9th Sunday after Pentecost 21.7.13 Repentance
[I did not preach last Sunday, so here is one from the archives]
Our Lord laments that Jerusalem is about to be destroyed because its people have refused to repent of their sinful ways.
They could have turned at any point but they would not.
We could weep over just about any city with all the increasing defiance of the laws of God in our time: same-sex ‘marriage’, euthanasia, etc etc
If only the people of our time would repent it would save a lot of trouble.
There is an even worse outcome than sudden physical death, however, and that is death of the soul – mortal sin.
If Our Lord weeps for Jerusalem He feels far more pain for a lost soul.
He wants everyone to be saved, and that is a great comfort.
But we have to cooperate, somewhere along the line. We cannot presume on His mercy to save us, or others.
God is very patient, but we must not take His patience as laxity or indifference.
There will be a time when there is no time. The time we delay now is wasted when we could be building up His kingdom on earth.
There is always the temptation to delay repentance. I will get around to it some day.
But I might die suddenly. And then also, if we delay too long our hearts can become hardened and we lose the whole idea of repentance, or any desire for it.
Complacency is a huge problem. Just like the Jews of Moses’ time (epistle) and of Our Lord’s time (Gospel) our present world has lost its way. We, minority that we are, must keep God’s commands before us, and hold onto them no matter what falsehoods we encounter, nor how many people believe in those falsehoods. Further still, we must be ready to suffer and die for God’s way.
Repentance is a hard message to sell. We can appeal at different levels.
There is natural reason. The world would run better if everyone behaved.
There is the threat of temporal punishment, like floods, earthquakes etc.
There is the threat of hellfire.
There is the promise of heaven.
All of these things are true. But they can still be ignored.
To the natural reason argument: I must look out for myself. I cannot worry about society or the future.
To the threat of punishment: There is no such thing. Disasters are merely a matter of science or random events.
To the threat of hell fire: Hell is just an old superstition. There is no such place in this enlightened age.
To the promise of Heaven: they will say, either that there is no heaven or that if there is then everyone goes there, regardless.
It is very hard to get through to the modern mind because secularism has permeated to every level.
We cannot coerce repentance. It has to be a work of grace. We do what we can to prepare it, to follow up, to make it more likely.
If we can save one soul it is worth it.
We never know who is going to convert next.
We have to keep beating the drum – all at once warning against errors, the depravity of which man is capable, the consequence of sin, and the joy of repentance.
We cannot change the tune because each generation faces the same basic choice – for or against God.
We have our work cut out. Holding on to our own faith while offering it to others. Lots of prayer is required.
And part of that prayer is: Lord give us time, give us grace. Don't wipe us out just yet. Somehow move people to see what they have never seen before, and to ask for Your mercy.
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