Daily Retreat 09/05/09
2009 Sep 5 Sat:Ordinary Weekday/ BVM
Col 1:21-23/ Ps 53(54):3-4. 6 and 8/ Lk 6:1-5
From today’s readings:“God has now reconciled you in the fleshly Body of Christ through His death.... God Himself is my help.... The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.... ”
Haunted by the Past?
Despair is a subtle but deadly weapon in the Devil’s backup arsenal. Even after, through God’s grace, completely turning away from evil deeds, people are often haunted by memories of the past, and can be led to discouragement and despair because of the weight of sins committed long ago.
Christ’s antidote to despair does not work by blithely dismissing or mitigating the seriousness of past sins. In fact, Scripture somberly insists on the gravity of all sin – as Paul puts it, “You once were alienated and hostile in mind because of evil deeds!” Remember, if sin were no big deal, then Christ’s redemption would be no big deal.
But since sin is something sinister, then Christ’s conquest of sin is something stupendous! Paul asserts that Christ’s victory is so complete, that, in spite of the hideousness of past sin, “God has now reconciled you in the fleshly Body of Christ through His death, to present you holy, without blemish, and irreproachable before Him....”
Since Christ so overcomes sin that He now presents us to God as “holy, without blemish,” then there’s no reason to be haunted by the past - despair is always caused by lack of faith and understanding of the completeness of Christ’s victory over sin. So, “persevere in the faith, firmly grounded, stable, and not shifting from the hope of the Gospel that you heard!”
Col 1:21-23/ Ps 53(54):3-4. 6 and 8/ Lk 6:1-5
From today’s readings:“God has now reconciled you in the fleshly Body of Christ through His death.... God Himself is my help.... The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.... ”
Haunted by the Past?
Despair is a subtle but deadly weapon in the Devil’s backup arsenal. Even after, through God’s grace, completely turning away from evil deeds, people are often haunted by memories of the past, and can be led to discouragement and despair because of the weight of sins committed long ago.
Christ’s antidote to despair does not work by blithely dismissing or mitigating the seriousness of past sins. In fact, Scripture somberly insists on the gravity of all sin – as Paul puts it, “You once were alienated and hostile in mind because of evil deeds!” Remember, if sin were no big deal, then Christ’s redemption would be no big deal.
But since sin is something sinister, then Christ’s conquest of sin is something stupendous! Paul asserts that Christ’s victory is so complete, that, in spite of the hideousness of past sin, “God has now reconciled you in the fleshly Body of Christ through His death, to present you holy, without blemish, and irreproachable before Him....”
Since Christ so overcomes sin that He now presents us to God as “holy, without blemish,” then there’s no reason to be haunted by the past - despair is always caused by lack of faith and understanding of the completeness of Christ’s victory over sin. So, “persevere in the faith, firmly grounded, stable, and not shifting from the hope of the Gospel that you heard!”
posted by FrPitstick | 9/03/2009
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