I was a bit
uncomfortable today as I continued my reflection on the Epistle of James [James
5:1-6], Psalm 49 [14-20] and Mark’s Gospel [Mark 9:41-50]. All
three readings are reminders of just how short life is and consideration of
what we do with what we have. The Gospel
continues with strong images driving home personal responsibility.
“Whoever causes one of these little ones
who believe to sin, it would be better for him if, with a heavy millstone
hung around his neck, he had been cast into the sea.” [Mark 9:42]
Jesus made
great efforts to heal sinners. He was
greatly criticized for His welcome to sinners.
He kindly healed them if they “sinned no more.”
But in this Gospel, He speaks with utmost severity about the horror and
the destructiveness of sin. “If
your hand causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life
crippled, than, having your two hands, to go into hell, into the unquenchable
fire” [Mark 9:43]
Humans don’t
determine what is or is not sin. That’s
been determined by God when He created us.
Sin is always highly venomous and destructive even when one might not be
guilty. The judgement of God will be
merciful when the person is ignorant, but terrible damage will be done. If one swallows poison and believes it will
cure him, he will still die. One of the
most dangerous things one can hear is “if you think it is OK. it is OK”.
In Scripture
some translations for sin are “iniquity” and “depravity”. It’s a perversity that is an objective
reality that doesn’t change. The whole world
has been terrified by Covid-19 for over 2 years now. Sin can do infinitely more damage to us than
any virus. It can destroy our loving
relationship with God which is our most beautiful gift from God.
“And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck
it out. Better for you to enter into the
Kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna, where
their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.”
[Mark 9:47]
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