“Through one man sin entered the world, and through sin, death, and thus death came to all men, inasmuch as all sinned” (Romans 5:12).

I know, not exactly the cheeriest topic for a Wednesday evening or Thursday morning. Also, a topic if someone is listening to the readings at Mass will pull at their ears. I have heard more than once people ask, “How come we must suffer because of the sin of Adam?”

That is how God made us. He made us not only for communion and unity, but we are also interconnected. He created us out of the outpouring of his love. For love to be authentic there needs to be available the freedom to reject the love that is offered. What one person does for good or for ill affects us all.

Sin is a free and conscious choice to go against the will of God, to reject God and his love for us, to put ourselves, anyone, or anything before God. Instead of seeking God’s invitation of an expansive unity, sin is the caving in upon oneself. We all sin and fall short of the glory that God seeks for us.

The good news is that the opening verse of today’s first reading from Paul’s letter to the Romans does not have the final say. Paul continues: “For just as through the disobedience of one man the many were made sinners, so, through the obedience of the one the many will be made righteous” (Romans 5:19).

Jesus is the one who through his obedience to the Father, will help us to make us righteous, will set all things right, will heal what has been wounded, and restore what has been lost. Let us continue to trust in Jesus and the greater good that he is bringing about through any of the struggles or challenges that we may be facing. Continue to resist reacting in kind or being dragged into the mud when there are those who do not respect or challenge us, and instead ask Jesus for the clarity to discern, the strength to endure, and the will to continue to persevere in prayer.

Photo: Jesus shines in our darkness and reveals to us our sin. Central courtyard, St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary, Boynton Beach, FL.

Link for the Mass readings for Tuesday, October 24, 2023