3rd Sunday after Pentecost 21.6.20 Hidden sins
Who can
understand sins? from my secret ones cleanse me, O Lord (Ps 18,12).
The epistle today says the devil is prowling round like a
roaring lion ( 1P 5,8).
It would be easier for us if the devil were as visible and
audible as a roaring lion! We have enough sense to run away from a real roaring
lion, but the devil is a more subtle adversary.
‘Roaring lion’ refers only to the ferocity of the devil. He
is ferociously angry with us, as he seeks to do us as much harm as possible. This
realization should sober us.
We humans are too inclined to rely on our sense experience.
If we can see a danger we respond; if not we become complacent.
This is why there are so many warnings in the Scriptures
about being ready even though nothing seems to be happening. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son
of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. (Mt 24,44)
Instead, be like the wise virgins (Mt 25,1-13) or the
industrious servants who are ready when the master returns. (Mt 24,45-47).
The devil does not want to be detected. He will work quietly
to unpick the threads of our world, and lure everyone into complacent abandonment
of previously held beliefs.
So we see a decline in morality and faith on many levels:
attack on family, life, truth, self-control etc.
Things which were considered sinful are no longer so
considered (even though they are still sins)
People are edging closer to hell but they cannot sense it;
they cannot see the flames! Or hear the shrieks of the tormented souls.
If they could see and hear these things there would be no
doubt a major repentance.
God wants us to come to repentance without needing such
stimuli. He wants us to love Him for His own sake, and not just to keep out
of hell.
For us here, we do not need a vision of hell to keep us on
the straight and narrow. We are not
killing and robbing – do we need to change anything?
Back to those secret
sins - if the devil is a lion he is also a snake, meaning sneaky.
He has ways to tempt us based on our weakest points. So we
can be proud, unforgiving, vain, lazy, lustful, self-serving and a host of
similar things, which may not look like much, but can cumulatively lead us
astray.
We will detect these things if we are attentive in prayer
and meditation on the ways of God.
We will learn how to go against the tide of popular opinion.
We will learn how to make decisions based on God's truth, and not just passion
or sentiment.
We call on the angels and saints to help. Our side has
invisible forces too and is strong enough to expose the deceptions of the
devil. They pray for us; they give us good example. What they did we can do. Once
we see those deceptions we are not going to fall for them. We will walk in the
light. (1 Jn 1,5-7)
All sins, hidden or not, can be swept away by the infinite
love of Christ, who seeks out the lost (Gospel)
If only one turns to Him, even in partial recognition of his
need, then things will happen.
If God is seeking us, we can help greatly by seeking Him. This
will accelerate the process.
The Sacred Heart burns with love for lost souls, confused
and broken by adversity. Come to Me, all you who labour and are
overburdened, and I will give you rest. (Mt 11, 28-30)
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