Near Occasion of Sin or Near Occasion of Grace? You Decide.

Rachel Watkins comes across another Catholic truth that she thinks she knows. Does she? What is a near occasion of sin, anyway?

No human being knows everything about everything. We might even say no one even knows everything about something. In talking to smartest person in any discipline, field of study or academic setting they will, if they are honest, admit this truth. They will talk about facts of the subject that they have forgotten, details they never fully investigated and so on. This truth should offend no one. None of us are perfect and none of us have perfect memories. 

Only a prideful person would claim they know it all. Within our own faith we know this truth. 

There are also many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written. (John 21:25)

This truth came to mind at a recent homily I heard where the priest used the phrase “near occasion of sin” before moving on to the real point of his homily, which I will get to in a moment. 

I sat there hearing that phrase, which I had heard before, and realized I had no idea what it actually meant. I could make the joke that I am an antique cradle Catholic as my family on both sides have been Catholic for generations and centuries. I’m the product of Catholic grade school and Catholic college. My high-school years were spent in the public high school only because it was the only high school my small town had. 

There is so much Catholic stuff I just know but don’t know how I know it or where I learned it. On the other hand, there is so much more Catholic stuff I think I know but I don’t. And this was one of those times. I knew the phrase "near occasion of sin" but didn’t know what it exactly meant. I left Mass that day on a mission and used the wealth of the internet to teach me.

A near occasion of sin as defined by Servant of God Father John Hardon, S.J. is as follows: 

Any person, place, or thing that of its nature or because of human frailty can lead one to do wrong, thereby committing sin. If the danger is certain and probable, the occasion is proximate; if the danger is slight, the occasion becomes remote. CatholicCulture.org

A near occasion of sin is anything, anyone or any place that might lead you to sin. And he means anything! An example of this might be an outing to the mall. If you struggle with envy and overspending taking a break to walk the mall might lead you to pulling out the credit card again despite your desire towards self-control. in this case, a walk around a park where the temptation to spend isn’t possible is a better choice. 

Malls are not inherently evil, but they can often be places where temptations are too hard for you to overcome. For someone else it might be hanging out with friends whose language or sense of humor are far from holy or too much time on a device.

Each of us have a cross to carry and temptations we fight, so I’ll leave you to give yourself other examples. Regardless of what you are fighting the help is the same: Eliminate, or avoid, those occasions as much as possible. An occasion of sin is not a sin if you do not act on it but let’s not put ourselves in harm’s way. Another common phrase comes to mind, “Don’t play with fire; you might get burned.”

Finding Near Occasions of Grace 

Now back to the point of the homily I heard, Father presented a new phrase, “near occasions of grace” as part of the battle. The entire point of his homily is that while we all are trying to discover and eliminate our sins and our near occasions of sin we can be helped by looking to replace those with near and real occasions of grace. 

Examples of this might include changing where you go get a cup of coffee because the atmosphere of your regular place often leads you toward gossip with the regulars. A new attitude toward breaking that sin is supported by a new location. 

Back when television sets were not as big as a wall, I knew a few families who covered their TVs with a piece of material and a picture of the Holy Family. They did enjoy watching movies and shows together, and this was a visible reminder that they would choose their entertainment with them in mind. 

These near occasions of grace is why having crucifixes and pictures of saints scattered around your home is so helpful. As you walk by and see them, you can remember to pray for strength or just say hello. You might even decide to investigate iconography and the rich history of praying with icons. 

I know the Jesus stickers on my college kids’ water bottles and computers have helped them remember to whom they belong. Even better, they have shared that other people’s comments on these have led to conversations, even some tough ones, but also an opening to invite people to go the Newman Center with them. 

What near occasions of grace are in your own home? Verses taped to the bathroom mirror, an image of a favorite saint as you open your phone, tablet, or computer? Maybe even harder decisions such as cancelling cable or removing TVs from bedrooms might be necessary.

Where to Start?

Think about that laundry list of sins you bring to every regular Confession. Do you become a rage monster when you drive? You may have to leave earlier for every destination so you aren’t prone to speeding because you are worried about being late. A Saint Benedict medal hanging in your car might be a good reminder as well. 

Swear jars were once a thing; you would put in a quarter or a dollar with every infraction, but as no one has cash any longer, you can get creative. Use colored chips or marbles, or maybe paint some pebbles different colors. You can even use IOUs. The guilty parties put their token in with every utterance, and at the end of the month the highest contributor is buying the ice cream. 

This positive spin on the reality of catching us before we sin is also a big motivator for little ones. If you find yourself always nagging kids to do their chores, you can remind them of how great it is when they are such a good helper before they even start, rather than calling lazy when they fall. Calling our children and ourselves to virtue well ahead of the vice goes a long way in keeping the vice from even appearing. 

Finding ways to bring more near occasions for grace to yourself and into your home is also making you a more active part of your path to holiness. Sin doesn’t just happen to us, it isn’t a mistake it is "an utterance, a deed, or a desire contrary to the eternal law” (Catechism 1849). It is powerful to realize that we can help ourselves by choosing actions that reinforce eternal law.

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Copyright 2026 Rachel Watkins
Images: (top, bottom) iStockPhoto.com, licensed for use by Holy Cross Family Ministries; (center) Canva