A Jesuit Catholic University
in Omaha, Nebraska, since 1878

[344] Sir 5:1-8 Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4+6 Mark 9:41-50.

Weekly Guide for Daily Prayer The Daily Reflections

Jesus has strong words for us in today’s Gospel. “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.” It may sound strange, but I think that He meant it in a very real way.

Jesus’s words for today bring us back to the reality of sin. Sin is a terrible thing. It damages our relationship with God, and we need to do everything that we can to avoid it. If we listen to music that advocates violence, immorality, or is degrading to our own selves, we should get rid of it. If we watch tv shows or movies that promote sex outside of marriage, portray God as useless and unneeded, and condone sinful behavior, we should get rid of them. Perhaps this means throwing movies away. Perhaps this means looking at each song in our iTunes libraries and asking, “Would I want my brother/sister/son/daughter living the life that is advocated by this song?” If the answer is no, then maybe we need to delete it. Many people in the modern world struggle with pornography or waste hours each day on Facebook. Maybe they need to give up the internet or their computer for a period of time.

If I were to cut off my hand, it would hurt. I would be in great pain, and I would feel that loss. Just so, removing those things in our lives that cause us to sin is hard. It hurts because we love our sins more than we love God. We have come to believe that they are fundamental to who we are. How tragic! They are like tumors that grow silently inside of us, little by little, until one day we realize it, but it is too late. If a frog is put into a pot of boiling water, it will immediately jump out, but if a frog is put into a pot of water that is heated slowly, the frog will stay in the water until it is boiled alive. This is the way that sin works in our own lives, gradually eating away at our consciences until we realize that we have become slaves, bound tight by the chains of our sins. There is only one thing that can save us from the clutches of such evil.

“The Truth will set you free.” Jesus is the Truth, and only He can set us free from these chains through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. When we confess our sins to a priest, we are not telling them to another human being. We are whispering them into the ear of Jesus, and when the priest extends his hand over us in absolution, the very Blood of Christ is dripping from his fingers onto our heads, washing us clean. Not only are we set free from the bonds of sin and death, but Confession also begins a healing process within us. Although we will continue to struggle and continue to sin, we must never be afraid to return to Confession. With time, we will realize that we have been healed. One day, we will look back at our choice to delete part of our iTunes library, throw out our immoral movies, and get rid of all other things that lead us to sin and we will be thankful for embracing the Truth. We will recognize that we have been healed by the blood which gushed forth from the Sacred Heart, washed clean from all our sins, and made free to be our true selves, not enslaved to sin, but joyful because of our new life in Christ.

“Do not forget this: The Lord never tires of forgiving. We are the ones who tire of asking forgiveness.” –Pope Francis