By JACK STEVIC
Special to the Star
While leafing through my files of interesting subjects submitted to the VMS, I found an article written by Bishop Reymondo Pena dated Feb. 9, 2008, printed on the Faith page titled, “Greed: everything we own, owns us.”
He carefully outlined the subject, “Root causes of our moral transgressions. These are traditionally called the seven capital sins: Pride, Anger, Lust, Greed, Gluttony, Envy, and Sloth”.
With all due respect to Bishop Pena, may I suggest that a transcription of Biblical teaching need not be leaning only to the negative side.
Jesus’ favorite method of teaching was through the narration of parables and instruction more of, “how to” and less of, “how not to.”
Possibly these seven words after being repeated a multitude of times by word of mouth and through a multitude of translations may have been assumed to be categorized as sins.
Regardless of origin, should we consider that these words might be less of an admonishment but also more as lessons to live by?
May we imagine Jesus, standing on the high ground, speaking to His followers about an instruction that He titled:
Seven Lessons for Fulfillment in Life
PRIDE
Have pride in your self and your accomplishments. Make those around you aware of your confidence to be as you are among them.
ANGER
Have enough anger to aid in changing the inequalities and destructive actions of others, otherwise you will be lethargic, and do nothing.
LUST
Have passionate lust for education and diligently work to your individual ability’, otherwise you will not be qualified to educate or provide your own contribution to humanity.
GREED
Have an intense desire to accumulate those things that make you comfortable, and a little more, to aid those around you who have less, otherwise you become the receiver and not the provider.
GLUTTONY
Always maintain a strong desire to provide a continuing attitude of faith in your associations with others and their actions. Constantly build on your own beliefs.
ENVY
There will always be those that have more or less than you. Envy those who are more accomplished than you so that you will strive to have a similar talent, thereby building upon your own accomplishments in society.
SLOTH
All things are not perfect in this world. Strive to help improve those things that have fallen into disrepair, you will experience a true sensation of satisfaction that you will have done all that you can.
Keep in mind, the problem of doing nothing is that you will never know when you are finished.
Jack Stevic is a Harlingen resident.
