Fr. Michael Williams

During his pontificate, Pope John Paul II, noted that many people had lost their sense of sin. In other words some people no longer considered certain actions to be sinful. Indeed, what was considered sinful in the past was now considered something good.

Pope John Paul believed that one of the reasons for the loss of the sense of sin was the loss of the sense of God. Those who lose the sense of God in their lives, also lose the sense of sin: The two are interrelated. If we reject God from our life, we also reject His law of love, which is based upon the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes; and so we then live according to our own commandments, which are driven by selfishness. Hell is full of selfish persons, who have completely turned in on themselves, never looking beyond themselves.

But Jesus came into the world to show us the way to true life. This way is based upon unselfishness and self-sacrificing love. Jesus constantly looked beyond Himself. His whole life was geared towards looking to God the Father’s will, even when this was painful. He showed His love by coming to the assistance of fallen humanity and looking to their need of salvation.

Jesus speaks of the dangers of sin in today’s gospel. He says, ‘If your hand or your foot or your eye should cause you to sin’ be careful, or you may end up lost. Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit and we are called to glorify God through our bodies. It is through our bodies that we perform good works. Jesus is saying that if we use our bodies for sinful purposes there will be consequences, if there has been no repentance.

Jesus used His human body to glorify God. It can be seen that Jesus enacted our salvation through His Body. St Peter tells us in his first letter, ‘He was bearing our sins in His own body on the cross’. It is through His Body that we are saved; it is through His Body that He gave Himself unselfishly for us. And at every Mass this selfless love is manifested: ‘This is my Body given up for you’. Yet Jesus warns us that through our own bodies we can lose the salvation He has won for us. That is why we should use our bodies for good and not evil.

Today’s gospel is not all fire and brimstone. Jesus says, “If anyone gives you a cup of water to drink just because you belong to Christ then he will most certainly not lose his reward”. There is a reward for coming to the aid of people and performing acts of kindness for those who need kindness showing them.

St Therese of Liseux, whose Relics drew large crowds to the Cathedral last week and whose feast is next Thursday, October 1^st^, spoke of the little way. In our daily lives we can do good deeds, even if they appear insignificant and small. This is to glorify God in our bodies. But to sin is to desecrate our bodies, which are created by God to glorify Him. Therese also gives us a great example of praying for others, especially those who seem far from God.

Therese learnt of the power of heartfelt prayer as a child. Therese had come to know that a man called Pranzini had murdered three people, was to be put to death by guillotine in France. Therese determined to try to save him through prayer. She says:
‘I heard talk of a great criminal just condemned to death for some horrible crimes; everything pointed to the fact that he would die impenitent…. I felt in the depths of my heart certain that our desires would be granted, but to obtain courage to pray for sinners I told God I was sure He would pardon the poor, unfortunate Pranzini…I was absolutely confident in the mercy of Jesus. But I was begging Him for a \“sign\” of repentance only for my own simple consolation’.

She goes on to say: ‘My prayer was answered to the letter! The day after the execution I found the newspaper \“La Croix.\” I opened it quickly and what did I see…He had mounted the scaffold and was preparing to place his head in the formidable opening, when suddenly, seized by an inspiration, he turned, took hold of the crucifix the priest was holding out to him and kissed the sacred wounds three times!

Therese’s prayer had helped to evangelize this man. She couldn’t speak to him, so she prayed for him. Therese’s life shows us the power and effectiveness of prayer.

Let us pray that we will use our body and soul to praise God, after the example of St Therese, the Little Flower. And so one day be able to join her, and all the angels and saints, in giving glory to God forever and ever.