Sin: Destroyer of States and of Men

     Neither Sparta nor Athens were destroyed by external enemies. Through seemingly divergent means, both poleis protected and advanced the same end: the liberty of the individual citizen. Eventually, however, private individuals, greedy for their own license and with contempt for the rights of the citizenry, since citizens were simultaneously means to their accumulation of wealth and power and obstructions to their drive, turned the governments of Athens and Sparta away from working for the good of their respective citizenry towards the oppressing of the majority for their individual gain. Once firmly under the sway of these greedy few neither state could muster enough resources to arrest, then reverse, the festering corruption within their politics, schools, militaries, cultures, and religions. The greedy few were always present to block reforms. In Sparta, for example, "by the mid-5th century, land had become concentrated in the hands of a tiny elite, and the notion that all Spartan citizens were equals had become an empty pretense. By Aristotle's day (384–322 BC) citizenship had been reduced from 9,000 to less than 1,000, then further decreased to 700 at the accession of Agis IV in 244 BC" ("Economy," Sparta, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sparta). Finally, both poleis collapsed and were assumed into foreign empires, where they further devolved into obscurity and insignificance.

     The above does not relate something which is historically unique. No. This obvious process plays out time and again in history. Yet, as obvious as this is, the greedy few continue to corrupt democracies for their benefit. That their greed is allowed to overwhelm and destroy democracies is not the fault of democracy or capitalism or any of the associated virtues or shortcomings commonly associated with these. The fault lies with a complacent and cowardly populace, who, wishing to pursue their own greed, hide behind the monstrous greed of the few and ignore the resulting corruption. In essence, then, sin destroys democracies and ruins capitalism. Sin, working in and through the lives of individuals, and nothing else.

     How are your sins destroying your life? While it may be too late to stop the corruption and collapse of our democracy, each of us has a sufficient amount of time to eradicate sin from his life and to reverse the corruption of his soul. Go to confession. Attend the Divine Liturgy as often as possible. Deepen your relationship with Jesus Christ and His Father through prayer and the study of Sacred Scripture. Start right now. Pray the following Act of Contrition:

✠  O, my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee. I detest all of my sins, because I dread the loss of Heaven and the pains of Hell, but, most of all, because they offend Thee, my God, who art all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve with the help of Thy Grace to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life.  ✠

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