We have come together today to talk about the most important thing occurring now in all our lives and all over the world. Something that has spread all over the world from person to person over time. It has completely changed the lives of so many it is hard to count. It has given us a much deeper perspective about what is really about and what really matters to each of us, deep down. It has helped us see how important our families, friends and communities really are. Of course what we have come together to speak about is the love of Jesus Christ and how we keep that love at the center of our lives.
What else could we possibly talk about???
Regrettably we also need today to talk about a pandemic that is reaching around the world that is blinding us to Christ Love in the center of our lives, distracting us from this central truth of our lives, that we are beloved Children of God destined for eternity. Of course we are speaking of the pandemic of sin.
Sin is not a very popular subject these days in our world. Actually it is not a popular subject anywhere, even here in Church.
When was the last time you heard someone preach on SIN??
Why do you think that is the case?
Our godless world wants us to believe that sin and the devil and evil really don’t exist. That these are just make believe bossy men to keep us from having freedom to do whatever we want.
They are lying!
This is the great lie of our times.
The world is being fooled by the greatest liar of all, the devil. In C.S. Lewis “Screwtape Letters” one of the biggest tricks to corrupt human that the senior demon, Screwtape, teaches to his junior demon Wormwood is to make you think he doesn’t exist and there is no sin. He wants to keep us blind to our sin and only see what “we” want. He wants us to be “blind” to Gods calling and to drown out that call with business and distractions that mean nothing in the long run.
Sin is alive and well. It is more than alive and well. It is an epidemic spreading like wildfire across our world, infecting more and more, with person to person spread. Just like the corona virus we are all so afraid of.
Everyone is so afraid for their bodily health because of the corona virus we have been willing to completely change how we live. To save ourselves physically we have stopped going to sports/entertainment/work/shut down schools/transportation/ even Churches. All to help prevent a physical illness that MIGHT cause death in some cases. Don’t get me wrong. Of course we should be doing these things and continue to do them to stop the spread of this disease but….
Just imagine if our spiritual health was as just as important as our physical lives and sin was the killer virus spreading and killing our spiritual health. Can we muster up the same effort to change?
What is sin anyway? Simply it is turning away from the invitation of God to be his loved children. SIN – Stolen Identity Now – Sin steals away who we really are, beloved children of God destined for eternity. If only we accept God’s invitation and live his loving way of humble service and giving ourselves to others. Today, as we speak, we see millions of examples of what this total loving service looks like. We need to look no further than to our local hospitals filled with health professionals and first responders risking their own lives to help others.
Earlier this Lent I challenged “all of us” to name the thing that most got in the way of your relationship with God. Name it, change it and transform it or get rid of it. Whatever that is, my guess is its root is some selfish sin. Stealing your identity as God’s beloved child. I repeat the challenge again, in that quiet time of prayer you have set aside for God (at least ten minutes) examine again that thing/or habit/ or attitude that most gets in the way of your true identity as a Beloved Child of God in a loving relationship with him.
-Are we like the Pharisees’ in the story today judging others as beneath us and even judging God’s law?
– Are we like the parents of the poor blind man afraid of the worlds authorities and unwilling to side with Jesus and stand with him against the worlds view..
-are we so concerned with our bodily wellbeing that we hold onto it at all costs, afraid to lose it, not trusting Gods promise, holding back from helping others out of selfish fear.
-Are we blind to our own egos/our pride/our greed our own need to be comfortable and safe?
-Blind to the needs of the poor, disenfranchised, the unborn.
-Even Blind to the love of God calling to us but we can’t see or hear.
As the second reading today says, “Awake, O sleeping and arise from the dead, Christ will give you light.” Now is the time to turn to the light of Christ. Now is the time to accept from God our true identity
This time of isolation in our homes can be a gift.
This gift of quiet time, to spend talking with the lord.
This gift of family time, loving them and helping those in need.
This time to reset our priorities, to accept God’s invitation.
Please stay home, stay safe and keep praying for ourselves and all those serving and suffering from both physical and spiritual illness.