TODAYS SCRIPTURE READINGS, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27 Scripture today: James 5: 1-6; Psalm 48; Mark 9: 41-50 Shroud of TurinJesus said to his disciples: I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward. And if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other. (Mark 9:41-50) REFLECTION ON SIN AND THE UNSEEN Sin and the unseen It is a pity that we do not have time in life to pursue so many fields of immense interest. When I was a child I was fascinated with astronomy, and in my present parish we have a Catholic secondary school with an impressive radio telescope. I wish I had the time to explore the heavens in a scientific sense. The vastness and variety of Fr. Tylerthe universe is simply astounding, wondrous beyond words. I suspect that one reason why some do not believe in God is that it boggles the imagination how one Being could create and sustain such a universe. Many assume that this universe is all that there is, and there is a constant search for possible life in our own and in other galaxies. Speculation has long been rife over unidentified flying objects, and claims have been made of the presence of other human-like creatures elsewhere. With due respect for those of an opposite opinion, my hunch is that there is no intelligent life elsewhere in the universe — meaning by this, persons with intellect, free will and conscience like ourselves. I strongly suspect that planet Earth is a unique jewel in the entire visible creation, and that there is no other planet with such an extraordinary set of circumstances so favourable to life and civilization. My suspicion is that our ever-changing universe is like a vast womb that has formed, protected, nourished and produces the stunning phenomenon that is our earthly home. The old idea that the earth was the centre of the universe has long been justifiably rejected. But in another sense, I believe that it is its true centre, in the sense that the “eye” of the universe is our own planet Earth. The Creator has formed our home and continues to do so, with an immense array of tools, and the powerful telescopes of the world peer out at his seemingly unending workshop. God has given to mankind an extraordinary, and perhaps unique, home. But — and this is my real point here — it is just a sign of what is to come, something far more awesome, beautiful and joy-filling. I refer to the unseen world existing now beyond our sight. I refer to Heaven, the realm of God and his angels and saints, and to Hell, the abode of the damned. The fact is that however captivating our universe is, and in particular planet Earth its heart and our home, it is not to be compared with the unseen world. In the unseen world there is, first and foremost, the great Being that transcends all else, visible and invisible. God! God — Father, Son and Spirit! From all eternity, the divine Being has lived in an unutterable embrace of happiness, joy and love — Father, Son and Spirit, each of whom is this one ineffable Being. The beauty and greatness of our world is a mere shadow of the beauty and infinity of the Creator, and our destiny is to see him face to face forever. There are so many who do now see him — first and foremost Jesus Christ our Brother and our God, but also his most holy mother and those who are in him, all the unseen Angels and Saints. The unseen world teems with holiness and joy, and is hard at work to ensure that all of us, God’s children who are blessed with the gift of this brief life on this extraordinary planet, will be received into his presence in the realm of the unseen. How terrible to miss out on this! This world is not all that there is, despite its extraordinary spectacle. It is a tragic mistake to think otherwise. The unseen world is far, far greater, greater beyond imagining, and it can be lost forever. There is the unseen Hell, a horrible thought and a horrible reality, dark, hate-filled, cavernous, populated with despicable beings that seek without respite to do harm to God and his interests. How terrible to fall into the depths of Hell and to spend one’s eternity in such a company. But this is the whole point of our sojourn on this beautiful scene which is ours — and as I have said, I suspect it is the most beautiful scene in the universe. We have been given a beautiful home, challenging and full of hazards, but beautiful nevertheless. But its point is to give us the opportunity of making a choice here and now. Do I wish to serve God, or do I wish to go my own way, as if I were myself a different god? I must serve him! As our Lord says in our Gospel today, “It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out” (Mark 9:41-50). The ultimate issues are clear and stark. Mankind’s future turns on the question of sin. If man sins, he is on the road to Hell. If he turns away from sin whatever be the cost, and if he keeps turning away from sin whenever he does sin, he is on the road to God and to Heaven. The greatest reality is unseen. It is more vast, more enduring, more dramatic, far more beautiful. Let us live in view of it, using our world in such a way that we attain our true homeland with God, for eventually this world as we see it will pass away to something new. Then God will be all in all. Let us renounce sin, then, and live for God. (E.J.Tyler) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Second reflection: On our image of God There are so many illusions and excuses that can lead us into sin, or that can delay our repentance. One passage from the Old Testament book of Sirach (5:1-10) gives us some of them. But one in particular is perhaps especially worth noticing, for it is one we in our day are prone to succumb to. It relates to our image of God. God has revealed himself to be a God of love and mercy. St Thomas Aquinas writes somewhere that God reveals or manifests his power in his mercy. Now, Cardinal Newman used to insist that we in our day are prone to think that God is merciful and compassionate in the sense that he will benevolently overlook sin. This is because we tend to think that sin does not matter much. This in turn may relate to the modern tendency to think that truth is relative, and that there is no such thing as ultimate and absolute truth. This tendency, the tendency of modern relativism, is something Pope Benedict XVI had been commenting on even before his election. Such assumptions affect our image of God and his holiness. That passage from Sirach tells us “Do not say, ‘His compassion is great, he will forgive my many sins’; for with Him are both mercy and wrath, and his rage bears heavy on sinners.” So let us not delay our repentance. We ought repent daily, making a full return to the Lord. (E.J.Tyler)
Posted on: Wed, 26 Feb 2014 13:52:48 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015