"the wages of sin is <u></u>" (rm 6:23)
"I said, 'I confess my faults to the Lord,' and You took away the guilt of my sin." —Psalm 32:5
How bad is sin? Seventy-thousand people died during a three-day pestilence because of one of David's less serious sins (2 Sm 24:15). The sin of disbelief in Jesus resulted in many staying sick and only a few being healed when Jesus visited His hometown (Mk 6:5). Sin is bad enough that God became a human being and died on the cross to save us from it. Sin is bad enough to condemn the unrepentant to hell and everlasting separation from God.
Because sin is so bad as to create hell, crucify God, and deprive and destroy millions of people, we should resist sin to the point of shedding our blood (Heb 12:4). If we still fall into sin, we should turn to Jesus and repent immediately. "He is an Offering for our sins, and not for our sins only, but for those of the whole world" (1 Jn 2:2). We should rejoice with all the saints and angels over one sinner who repents (Lk 15:7, 10). Because sin is so bad, resisting temptation and repenting are so good. Because sin is so bad, we can see that Jesus is so good and deserves all of our thanks, worship, obedience, and love forever. Don't treat God's gracious gift as pointless (Gal 2:21). Hate sin, love sinners, and worship Jesus, our Savior from sin.
Prayer: Father, may I rejoice to bring my sins to the cross through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Promise: "You are my Shelter; from distress You will preserve me; with glad cries of freedom You will ring me round." —Ps 32:7
Praise: "O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer!" (Ps 19:15) "I will give thanks to You, O Lord, with all my heart" (Ps 138:1).
Reference: (Lent is approaching. To help you repent of sin, order our leaflet, Lent and the Renewal of Our Baptismal Promises, or our tape entitled Baptismal Promises on audio AV 83-1, AV 83-3, AV 84-1, AV 84-3, or video V-83, V-84.)
Rescript: †Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, July 29, 2011
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