The internet has many positive aspects. However, it also contains unethical and increasingly intrusive elements. This leads to a proliferation of temptations, including serious ones, creating a complex landscape, especially for young people.

There is, therefore, a clear and significant danger, since, from original sin, humankind is inclined toward evil. The light of the mind is somewhat dimmed, the will has lost its strength. Sometimes, people even come to find beauty in ugliness. We find it easy to fall into sin, even mortal sin. And, in fact, we see that many people sin, and that many commit grave sins. One only needs to look at the world to realize that it is not a flower of holiness, but something quite different.

In this situation, then, it is especially important to find a remedy for any failings that may have occurred. The sacrament of confession, therefore, is of paramount importance in our time, much more so than in so many other eras.

But the sacrament of forgiveness is not in vogue today. One reason it’s not in vogue is that many people either have no awareness of sin, or very little awareness of it. When sin is not valued, this sacrament is also undervalued.

The profound negativity of sin is not determined by how we ourselves perceive it, but by how God perceives it. A person consumed by sin may not even perceive a sin negatively, a sin that so attracts them. They are appreciating evil as good. But God sees things as they truly are.

Satan and his angels were created very beautiful, but they sinned very gravely and, as punishment, were thrown into hell, where they suffer very severe pains for all eternity.

Our first parents sinned and lost sanctifying grace, the preternatural gifts; death entered the world, along with painful illnesses, etc. Let us consider: after original sin, how many wars!, how many deaths!, how many tears!, how many terrible diseases has humanity suffered!

Because sin had become so widespread, God punished it with the universal flood, which brought so many deaths. Another example of punishment for sin is found in Sodom and Gomorrah.

Since heaven was closed because of original sin, Our Lord Jesus Christ, being both God and man, infinite love and infinite mercy, died on the cross, amidst great physical and moral suffering, for our salvation. So grave is sin that the God-Man died on the cross for the forgiveness of sins! When we commit mortal sins, we bear some responsibility for the crucifixion of Christ. What a pity!

It is a dogma of faith that whoever dies in mortal sin goes to hell, where they will suffer eternally great pains, forever, forever, forever! It is enough, therefore, to die with a single mortal sin to be condemned.

It so often happens that many people don’t see their own sins, not because they haven’t committed them, but because they are blind or very short-sighted. They have a blindfold over their eyes that prevents them from even realizing that they have committed many mortal sins, and that God has lovingly preserved them alive, instead of sending them to hell when they are already dying.

In countless souls there are countless sins, and even many mortal sins. Mortal sins are not just stealing a large sum of money or killing. Rather, whenever there is grave matter, full awareness, and full consent, there is mortal sin. So many things involve grave matter! So many things are mortal sins!

Every venial sin is an offense against God. For example, even the smallest lie is an offense. The reason is clear: God, who is Truth, and who created us to live according to truth, to be holy, cannot fail to be offended by this transgression against the truth. Now, an offense is all the more serious the greater the dignity of the person offended. It is not the same for two children to slap each other as it is for them to slap the Holy Father. Ascending the scale of creatures, both real and potential—that is, ascending the entire scale of finite perfections—an offense against any of them will always be less than an offense against God, for God possesses infinite greatness. Consequently, even any venial sin, since it is still an offense against God, is something very bad.

We must, therefore, take sin seriously, especially mortal sin, but also venial sin. Seeing it through God’s eyes, and not through our own flawed perspective, helps us realize how truly evil sin is, since it deserves such profound punishment. It is worthwhile to think about it, meditate on it, pray about it, ponder it, and allow this great truth to penetrate deeply into our hearts! Let us consider it calmly and with sufficient time to fully grasp it, and let us continue until we are thoroughly immersed in it, within our hearts, with affections, insights, inspirations, desires, and resolutions regarding it!

This supernatural vision, in turn, helps us appreciate the greatness of confession, its salvific power. In Advent, as in Lent, the importance of confession will be reminded throughout the world. Especially when we have fallen into mortal sin, it is important to seek confession soon; it is not worth risking going to hell when the goal is to live in a way that leads us to heaven.

In short, all of life is an opportunity to embrace God’s infinite mercy. And thus, to avoid suffering the just and eternal punishment of divine justice in the next life. It is wonderful to be able to confess, to take refuge in God’s merciful and saving hand, offered to us in this thousand times blessed sacrament of confession. A God who forgives is a marvel! Thank you so much, my God, for such a wonderful sacrament! Let us take advantage of this great opportunity!