THE SPIRIT OF ADVENT (MARK
1:1-8)
Because of original sin, man
naturally grows in vice rather than in virtue. The first age of man
is characterized by thoughtlessness; this grows into love of
pleasure and, in old age, develops into love for wealth.
So, John the Baptist came and
announced the coming of Christ who would have the unrewarding task
of instilling in men "a feeling for their own sins." John
did this and paid with his head; Christ followed suit and was
crucified.
They were both killed by the Jews,
a senseless people, who, though guilty of the worst sins, justified
themselves -- this was the cause of their destruction. "They
are ignorant of God's righteousness and go about establishing their
own righteousness, and have not submitted themselves to the
righteousness of God." This was the cause of their evils.
But aren't we like this, too?
Thoroughly devoid of "feeling for our sins" (i.e. ignorant
of our sins and their gravity), we judge ourselves by our norms and
not by the norms of God? So, John and Jesus did nothing else except
to bring man to a sense of their own sins.
To be forgiven, we must be sorry
for our sins. But how can we be sorry if we do not know the gravity
of our sins? And how can we discover the gravity of our sins if we
do not even know our sins?
We must have a "feeling for
our sins" that we may condemn them. Those sins that we
condemn, God will not condemn; but those sins we fail to condemn,
God will condemn.
"What must we do?"
Repent, reform our lives, deny ourselves. Learn to scorn the things
of the earth and aim for the things in heaven. It is not possible to
be repentant and to live in luxury.
True repentance is this: to know
your sins and the gravity of your sins. Then to forsake your evil
ways and show forth good deeds greater than the sins. . .this is the
fruit worthy of repentance. So if you have stolen, return what you
have stolen AND ALSO give up some of your own to the poor. If you
have committed fornication, you must stop it AND ALSO abstain even
from your wife for certain appointed times. Have you insulted
someone?. . .then learn how to take insults hurled at you AND ALSO
do good to those who insult you.
Sin is like a dart that has wounded
you. You don't only remove the dart (i.e. cease from sinning); you
must also heal the wound by good works. So it is not enough for the
drunkard to be sober; he must also fast from food and water for a
time to cure his spiritual wounds. You who look lustfully at a
woman, now be modest in looking, and also deny yourselves even
looking at the beauty of nature to heal the wounds of your soul. It
was precisely to heal their spiritual wounds that the first
Christians went to the desert.
The first step toward holiness is
repentance; and the first step of repentance is to have a
"feeling for one's sins," i.e. to know your sins and the
gravity of your sins. He who shows forth fruits worthy of
repentance, he it is who has made his crooked way straight for the
Lord.
St. Augustine: "On the
Gospels"
(12-18-03) |