Death, suffering, and sin, Oh my!

If you are still reading… The topics of the past three days have not been the most pleasant and often as Catholics, we have been accused of being too preoccupied with these three. It is not that we are morbid, masochistic, or feel we are doomed. Quite the opposite!

If we fully understand our faith and put it into practice, we are seeking to be free not only from sin and suffering but even death! As St. Paul shares in today’s first reading:

“This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Of these I am the foremost” (I Timothy 1:15).

Jesus came to free us from our sin, alleviate our suffering, and he conquered death that we may experience eternal life with God. The problem comes when we resist or reject his invitation. We may choose to hold onto our sinful practices possibly because of attachment, fear, comfort, unwillingness to grow, and/or listening to the lies of the enemy.

Jesus won’t force us. He is gentle as he lights the way. We just need to be willing to choose him and let go of our false selves, our sinful natures, and walk with him. Each step we take with and each yes we say to Jesus’ invitation, no matter how small, our old self will begin to fall away, and the love of God will rise within us.

As we are willing to stand up against the lies of the enemy, be aware of, and renounce our sins, surrender more to the will of Jesus instead of our own, our new selves will align with the first born of the new creation, Jesus the Christ, who came to free us from our sin, alleviate our suffering, and lead us into and beyond death into eternal life with him and his Father to experience the love of the Holy Spirit for all eternity.

Photo: Afternoon walk at St. Vincent De Paul Regional Seminary. Jesus and Mary will lead us through any storm within and without!

Link for the Mass readings for Saturday, September 16, 2023