The Taint of Sin is a Taste of Hell

Posted on July 5, 2025 by Father Joe

When we compromise with sin or fail to acknowledge its damaging gravity over us, we are not simply tempting fate but attempting to spurn the providence of God. We are literally daring God to save us despite ourselves. This makes us kindred spirits with Judas who likely thought that a forced confrontation would speed the messianic confrontation with the Romans and a corrupt Jewish leadership. Given his close association with Jesus, it is unlikely that he acted purely from greed. He despairs when he realizes that he has been an agent for Satan in getting his master tortured and murdered. Lacking supernatural faith, he finds himself alienated from the other apostles and stripped of hope. The throngs he expected to rise as an army of the righteous proclaiming their hosannas, shouted “crucify him” instead. If the devil could not claim Jesus, and even has Peter stolen from his grasp, then he will at least claim this one traitor as his own. Indeed, all who sin and fail to repent before death overtakes them, share in the stamp of traitor that is pressed upon their souls. While those who have never known baptism and faith might know hell because of ignorance; Judas was probably the first but not the last to betray our Lord as one who had belonged to his grouping of friends. Indeed, while there is arguably a most terrible circle of hell for renegade Christians, Judas stands as a warning to the Church that even bishops and priests can suffer damnation.

Why would we play games and take chances? Too many are among the walking dead, perpetually working and playing in mortal sin. Failing to go to confession and to receive absolution, they have allowed the spirit of Satan to enter them. Indeed, akin to Judas at the Last Supper, they attend Mass and receive the Eucharist— blasphemies on top of blasphemies. Their priests like Christ could immediately steal them from Satan and return them to the good graces of God if only they would go to confession. But too many will not submit to God’s ministers of mercy or admit to one another or even to themselves, the terrible truth. They have broken their friendship with God. They already have one foot in hell. The longer this situation lasts, the more comfortable they become with sin. They can still be saved but it is increasingly unlikely. Indeed, many will no longer change their hellish trajectory even if they could.

Proof of this is evidenced when trying to turn someone around. They get angry when anyone challenges their hypocrisy. “Leave me alone! Who are you to tell me about my business! I haven’t hurt anyone! You talk like I’ve killed someone! I know people a lot worse than me!”