Homily For the 10th Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year B, June 9, 2024

The modern world, which denies personal guilt and admits only social crimes, which has no place for personal repentance but only public reforms, has divorced Christ from His Cross; the Bridegroom and Bride have been pulled apart. What God hath joined together, men have torn asunder– Fulton J. Sheen

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My Dearest Friends In Christ,

We are grateful to God for counting us among the living despite our sinfulness. I joyfully welcome you to the 10th Sunday in Ordinary Time. The Easter season and all the major solemnities we celebrated in the past Sundays are now over. Today, the Church ushers us into Ordinary Time, a period when no major mysteries of our faith are celebrated, unlike the Christmas, Lenten, and Easter seasons. Ordinary Time is another opportunity for us to put into practice all we celebrated in the past seasons. It is not a time to start living like ordinary liberal-minded individuals. The green color of this season, symbolizing growth and life, reminds us to allow God’s word to be alive and continually grow in our lives.

A World Loosing The Consciousness of Sin

This Sunday’s readings particularly highlight the concept of sin, which is rapidly disappearing in our modern society. Secularism and liberalism are eroding the notion of sin. In his study entitled “Whatever Became of Sin?” psychiatrist Karl Menninger noted that although sin was once a strong word describing an ominous aspect of every human being’s life, the word, along with the notion of sin, has almost disappeared. However, the reality of sin has not disappeared; it has simply been renamed. Sin may masquerade under several aliases, but it remains, nonetheless, what it is.

Playing The Blame Game

In the first reading, taken from Genesis 3:9-15, we see the reaction of Adam and Eve to God’s question about whether they had eaten the forbidden fruit. Their reaction was the “blame game,” a refusal to admit personal responsibility for disobeying a command. Adam shifted the blame to Eve, and Eve to the serpent, much like how contemporary leaders blame their predecessors for their failures. Who will accept responsibility? Worse still, who will even acknowledge that their actions were wrong? In today’s world, there is a tendency to deny the consciousness of sin or admit wrongdoing. Sinful actions are renamed to justify their supposed goodness. For instance, when prostitutes are referred to as “runs-girls,” it does not diminish the sinfulness of prostitution or make fornication and adultery morally good behaviors. Soldiers who have committed heinous acts justify their actions due to the exigencies of war and their “moral obligation” to obey superiors. Other sins are excused on grounds of temporary insanity, troubled youth, or emotional instability. Some sins are paraded under the guise of freedom of choice, ignorance, and aggressive or self-destructive behavior.

We are gradually erasing from our mindset the fact that certain actions offend God and constitute disobedience to His commandments. The more we grow in the realization and consciousness that what is sinful is sinful, that what is morally wrong is wrong, that what is evil is evil, and acknowledge our wrongs, the more humanity avoids destruction and fosters progress in our relationship with God. There is no better way to curb all the evils and atrocities in the world today than by increasing awareness that certain actions offend God and man and must be avoided and condemned.

Blasphemy and Sin Against The Holy Spirit

In the Gospel, Jesus was misunderstood and termed a lunatic by his own people because He tried to draw their attention to the fact that their actions offended God and their need to acknowledge their wrongdoings and change their ways. Jesus says: “Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies that people utter will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness but is guilty of an everlasting sin.” God is ever ready to forgive when we acknowledge our sinful actions and make amends. The sin against the Holy Spirit, which is unpardonable, is obstinacy in sin—a total rejection of God’s love and forgiveness. Those who commit evil with impunity and refuse to repent are rejecting God’s forgiveness and love. Like the Jews, especially the Pharisees and scribes of Jesus’ time, modern individuals often find it distasteful and offensive to be reminded that their actions are sinful. This is why many prophets of our time remain mute and indifferent in the face of evil to stay friendly with people, especially bad leaders. We are also guilty of this when we paint the notion of sin to avoid hurting people’s feelings from the pulpit. We use strong words in many areas, but when it comes to sin, the voice fades.

We Must Not Compromise, But Be Ready To Suffer For Christ

Paul, in the second reading, saw all his sufferings and adversities in missionary work as God’s plan for his spiritual growth. Therefore, he remained strong and never discouraged: “Therefore, we are not discouraged; rather, although our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.” May these words be our consolation in the fight against sin and evil in our world.

Whoever claims that they have not sinned is deceiving themselves, and God’s truth is not in them (cf 1 John 1:8). Let us awaken the consciousness of what is sinful. Our children need to be instructed to inculcate the consciousness of sin to help build their conscience. Teach them that incest, fornication, stealing, prostitution, drug addiction, and abortion are all sinful.

Stop Justifying Evil

Modern society is justifying a lot of evil and dismissing it as non-sinful. We need to wake up before the devil takes over. Whoever tells you that any of God’s commandments is old-fashioned and no longer relevant in modern times or that disobedience to any of them is no longer sinful is the devil himself. Not even modernity, philosophies, ideologies, or cultures will uproot or diminish the concept of sin or the guilt of it. Even though cultures might vary regarding what is wrong or right or sinful, no culture can ever justify murder, abortion, genocide, or any disobedience to God’s commandments. If people can keep the laws of the state, why can’t we obey God’s commands? Fear of punishment may make you obey the laws of the state, but greater punishment is sin (disobedience to God’s commandments), whose wages are death.

God loves and forgives us; may we remain ever strong to obey Him and live by His commandments. Let us build our consciences by being conscious of what is sinful and admitting they are sinful. May His word today be our strength.