Nothing in this world is easier than attaining God’s forgiveness. This is the biggest truth that we must believe. God is more eager to give forgiveness than we are to receive it. Many refuse to believe this. There are many reasons for that, one of them being we constantly brood over how miserable and wretched we have been, wishing we had never sinned, wishing we had always kept a clean sheet.
For Jesus, even though to sin is the greatest evil, to be a sinner is a value. We hate sin with all our heart and avoid it. But if we have sinned and repented, then we have reasons to rejoice, because there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. (Lk. 15:7)
Then we may ask: Why not sin deliberately so that we shall receive even more grace? No, remember we are dealing here with a mystery that is beyond the comprehension of the human mind. It is important to maintain the truth of both these opposites. Hate sin and if you have sinned and repented, consider yourself very lucky indeed because grace will be poured into you in superabundant measure. “Where sin abounded; grace abounded all the more.” (Rom.5:20) The repentant sinner draws God to himself with greater force than a magnet.
This is the good news Jesus proclaimed. The other stuff about being sorry and making a hundred penances for our sins is not good news at all. It is stale news. We knew it all along without the preaching of Jesus. May we understand the merciful God we have so that we live our lives freely and joyfully, with great confidence in God’s mercy.
- Sathish Paul SDB
April 11, 2021
