When Jesus was asked by the Pharisees which was the greatest Commandment of all, Jesus, knowing that they were trying to trap Him, answered, 'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind’. This is the 1st and greatest Commandment, and the 2nd is like the 1st “You must love your neighbor as yourself”.

Therefore, is it not the responsibility of every ordained priest to teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ? And so, does not teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ include teaching the both the 1st and 2nd Commandment?

For the past 20 years, as a member of 4 different parish churches, I have not heard one sermon on the evil of sin. Sermons are always on the Second Commandment of Christ, to love thy neighbor, to be charitable, to be kind, and to be helpful, all good and wonderful Christian works, but none of these works will help get any of us into heaven if our lives of sin remain the same.

We never seem to hear homilies that preach about sin. Does sin no longer exist? Have we forgotten that abortion kills more than 500,000 unborn babies a year in the United States alone? What about same-sex marriage, co-habitation, and, perhaps in my opinion the worse sin of all, receiving the Lord’s Body and Blood while knowing full well that we are not in a state of grace. Perhaps, in fairness, there could be many members of the Congregation that may not be aware of St. Paul’s warning in 1 Cor. 11:27-29 but most certainly every ordained priest is aware of it.

Bro. Ignatius, I have asked myself where most of the blame for the drastic decline in moral religious decay in America should be placed. Should it rest solely upon the shoulders of parents, or perhaps, even upon their parents? The answer of course is yes, but I think proportionately at best. If the evil of sin is not being preached by our Priest’ during the Sunday homily, then how are we to be reminded of the importance of repentance for sins committed.

Did not Jesus give us the Sacrament of Reconciliation for this purpose alone?

Homilies are now regularly being preached based upon Christ’ Second Commandment to “Love your neighbor”, and although it is true, and that we, as children of God, all of should do. We should never forget that this Commandment, although like the 1st, is like it, it is not greater than it.

And so, in order to honor and obey God’s 1st Commandment, we must also obey His other 9 Commandments. God’s other 9 Commandments all address the evil of sin.

Most of the blame for the decline in morality does rest upon us, personally and individually. God did give us free will and free choice, and we certainly do know right from wrong. However, I do believe that a large portion of the blame must rest upon our Priest’s who have chosen, using their free will and free choice, not to preach about the evil of sin.

Bro. Ignatius, all one has to do is look around and see for oneself. Free expression now controls just about all forms of life. We have lifestyles that now permit, as well as accept, not only heterosexual but homosexual lifestyles as well. Marriage is now looked upon as a secondary event, an expensive party, perhaps the follow up to a two or three year living arrangement. More than half the country now supports a mother’s right to murder her unborn child. Sin now flourishes completely uncontrolled, and will remain this way until the Church takes a stand and begins, once again, to preach on “The Evil of Sin”.

I am one of God’s children deeply in need of your help. My faith is at a crossroad, please help me.

God bless you,

John