Nowadays, we see the rampaging and pervasive spread of the culture of death in modern society. Crimes, wars, immoralities, perversions and calamities abound. All these lead to death. The world is heading towards the precipitous cliff of self-destruction. This is not God’s will. This is the result of man’s obstinate decision to turn away from God and His commands, and continue on the path of sin and selfishness. Satan is enjoying his heyday. As people live in sin, Satan’s power is exponentially increased in this world. And what causes such destructive calamities? Again, it is sin. As man rebels against the will of God, so also nature rebels against man. Hence, we now see more frequent and more devastating calamities, unprecedented in human history. The only way to arrest humanity’s downward spiral to self-annihilation is a return to God and His precepts. The Gospel this Sunday illustrates this. The young man is dead. But Jesus has the power to bring him back to life. By this action, he shows that he can liberate us all from the spiritual death brought about by sin. This Sunday, the liturgy invites us all to return Jesus. In the midst of the culture of death we are living in, there is sure hope for liberation from evil and a new life in him. If sin empowers Satan, grace empowers God in us. Satan cannot harm us if we are strengthened and protected by the grace of God. Regular and more devout reception of the sacraments, especially the Eucharist and Confession, surely helps us rise again and remain in the grace of God. When we are dead in sin, Jesus touches us and commands us to rise again through the words spoken by his priest in the sacraments. And he restores us to the loving arms of our mother, the Church. As St. Ambrose writes, “the widow signifies Mother Church, weeping for those who are dead in sin and carried beyond the safety of her gates. The multitudes looking on will praise the Lord when sinners rise again from death and are restored to their mother.” Truly we can sing the words of the Psalm: “I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me. You brought me up from the nether world; you preserved me from those going down into the pit.” Fr. Mike Lagrimas Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish Palmera Springs, Camarin Road Novaliches, Caloocan City 1423
Posted on: Mon, 12 Aug 2013 07:19:05 +0000
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