offended You, will greatly assist the soul to make an act of contrition." Contrition is also known to us as the perfect act of Contrition the act of imperfect contrition being known as attrition, which is sufficient in the Confessional.

If we sin mortally, we should immediately repent and make a Perfect Act of Contrition. Saying some set prayer may help, but the contrition must come from the heart. Let the heart speak freely to God, telling Him how much we are sorry for having offended Him. Let us learn how serious sin is and ask God to keep us from sin. He will help us work with Him to eliminate sin from our lives. Let us remember God wants sin out of our lives: "Be you therefore perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matthew 5:48) The perfect do not sin. But this is impossible, you may think. "And Jesus beholding, said to them: With men this is impossible: but with God all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26

We are called to perfection, therefore we are called to step away from all sin and ask God to remove sin from our lives. Let us remember that the only evil in the world is sin. 

 The Funny Pharmacy

The Pope Speaks: March 2021

Ides of March 2020

We date the COVID-19 outbreak to the Ides of March, as this is when We first discussed this. We were visiting Our mother at her place for an Ides of March party, which We had been invited to. This party was actually on Thursday, March 19. We dismissed the virus as nothing. By the beginning of the next week, things had changed. Soon We realized, this is the end of the world as we know it. (The term TEOTWAWKI was first coined as what some thought Y2K would do at the end of 1999.) Things will never be the same again.

We have not spoken much on COVID-19. We will say a few things here. We noticed that the reaction to COVID-19 has been far worse than the virus itself. We have written two Pope Speaks on this subject. The first was on obedience to the State. https://www.vaticaninexile.com/obedience_to_the_state_june_2020.php The second was on whether or not it is a sin to wear a mask. https://www.vaticaninexile.com/august_2020_is_it_a_sin_to_wear_a_mask.php

When churches were being shut down, We quickly compiled a book on Spiritual Communion, because Spiritual Communion should be a part of our lives, especially when it is impossible to assist at Mass. https://amzn.to/376uM3D

We will not go further into the reaction of the government to COVID-19 beyond that part of the reaction that has changed the world economy. This is why things will never be the same again. We have been tracking the economy for over three and a half decades and watching for signs of its demise. The money spent to attempt to curb the economic effects on people has sent us towards potential hyperinflation. The amount spent so far is staggering, and We do not believe they are through spending.

While We are on the economy, it is time to point out how little people really understand what they are writing about. A couple of decades ago, We were waiting on an oil change. We were reading an article on the derivatives market and how large it was. It was then at one quarter of a quadrillion dollars. That is 250 trillion dollars. That is about eight and a half times the current US national debt. We only got part way through the article. When We got home, We looked up and printed out the article. It was an article on retirement. Consider a market that is larger than the value of the world at that time, if you could sell it all at market value. And you are planning for retirement. You have just told me we are doomed, but are advising how to prepare for retirement.

It is this lack of understanding by people, who should know better that is disastrous. We will not go into great details on many things or give long explanations. We will merely point out some things.

What is money? Many will pull out a dollar bill and tell us that is money, but is it? It is currency and a medium of exchange between people today. Will it be worth anything tomorrow?

Aristotle defined four marks of true money:

Durable- the medium of exchange must not weather, fall apart, or become unusable. It must be able to stand the test of time.

Portable- relative to its size, it must be easily moveable and hold a large amount of universal value relative to its size.

Divisible- should be relatively easy to separate and put back together without ruining its basic characteristics.

Intrinsically Valuable- should be valuable in of itself, and its value should be totally independent of any other object. Essentially, the item must be rare.

Does the Federal Reserve Note fill those requirements? It is not durable, nor is it intrinsically valuable, therefore it is not money. We also talk about prices rising, when in fact it is the value of our currency that is falling. And soon it will begin to fall rapidly. This decimation of the currency the world currently runs on that will change all of our lives forever.

Today many fear the mark of the beast. And some think that the COVID vaccine will include a chip that is the mark of the beast. First of all to sin, we must will to sin. "And he shall make all, both little and great, rich and poor, freemen and bondmen, to have a character in their right hand, or on their foreheads. And that no man might buy or sell, but he that hath the character, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name." (Apocalypse 13:16-17) Yes, this shall come some day, but in order to sin, we must willingly take this mark, whatever it is. They can't slip it into us without our knowledge and acceptance and us be liable for the sin. There is much speculation on this and most likely all of it is wrong.

Antichrist will be a deceiver, a great deceiver. "For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders, insomuch as to deceive (if possible) even the elect." (Matthew 24:24) It is Our opinion that many traditional minded people will actually accept the Antichrist. That is how persuasive his deception will be.

And so how can we immunize ourselves against the deception of Antichrist? That is what the Olive Tree is dedicated to, because we must become sincere Catholics. We must not just avoid sin, but become virtuous. We must not only read the Gospel, but live the Gospel. Yes trying times are coming, but God will take care of His own. God will not take care of those who call themselves His own, but those who truly live for Him.

Some have wondered about the COVID vaccine. We are working on something far more formal. In Our research We decided to look at what they present in favor of vaccines. One website presented the case for vaccines and their effectiveness. They cited a fictional school with one thousand students. Of those thousand all but five got the MMR vaccine before the school was exposed to mumps. Of those thousand seven of the vaccinated got mumps anyway. They also made the statement: "Of course the five unvaccinated got mumps." Back in the mid 1960's We could not get the MMR vaccine, because We had been exposed to mumps a few days before. We never got mumps either. It is this presumption, which makes Us doubt their reasoning. If it were true everyone one unvaccinated would get every disease they are exposed to, which is not true. How many of us have been exposed to COVID and not gotten it?

As We are getting ready to send this to the editor, We have heard that COVID may be reducing greatly by the end of April. However, the reaction to COVID has already caused irreparable damage. Now is the time to become saints! Let us pray.

81. He who despises understanding and boasts of ignorance is unlearned not only in speech but also in knowledge (cf. 2 Cor. 11:6).

82. Just as wisdom in speech is one thing and sound judgment another, so lack of learning in speech is one thing and folly another.

83. Ignorance of words will do no harm to the truly devout, nor will wisdom in speaking harm the humble.

84. Do not say: 'I do not know what is right, therefore I am not to blame when I fail to do it.' For if you did all the good about which you do know, what you should do next would then become clear to you, as if you were passing through a house from one room to another. It is not helpful to know what comes later before you have done what comes first. For knowledge without action 'puffs up,' but 'love edifies,' because it 'patiently accepts all things' (1 Cor. 8:1; 13:7).

85. Understand the words of Holy Scripture by putting them into practice, and do not fill yourself with conceit by expatiating on theoretical ideas.

86. He who neglects action and depends on theoretical knowledge holds a staff of reed instead of a double-edged sword; and when he confronts his enemies in time of war, 'it will go into his hand, and pierce it' (2 Kgs. 18:21), injecting its natural poison.

87. Every thought has its weight and measure in God's sight. For it is possible to think about the same thing either passionately or objectively.

88. After fulfilling a commandment expect to be tempted: for love of Christ is tested by adversity.

89. Never belittle the significance of your thoughts, for not one escapes God's notice.

90. When you observe some thought suggesting that you seek human fame, you can be sure it will bring you disgrace.

Saints from East and West

9 March - The Forty Holy Martyrs of Sebaste.

The Forty Holy Martyrs martyred at Sebasteia Lake: In the year 313 Saint Constantine the Great issued an edict, from which the Christians were permitted freedom of belief and made equal with pagans under the law. But his co-ruler Licinius was prevailed upon by pagans, and in his part of the empire he decided to eradicate Christianity, which had become considerably widespread there. Licinius prepared his soldiery to fight against Constantine and, fearing mutiny, he decided to rid Christians from his army.

One of the military-commanders of that time in the Armenian city of Sebaste was Agricolaus, a zealous proponent of paganism. Under his command was a company of forty Cappadocians - brave soldiers - who emerged victorious from many a battle. All of them were Christians. When these soldiers refused to offer sacrifice to the pagan gods, Agricolaus locked them up in prison. The soldiers immersed themselves in diligent prayer, and at one point during the night they heard a voice: "Persevere until the end, then shalt ye be saved."

On the following morning the soldiers were again taken to Agricolaus. This time the pagan tried the method of flattery. He began to praise their valour, their youthfulness, and strength; and again he urged them to renounce Christ and thereby win themselves the respect and favour of their emperor. And again hearing their refusal, Agricolaus gave orders to shackle the soldiers. But the eldest of them, Kyrion, said: "The emperor has not given thee the right to put shackles upon us." Agricolaus became embarrassed and gave an order to take the soldiers back to prison without shackles.

Seven days later, the reknown judge Licius arrived at Sebaste and held trial over the soldiers. The saints steadfastly answered: "Take not only our military insignia, but also our lives, since nothing is more precious to us than Christ God." Licius thereupon ordered the holy martyrs to be beaten with stones. But the stones flew past them entirely; and the stone thrown by Licius hit Agricolaus in the face. The torturers realised that the saints were guarded by some invisible force. In prison, the soldiers spent the night at prayer and again they heard the voice of the Lord comforting them: "Believing in Me, if anyone shalt die he shalt live. Be brave and fear not, since ye shall obtain crowns imperishable."

On the following day also the judge repeated the interrogation in front of the torturer, but the soldiers remained unyielding.

It was winter, and there was a strong frost. They lined up the holy soldiers, led them to a lake located not far from the city, and placed them under guard on the ice all night. In order to break the will of the martyrs, a warm bath-house was set up not far away on the shore. During the first hour of the night, when the cold had become unbearable, one of the soldiers could not hold out and made a dash for the bath-house, but barely had he stepped over the threshold, that he fell down dead. During the third hour of the night the Lord sent consolation to the martyrs: suddenly there was light, the ice melted away, and the water in the lake became warm. All the guards were asleep, except for one who kept watch by the name of Aglaios. Looking at the lake he saw, that over the head of each martyr there had appeared a radiant crown. Aglaios counted thirty-nine crowns and realised, that the soldier who fled had lost his crown. Aglaios thereupon woke up the other guards, discarded his uniform and said to them: "I too am a Christian," and he joined the martyrs. Standing in the water he prayed: "Lord God, I believe in Thee, in Whom these soldiers do believe. To them add me also, and esteem me worthy to suffer with Thy servants."

In the morning the torturers beheld with surprise that the martyrs were alive, and their guard Aglaios was glorifying Christ together with them. They then led the soldiers out of the water and broke their legs. At the time of this horrible execution the mother of the youngest of the soldiers, Meliton, pleaded with her son not to endure and suffer everything all the way to death. They put the bodies of the martyrs on a cart and committed them to fire. Young Meliton was still breathing, and they left him to lay on the ground. His mother then pulled up her son, and on her own shoulders she carried him behind the cart. When Meliton gasped out his last breath, his mother put him on the cart amidst the bodies of his fellow sufferers. The bodies of the saints were committed to fire, and they then threw the charred bones into the water, so that Christians would not gather them up.

Three days later the martyrs appeared in a dream to Blessed Peter, bishop of Sebaste, and commanded him to give their remains over to burial. The bishop together with several clergy gathered up the remains of the glorious martyrs by night and buried them with honour.

9 March - Saint Dominic Savio.

 The year 1950 saw the canonization of a twelve-year-old girl, Mary Goretti, as a martyr and the beatification of a fifteen-year-old boy, Dominic Savio, as a confessor. The Church has raised several child martyrs to her altars, but the case of Dominic Savio seems to be unique. He was canonized in 1954.

He was born at Riva in Piedmont in 1842, the son of a peasant, and grew up with the desire to be a priest. When Saint John Bosco began to make provision for training youths as clergy to help him in his work for neglected boys at Turin, Dominic's parish-priest recommended him. An interview took place, at which Don Bosco was most deeply impressed by the evidence of grace in the boy's soul, and in October 1854, when he was twelve, Dominic became a student at the Oratory of Saint Francis de Sales in Turin.

His own personality apart, Dominic was best remembered at the oratory for the group he organized there. It was called the Company of the Immaculate Conception, and besides its devotional objects it helped Don Bosco in his work by undertaking various necessary jobs, from sweeping the floors to taking special care of boys who for one reason or another were misfits. When the time came, in 1859, for Saint John Bosco to form the kernel of his now world-wide Salesian congregation, among the twenty-two present were all the original members of the Company of the Immaculate Conception; all, that is, except Dominic Savio: he had been called to the congregation of Heaven two years before.

Early on at the oratory Dominic prevented a brutal fight with stones between two boys by characteristically direct action. Holding up a little crucifix between them, "Before you fight," he said, "look at this, both of you, and say, 'Jesus Christ was sinless, and He died forgiving His executioners; I am a sinner, and I am going to outrage Him by being deliberately revengeful.' Then you can start - and throw your first stone at me." The rascals slunk away.

He was scrupulous in observing the discipline of the house, and some of the wilder spirits did not like it when he expected them to be equally scrupulous. They called him a sneak, and told him to "run and tell Don Bosco" - thereby showing how little they knew about Don Bosco, who would not tolerate tale-bearing. Likely enough Dominic laughed it off; for he was a ready laugher, and sometimes it got him into trouble with the masters. But if he was no tale-bearer he was a good story-teller, and that endeared him to his companions, especially the younger ones.

It was a specially happy dispensation of Providence that brought Dominic Savio under the care of so moderate and wise a man as Saint John Bosco: otherwise he might have developed into a young fanatic and spoiled himself by excess. Don Bosco insisted on cheerfulness, on careful attention to daily duties, on joining in the games, so that Dominic would say, "I can't do big things. But I want all I do, even the smallest thing, to be for the greater glory of God." "Religion must be about us like the air we breathe; but we must not weary the boys with too many devotions and observances and so forth," Don Bosco used to say. And, true to that spirit, he forbade Dominic to inflict the least bodily mortification upon himself without express permission. "For," he said, "the penance God wants is obedience. There is plenty to put up with cheerfully - heat, cold, sickness, the tiresome ways of other people. There is quite enough mortification for boys in school life itself." Nevertheless he found Dominic shivering in bed one cold night, with all the bed-clothes save one thin sheet thrown off. "Don't be so crazy," he said, "You'll get pneumonia." "Why should I?" replied Dominic. "Our Lord didn't get pneumonia in the stable at Bethlehem."

The most important source for the details of Dominic Savio's short life is the account written by Saint John Bosco himself. In writing it he was careful not to set down anything that he could not vouch for, and he was most particularly careful when dealing with the spiritual experiences that were accorded to this boy: such things as supernatural knowledge - of people in need, of their spiritual state, of the future. Or the occasion when Dominic was missing all the morning till after dinner. Don Bosco found him eventually in the choir of the church, standing in a cramped position by the lectern, rapt in prayer. He had been there for about six hours, yet thought that early Mass was not yet over. Dominic called these times of intense prayer "my distractions." They would sometimes overtake him at play: "It seems as though Heaven is opening just above me. I am afraid I may say or do something that will make the other boys laugh."

Saint John Bosco tells us that the needs of England had an important part in this boy's prayers; and he records "a strong distraction" in which Dominic saw a wide mist-shrouded plain, with a multitude of people groping about in it; to them came a pontifically-vested figure carrying a torch that lighted up the whole scene, and a voice seemed to say, "This torch is the Catholic faith which shall bring light to the English people." At Dominic's request Don Bosco told this to Pope Pius IX, who declared that it confirmed his resolution to give great care and attention to England.

Dominic's delicate health got worse and worse, and in February 1857 he was sent home to Mondonio for a change of air. His complaint was diagnosed as inflammation of the lungs, and according to the practice of the day he was bled, bled to excess. The treatment seems certainly to have hastened his end. He received the last sacraments, and on the evening of March 9 he asked his father to read the prayers for the dying. Towards the end of them he tried to sit up. "Good-bye, father," he murmured, "the priest told me something... But I can't remember what..." Suddenly his face lit up with a smile of intense joy, and he exclaimed, "I am seeing most wonderful things!" He did not speak again.

The cause of the beatification of Dominic Savio was begun in Rome in 1914. It met with some opposition on the ground of his extreme youth. Pope Pius X on the other hand regarded his age as a point in favour of beatification. This view eventually prevailed; but Dominic Savio was not beatified till 1950, sixteen years after the canonization of Don Bosco.

Books to feed your faith!

Vegetable-Loaded Potato Stew

Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 50 mins
Servings: 4
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients
3 ½ cups vegetable broth
3 cups (1-inch) potato chunks
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon dried oregano, or to taste
1 teaspoon dried parsley, or to taste
1 teaspoon dried cilantro, or to taste
½ teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
¼ cup finely chopped red bell pepper
¼ cup finely chopped white onion
¼ cup finely chopped leek
¼ cup finely chopped carrot
¼ cup finely chopped celery
4 garlic cloves, minced

Directions
1. Combine vegetable broth, potatoes, salt, oregano, parsley, cilantro, and pepper in a saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Bring to a boil; cook until potatoes start to soften, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in garlic.
4. Add red bell pepper, onion, leek, carrot, and celery; simmer until potatoes are very tender when pierced with a fork, about 10 minutes more.

Video sermons and instructions: Timeless timely truths for living the Faith

The 9th and 10th Commandment: Covetousness Lesson 16

How Do The Sins Of The Past Generation Affect The Next Generation?

 

Understanding Your Spiritual Heritage

recognizing the iniquities of your forefathers

Looking back to our parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents, we can often trace our physical features, strengths, and weaknesses through the family line. In the same way, we can observe character traits and spiritual influences that span the generations. A Godly heritage offers a sturdy foundation of virtue and faithfulness, but deeds such as anger, lust, and bitterness set destructive patterns that need to be recognized and overcome.

In the Biblical account of Abraham’s family, the iniquity of deception became a stronghold that affected the lives of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Jacob’s sons. (See Genesis 12:10–20, 20, 26:1–11, 27:1–40, 37:12–36.) On the other hand, the New Testament examples of Lois, Eunice, and Timothy demonstrate the richness of a heritage of faith. (See II Timothy 1:5.)

When we understand how our lives are influenced by our forefathers, we can respond appropriately to that influence. We should appreciate and celebrate the good that has been passed down through our families. Also, we should acknowledge the iniquities of our forefathers, repent of our own sins, and endeavor to overcome the tendencies toward specific sins that we have inherited. While we are not held responsible for the sins of our ancestors, we are susceptible to their areas of weakness and should be alert to these inclinations.

Identify Generational Iniquities

When God gave the Ten Commandments to the nation of Israel, He included this description of His character and ways: “. . . Thou shalt not adore them, nor serve them: I am the Lord thy God, mighty, jealous, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me: And shewing mercy unto thousands to them that love me, and keep my commandments.” (Exodus 20:5–6). God repeats this warning about generational iniquities in Exodus 34:6–7, Numbers 14:18, and Deuteronomy 5:9–10.

What we do matters to the next generation, because children have a natural tendency to imitate their parents. When parents do something that is wrong, their children are very likely to justify the same action. In fact, they often justify even more destructive attitudes and actions, going beyond what their parents deemed permissible.

The most vivid example of this influence is seen in Adam’s sin. Wherefore as by one man sin entered into this world, and by sin death; and so death passed upon all men, in whom all have sinned. (Romans 5:12). Because of Adam’s decision in the Garden of Eden to disobey God’s command, each person on earth has inherited a nature of rebellion against God.

An example of how our forefathers’ actions can influence us for good is found in the seventh chapter of Hebrews: “. . .Levi who received tithes, paid tithes in Abraham: For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedech met him.” (Hebrews 7:9–10). Although Levi was not born until many years after Abraham and Melchisedec met, he is credited with paying tithes because he was a physical part of Abraham when Abraham paid the tithes.

This concept rests at the heart of our inherited strengths and weaknesses. Because we are a physical part of our ancestors, we are deeply influenced by their decisions and the patterns of their lives. We can see this influence clearly in Abraham’s family.

Learn From the Testimony of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

Abraham is known as the Friend of God and the father of all them that believe. (See James 2:23 and Romans 4:11-16.) His responses of faith and obedience in the major decisions of his life pleased God. However, when Abraham went down to Egypt as a result of a famine, he adopted a deceptive practice.

And when he was near to enter into Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife: I know that thou art a beautiful woman: And that when the Egyptians shall see thee, they will say: She is his wife: and they will kill me, and keep thee. Say, therefore, I pray thee, that thou art my sister: that I may be well used for thee, and that my soul may live for thy sake. (Genesis 12:11–13).

Abraham’s deception put Sarah in moral jeopardy, and Pharaoh soundly rebuked Abraham when the lie was discovered. Years later, Abraham used this lie again when he and Sarah traveled in Gerar. (See Genesis 20.) In both situations, God moved to protect Sarah and others from the sin of adultery, but in the years to come the iniquity of deception played a significant role in the lives of Abraham’s descendants.

Abraham and Sarah’s son Isaac followed Abraham’s example and lied about the identity of his wife, Rebekah, when they traveled in Gerar: “And when he was asked by the men of that place, concerning his wife, he answered: She is my sister; for he was afraid to confess that she was his wife, thinking lest perhaps they would kill him because of her beauty.” (Genesis 26:7). When the Philistine king, Abimelech, discovered Isaac’s deception, he rebuked Isaac for exposing other men to the possible sin of adultery. (See Genesis 26:9–10.)

In the next generation, the lies were directed toward immediate family members. Rebekah and her son Jacob schemed to deceive Isaac into giving second born Jacob the firstborn blessing that rightfully belonged to Esau. Taking advantage of Isaac’s failing eyesight, Jacob deceived his own father: “Which when he had carried in, he said: My father? But he answered: I hear. Who art thou, my son? And Jacob said: I am Esau thy firstborn: I have done as thou didst command me: arise, sit, and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me.” (Genesis 27:18–19).

Decades later, Jacob’s sons deceived him concerning the welfare of his son, Joseph. The older brothers, jealous of Joseph’s favor with Jacob, sold Joseph as a slave: “And they took his coat, and dipped it in the blood of a kid, which they had killed: Sending some to carry it to their father, and to say: This we have found: see whether it be thy son's coat, or not. And the father acknowledging it, said: It is my son's coat, an evil wild beast hath eaten him, a beast hath devoured Joseph.” (Genesis 37:31–33). Not until years later did Jacob discover the truth of what had happened to Joseph. (See Genesis 45:26.)

In these examples, we can see how the iniquity of deception was taken up by one generation after another, deepening and becoming more desperate through the years.

Acknowledge the Sins of the Forefathers

Nehemiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, and others understood that God wanted them to agree with Him about the iniquities of their parents and purpose to not continue them. These men of God acknowledged the iniquities of their fathers when they confessed their sins:

• In the days when Nehemiah worked to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, Ezra the priest gathered the people together and read to them out of the Law of God. When they realized how far they had strayed from God’s commandments, they repented: “And the seed of the children of Israel separated themselves from every stranger: and they stood, and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.” (Nehemiah 9:2).

• When Jeremiah realized that God’s hand of judgment was upon the land of Judah, he acknowledged the iniquities of their forefathers. He prayed, “We acknowledge, O Lord, our wickedness, the iniquities of our fathers, because we have sinned against thee.” (Jeremiah 14:20).

• When Daniel discerned by the Scriptures that it was time for Israel to be restored to the land, he sought the Lord’s forgiveness through prayer and supplication, with fasting. He prayed, “O Lord, against all thy justice: let thy wrath and thy indignation be turned away, I beseech thee, from thy city Jerusalem, and from thy holy mountain. For by reason of our sins, and the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem, and thy people are a reproach to all that are round about us.” (Daniel 9:16).

Recognize Personal Responsibility

As we acknowledge the sins of our forefathers, we must also accept personal responsibility for our own sins. For example, a son cannot blame his father for his own sin, nor can a father blame his son. God will deal with each person on the merits of his own actions. “In those days they shall say no more: The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the teeth of the children are set on edge. But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that shall eat the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge.” (Jeremiah 31:29–30).

This truth brings clarification to God’s warnings about visiting iniquity on future generations, which Jeremiah repeats in the next chapter: “Thou shewest lovingkindness unto thousands, and returnest the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them: O most mighty, great, and powerful, the Lord of hosts is thy name. Great in counsel and incomprehensible in thought: whose eyes are open upon all the ways of the children of Adam, to render unto every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his devices.” (Jeremiah 32:18–19).

Generational iniquities follow the laws of the harvest: we reap what we sow, we reap where we sow, we reap more than we sow, and we reap in a different season than we sow.

“Be not deceived, God is not mocked. For what things a man shall sow, those also shall he reap. For he that soweth in his flesh, of the flesh also shall reap corruption. But he that soweth in the spirit, of the spirit shall reap life everlasting.” (Galatians 6:7–8).

Find Freedom in Jesus Christ

When we become aware of the sins of our forefathers, we should respond in the following ways:

• Acknowledge generational sins before God

• Repent of similar sins in our own lives

• Receive cleansing and forgiveness through Christ

• Submit to the Word of God as it relates to the areas of our inherited weaknesses

To repent of something does not mean merely to be sorry or remorseful but to turn away from it, to change, to go in the opposite direction. Understanding our forefathers’ sins provides insight for turning away from those specific attitudes and actions. We must study the Scriptures to learn how we can honor God in these areas. Often we may need to build boundaries in our lives to help protect us from the temptations that are common in our background (for example, temptations to drunkenness, gossip, theft, or immorality). As we set aside activities that present temptations in these areas, our tendency toward generational sin patterns will diminish.

The power to overcome generational sins comes only by Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul encourages us, “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh in its lust or concupiscences.” (Romans 13:14).

Jesus said: “Amen, amen I say unto you: that whosoever committeth sin, is the servant of sin. Now the servant abideth not in the house for ever; but the son abideth for ever. If therefore the son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.” (John 8:34–36).