Thursday 21 September 2017

15th Sunday after Pentecost 17 Sep 2017 Sermon

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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