Mercy Begins With "This is Not Helping Me."
Fr. Marcel Emeka Okwara, CSsR
Wednesday, April 20, 2016
Old habits, they say, die hard. They die hard because we are used to them and they have become part of us. Old sinful habits are even more difficult to die. But then, a time comes when we realize that they are affecting us and those around us adversely. For me as a Christian, a religious and a priest, sinful habits are what constitute darkness, while virtuous acts constitute light. So, the first thing that comes to the mind of someone who wants to exit from darkness to light is this: “I can’t take it anymore” or “This is not helping me” or “I am sick of being spiritually, morally and socially sick; I am done with this.” The person gets to a point in life where he or she decides “it’s time for me be healed, made whole and forgiven.” To be able to exit from darkness, an impure life has to be destroyed, crushed and laid aside so that a pure life can be created. To walk in darkness is to take pride in sin. But to walk in the light is to be ashamed and displeased with ourselves when we do what is wrong. Sin displeases God. And if it displeases us as well, we are walking in the light. But if we find delight in doing what is wrong or make excuses for doing them, then we are in the dark. Jesus came into the world as the Light, to bring us out from darkness, to show us the light, to open our eyes to the misery and pain of living in the dark and to see what darkness does to us. He came to show us the beauty of light. He is the Light. He came to make us light— the light of the world.
Anyone who wants to live and walk in the light must hate darkness. It is not possible to live in both worlds. By darkness, I don’t mean nighttime. I mean sinful and immoral acts. Hateful acts. Divisive acts. Acts of injustice. Flight from faith, reason, love, friendship with God and with the people of God. Darkness is unforgiveness, betrayal, mockery of faith, loss of sense of God and of sin. Light, on the other hand is love, forgiveness, peace, joy, friendship with God and with the people of God, humility, kindness, generosity, unhappiness at doing what is wrong. Light is holiness. Holiness is being like Jesus. Light is walking with him and trying daily to imitate him. Light is feeling deeply remorseful and uncomfortable for doing wrong.
The difference between a believer and a non-believer is not that a believer does not fall short. Scripture tells us that “All have sinned…” (Romans 3:23). We are all sinners! But a believer does not feel comfortable with it. A believer is deeply displeased when he or she falls. A lover of Jesus does not make excuses for betraying the Lord. He or she does not blame someone else. That’s what Adam and Eve did. When God asked Adam why he ate the forbidden fruit, he did not say, “Lord, I am sorry.” He blamed the woman: “The woman you put here with me…” (Genesis 3:12). When God asked the woman, “What is this you have done?” She also did not say, “Lord, I am sorry.” She blamed the serpent: “The serpent made me do it” (Genesis 3:13). But a child of light does not make excuses for wrongdoing or engage in blame-game. The discomfort, displeasure, sadness and sorrow he or she feels inside for committing sin drives him or her to seek for reconciliation with God. That’s the difference between us, believers and non-believers. To be in the light is to have a sense of God and a sense of sin. But to be in darkness is to suffer the loss of the sense of God and of sin. If we no longer feel uncomfortable and displeased for indulging in sinful acts, something dangerous is happening in our spiritual life. We may be getting lost.
May the good Lord never allow any of us to be lost. Jesus came into the world as the Light and to also make us co-light of the world. May we remain children of light. Amen
The difference between a believer and a non-believer is not that a believer does not fall short. Scripture tells us that “All have sinned…” (Romans 3:23). We are all sinners! But a believer does not feel comfortable with it. A believer is deeply displeased when he or she falls. A lover of Jesus does not make excuses for betraying the Lord. He or she does not blame someone else. That’s what Adam and Eve did. When God asked Adam why he ate the forbidden fruit, he did not say, “Lord, I am sorry.” He blamed the woman: “The woman you put here with me…” (Genesis 3:12). When God asked the woman, “What is this you have done?” She also did not say, “Lord, I am sorry.” She blamed the serpent: “The serpent made me do it” (Genesis 3:13). But a child of light does not make excuses for wrongdoing or engage in blame-game. The discomfort, displeasure, sadness and sorrow he or she feels inside for committing sin drives him or her to seek for reconciliation with God. That’s the difference between us, believers and non-believers. To be in the light is to have a sense of God and a sense of sin. But to be in darkness is to suffer the loss of the sense of God and of sin. If we no longer feel uncomfortable and displeased for indulging in sinful acts, something dangerous is happening in our spiritual life. We may be getting lost.
May the good Lord never allow any of us to be lost. Jesus came into the world as the Light and to also make us co-light of the world. May we remain children of light. Amen
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