Seeds of Truth Ministries

Joseph Hollcraft

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The Son Becomes the Father and the Father Becomes the Son

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Sin (Like a Virus)

World War Z, staring Brad Pitt, is an apocalyptic horror film that is centered around a human virus that spreads through bites, which changes the chemistry of the brain and transforms humans into creatures (zombies) that behave like rabid animals. In the movie, panic spreads and whole countries go into hiding fearing death, and something worse—the shame of being transformed in seconds into something less than human.

And isn’t that interesting? In the plot of World War Z, and most any zombie movie, human beings would rather die than be turned into a monster.

At the conclusion of my latest viewing of World War Z, it dawned on me that sin is like a virus. Sin leads us to be less than who we are, and in grave matter, leads to monster-like behavior. The sin of addiction changes the chemistry of the brain and transforms human behavior. In fact, the characteristics of a virus are eerily like sin.

     * Viruses are clever, they don’t die. If they are without a host, they go dormant until the right conditions come along so they   can grow and multiply.

          * Satan, the advocate of our sinful nature, is aware of our errant addictions. If we fail to address such dependencies and obsessions, no matter how dormant they appear, they will come back to haunt us.

     * A virus is a tiny microbe that you can only see with a microscope.

          * Venial sin is subtle: an attachment to a worldly pleasure, the welcoming of a bit of anger, a dash of ego—these are all microbes that can easily grow and fester into mortal sin—the grave matter that leads to spiritual death.

     *Viruses need a host to survive. They spread rapidly and do a lot of damage to the host, destroying cells and causing diseases, which leads to physical death.

          *Once we commit a sin, if it goes unchecked, it spreads rapidly. It damages our behavior, destroys relationship and leads to spiritual death.

In the end, a virus is a virus. You can call it something other than what it is, but it does not change what it is or what it can do to you. Equally, a sin is a sin. You can call it something other than what it is, but it does not change what it is or what it can do to you.

Since my latest viewing of World War Z, I cannot get the question out of my head: what if we had the same aversion to sin as the characters in World War Z had to the virus?  Sin “is failure in genuine love for God and neighbor caused by a perverse attachment to certain goods” (CCC 1849). To paraphrase Saint Augustine, sin is the desire for things contrary to God. Sin, in its worst form, intoxicates right reason and turn us into monsters.

In World War Z, humanity was saved because Gerry Lane, the character played by Brad Pitt, made himself sick to repel the zombies (the zombies instinctually knew not to bite infected hosts). Gerry lane passed through the shadow of death for the world and found a cure for the monster-like behavior. The world would have its antidote because the heroism of one man. There is another antidote and another cure, because there is the another here—the greatest hero, Christ!

Christ conquered sin and death and He gives us an antidote to sin in the sacrament of Confession. As John the Evangelist reminds us: “If we confess our sins, he will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 Jn 1:9). Let us be “cleansed” from the virus of sin and live pure and untainted lives. And as we do, let us pray the words of the psalmist with confidence: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4).

View Dr. Hollcraft's author profile on Amazon
Unleashing the Power of Intercessory Prayer - Book Cover

“Hollcraft's book engagingly integrates his personal experience with the luminous witness of Scripture and the overflowing holiness of the saints to help you maximize the effectiveness of your intercessory prayer.”
Bishop Liam Cary
Diocese of Baker, Oregon

“With this book, Hollcraft opens the door to the humble act of praying for others and invites us, through practical and accessible tips, to step through that door with trust.”
Dr. Anthony Lilles
Author and Academic Dean of Saint Patrick's Seminary, Menlo Park (CA)

"As I read through these pages, I am reminded of our beautiful calling to pray for others, and Dr. Hollcraft explains here how to do so in deepest intimacy with Jesus Christ!"
Fr. Dave Pivonka T.O.R.
President of Franciscan University of Steubenville

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A Heart for Evangelizing - Book Cover

“Evangelization is never about numbers, and never about programs. It’s one heart setting another on fire. With this book, Dr. Hollcraft helps us keep the home fires burning—even as we set the world ablaze with Christ.”
Mike Aquilina
Award-winning author of more than 40 popular books

“Hollcraft wonderfully displays the tapestry of Catholic life and evangelization by weaving solid Catholic teaching, its application to the modern world, and clearly expressed examples that bring out the light and shadows of this beautiful picture.”
Fr. Mitch Pacwa, S.J.
Author, television host, Senior Fellow of the St. Paul Center
for Biblical Theology

"In a world of burgeoning textbooks and media, the reminder that  catechesis is inescapably a personal task to which we are all called, through a cooperation with the redeeming and educative work of the Person of the Holy Trinity, is a timely and important one."
Dr. Petroc Willey
Professor of Catechetics, Franciscan University of Steubenville

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