We’re going to do this as a reflective exercise right now. We are going to describe nine deadly sins one by one, and as we do, we invite you to listen prayerfully. Notice if you have any affective response within you as we highlight the deadly sins. Do not focus simply on the one deadly sin that might correspond with your personality type. Listen openly to all of them. You might be surprised at which ones feel highlighted in your spirit today. We encourage you to approach this exercise with curiosity rather than condemnation. The Holy Spirit may convict, but he does not condemn. We approach this exercise with humility, praying:

“Lord, help us to see what you want us to see. Let your radiant light shine and to expose what is hidden. Sanctify us from any of the deadly sins within. Speak, Lord, your servants are listening. Amen.”

ONE - The deadly sin of ONE is anger. When we say anger, we don’t simply mean struggling with a short-temper or with bouts of rage, but possessing an underlying and chronic impatience and discontentment that things are not as we think they should or could be. We feel irritation anytime there’s a gap between the way things should be and what is. Bound up by shoulds and oughts, we struggle to accept the way things are right now. We feel things should be better than they are right now, and they should have been better yesterday.

TWO - The deadly sin of TWO is pride. When we say pride, we are not necessarily talking about boasting and arrogance. In fact, the deadly sin of TWO can seem meek and modest in appearance, and masquerade as false humility. It is rooted by a strong sense of self-importance. It says, “I’M needed. I’m the one who can help.” We serve and perform loving acts towards others with the expectation that others will appreciate and love us in return. We are hurt and angry when our service and care are taken for granted or go unnoticed. 

THREE - The deadly sin of THREE is deceit, sometimes also called vainglory. When we say deceit, we don’t necessarily mean overt trickery and lying. It is an inordinate preoccupation with looking good and impressive before others. Often self-conscious, we expend large amounts of energy into managing our image and reputation. We’re sensitive to criticism and crave people’s approval and admiration. We believe, consciously or unconsciously, that our worth is tied to what we do and what we can accomplish. 

FOUR - The deadly sin of FOUR is envy. By envy, we are not simply talking about coveting what others possess. The deadly sin of FOUR is also sometimes called self-pity or sadness. It can stem from a deeply held belief that we are deprived, we are unseen, we are victims. It asks, “why are others seen, but I am unseen?” “Why are others loved and cherished, but I am unloved and abandoned?” We fixate on how we’ve been hurt and wounded, perhaps even amplifying and exaggerating them, hoping that alas, someone will notice us and validate our experience and our feelings. 

FIVE - The deadly sin of FIVE is greed or avarice. By greed, we don’t necessarily mean the need to get more and more of the things we want and like. At a deeper level, it’s the compulsion to hoard and conserve resources for ourselves because we believe and fear that we don’t have enough. It operates from a chronic sense and the fear of scarcity. We summon the best of our cognitive and problem-solving faculties to acquire answers and figure out solutions that will protect us from the ill-effects of not having enough of what we need. 

SIX - The deadly sin of SIX is fear. By fear, we are not simply talking about timidity or feeling scared of bad things or of bad things happening to us. It is the pervasive sense that disaster looms. We interpret present conditions through the lens of our worst-case scenarios. We possess an excessive, and at times even obsessive drive to control and organize our lives in such a manner that we can prevent our worst-case scenarios from happening to us or to those we care about. 

SEVEN - The deadly sin of SEVEN is gluttony. By gluttony, we don’t simply mean overeating or overindulgence in earthly pleasures. It can be a disordered attachment to any number of positive things: good experiences, purposeful projects, positive vibes, or pleasures. We become unhealthily attached and addicted to these things because we rely on them to distract us and to keep us at arms length from what we fear most, namely, pain and loss, sorrow and suffering.

EIGHT - The deadly sin of EIGHT is lust. By lust, we are not simply meaning untamed sexual desire, but the lust for power. It stems from the need to be strong and powerful, competent and capable, invulnerable and invincible. We become consumed with being strong. We want to be the strongest person in the room. The lust for power makes us insensitive and unmerciful towards the weak and incapable, and makes us competitive, even combative against those who might challenge us or seek to overpower us.

NINE - The deadly sin of NINE is sloth. By sloth, we are not simply talking about laziness, but having such a strong need for ease and comfort that it overrides our sense of meaning and purpose for living. We give up our voice and abdicate our inner authority, because retaining them could lead to conflict and trouble. We find it easier to not care about things than to deal with the consequences of caring too much. And when we stop caring, we sacrifice our sense of agency and autonomy in life.

Nine deadly sins. We are vulnerable to any and all of them. * What is standing out to you right now? * Which of the deadly sins represents areas of temptation for you right now? 

For the next few moments, have some conversation with God about what’s grabbing your attention. We will play some background music as you reflect and pray.