Daily Retreat 10/25/07
2007 Oct 25 Thu
Rom 6: 19-23/ Ps 1: 1-2. 3. 4 and 6/ Lk 12: 49-53
From today’s readings: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.... Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.... I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!”
The wages of sin
What do you get from sin? Death. Original sin brought death to man, and every sin since then has contributed not just to death of the body, but even at times the death of the divine life of grace. However, the gift of God, through Christ Jesus, is eternal life. When it’s put that clearly, as Paul does, why would anyone choose sin and death?
We must give the Devil his due - somehow, he makes sin and death so tempting! The weakness of our nature makes us fall time and time again for his ruse of making forbidden fruit seem so sweet. If we can learn to stay away from foods that make us physically sick, then shouldn’t we be able to stay away from “forbidden fruit” which makes us spiritually sick?
Maybe one way to learn is think along the lines suggested by St. Paul and the first psalm: what profit do we get from being faithful and embracing righteousness? What profit do we get from sinful choices? It’s not just a matter of life and death, it’s a matter of eternal life and eternal death!
Rom 6: 19-23/ Ps 1: 1-2. 3. 4 and 6/ Lk 12: 49-53
From today’s readings: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.... Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.... I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!”
The wages of sin
What do you get from sin? Death. Original sin brought death to man, and every sin since then has contributed not just to death of the body, but even at times the death of the divine life of grace. However, the gift of God, through Christ Jesus, is eternal life. When it’s put that clearly, as Paul does, why would anyone choose sin and death?
We must give the Devil his due - somehow, he makes sin and death so tempting! The weakness of our nature makes us fall time and time again for his ruse of making forbidden fruit seem so sweet. If we can learn to stay away from foods that make us physically sick, then shouldn’t we be able to stay away from “forbidden fruit” which makes us spiritually sick?
Maybe one way to learn is think along the lines suggested by St. Paul and the first psalm: what profit do we get from being faithful and embracing righteousness? What profit do we get from sinful choices? It’s not just a matter of life and death, it’s a matter of eternal life and eternal death!
posted by FrPitstick | 10/24/2007
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