15th Sunday after Pentecost 17.9.17 Battle for
souls
We can find ourselves becoming absorbed with interest in the
lives of other people, whether real or fictional. Films, books, and
documentaries can draw us in, and we take a certain sympathy with the people
portrayed.
Most people do not have a book written about them, yet they
would be interesting all the same; even if they have not done anything
spectacular.
We could see someone at random, and say - he is just like
anyone else. But we do not see the raging battles that might be going on
inside, his hopes, fears, joys and sorrows.
The interior is more interesting than the exterior. The visible
raising of the widow’s son caused great excitement. Yet still greater is the invisible
forgiveness of sins. We tend to make too much of the physical and too little of
the spiritual.
Forgiveness of sin is a more remarkable event, because it is
God pardoning sins against Himself. If we were to throw fruit at some royal figure
we would not get off so easily!
Forgiveness is more remarkable too, insofar as it pertains
to eternity, whereas the physical rising is only a temporary reprieve from
death.
What is most interesting about each person’s life is the
battle going on for the soul.
This battle goes on between God and the devil, each trying
to claim the soul, for heaven or hell.
The battle is fought over every person in the world. We do
not see it, because it is interior and mysterious. We do not know what is going
on in each person, but we know it is intense.
Many today would have little or no idea of all this - that
they even have a soul, or that they could go to hell, for instance.
For many it is not a major issue. Yet it is major, and it is
urgent. How to convey that urgency is our problem. Even many within the Church
no longer regard this as important, vaguely presuming that everyone goes to
heaven.
This indifference to the question makes it harder to save
people.
When there is a health scare people will be careful what
they eat, or how long they spend in the sun etc.
Packages have warnings on them about health risks. You will
never see a warning about mortal sin on the side of a container!
We need to have a kind of do-it-yourself urgency which we
carry with us. No one is going to tell us. We have to keep our own awareness of
these ultimate questions.
Urgency on our own account, and for others – we have to pray
for them because they are not praying for themselves.
They might receive mercy and be saved, and that is what we
are asking for; but we cannot just presume it will happen. Someone has to shed
some tears, and put in some work.
We know from many stories that the prayers of one can help save
another, eg a mother praying for her son.
God wants us to step in and take part in this process,
praying day and night - for those who have the faith, to keep it; and for those
without faith to discover it.
Then they can take part in their own salvation, and shape their
own destiny; making a serious decision for God.
This is also more in keeping with human dignity, that they
can participate actively in their own salvation, not just being oblivious to it
all; not just living in pursuit of pleasure.
It is a heavy responsibility for us to help in this process,
but a joy to know that we can.
May the story of our lives, in every case, have a happy
ending – the raising of both body and soul.
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