burying sin
"It is better for me to die." —Tobit 3:6
Tobit was blind, upset with his wife, out of a job, financially strapped, and misunderstood. He seemed to be a burden on his wife, son, and everybody else. Tobit thought the best thing for everybody's sake was for him to die.
Sarah had seen her seven husbands killed by a demon on seven wedding nights (Tb 3:8). Sarah was obviously an embarrassment and grief to her parents (see Tb 8:9-10). She was making life miserable for her maids (Tb 3:9). Sarah felt that if she died, it would be a relief for everybody (Tb 3:10).
Both Tobit and Sarah felt that they could take a lot of peoples' problems down with them to the grave; however, their deaths would have only made matters worse.
There is one Man Who did absorb all the sins and guilt of all people of all times. We no longer need to carry a burden of guilt; Jesus has died so that we can live. "For our sakes God made Him Who did not know sin, to be sin" (2 Cor 5:21). "In His own body He brought your sins to the cross" (1 Pt 2:24). He took all our sins to the grave with Him "thereby condemning sin" (Rm 8:3) "so that all of us, dead to sin, could live in accord with God's will. By His wounds you were healed" (1 Pt 2:24). Thank You, Jesus!
Prayer: Jesus, I cast all my cares on You (1 Pt 5:7).
Promise: "When people rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage but live like angels in heaven." —Mk 12:25
Praise: St. Charles and his companions, some as young as age thirteen, lived and died for the sake of Truth — Jesus Christ.
Reference: (For a related teaching, order our tape, Guilt, Guilt Trips, and Scrupulosity on audio AV 105-1 or video V-105.)
Rescript: †Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, January 5, 2009
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