Third Sunday of Easter
Last week, a most gruesome video of an apparent chlorine gas attack in north-west Syria emerged. The footage shows the attempts of doctors to revive three children, all aged under four. All the three children died. Last week, more than four hundred immigrants drowned in the sea as they tried to escape the violence parts of Africa and the Middle East. Last week, New England Patriot’s rising star Aaron Hernandez was convicted of the murder of his time friend, Odin Lloyd. His contract with the Patriots was worth $ 40 million. Last week, an acquaintance of a very dear friend of mine was convicted of child sexual abuse. He is awaiting his sentence. These are serious crimes. If we examine own our thoughts, words and actions last week, we probably realize that even though we may not have committed serious crimes, there are times when we fell short. Perhaps a blatant lie, an unhealthy or impure thought, some form of prejudice, an unfair judgement, an unkind word, an omission, unjustified anger or a habitual act may have been part of our life. If, you are somebody with rationality and freedom and you were free of any of these things last week, please come forward; we would like to light a candle to you.
There is a term for all the vices that I have named. Christian spirituality calls these things – sin. There are two reasons for this reflection on sin and reconciliation. First, in today’s second reading, John says, “My children, I am writing this to you so that you may not commit sin.” Second, in today’s gospel reading Jesus says, “Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name.” So, sin is a reality. However, forgiveness of sin is equally a reality. Let me offer three things to reflect about.
1) The context for John’s exhortation, not to sin. We must remember that sin and reconciliation in the early Christian church did not look anything like it looks today. In the Old Testament, there were very clear personal and communal prescriptions to deal with sin and the repentant sinner. People made personal sin offerings at the temple (Lev 5:1-13) to express their sorrow and receive reconciliation. Communally, Yom Kippur was a day of national atonement. However, when the early Christians were expelled from the synagogues, they did not have any formal rite or ritual for penance. There were only two solutions: one, that Christians lead such an exemplary life that they do not sin; and second, that if they sin, they have assurance as John says, “… we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one. He is expiation for our sins….” In reality, then, John is trying to deal with the reality of sin and the need for reconciliation in the early Christian church. The situation was made more complex because of the brutal persecution of Christians in those days. There were those who died for their faith and there were those who abandoned their faith to escape persecution, but later repented. What do you do with these repentant Christians? This gave rise to what we now know as public penance. Repentant sinners publicly repented for their sin. As Christianity developed gradually, there were three sins that required a public penance – adultery, murder and apostasy. Private confession, like we have today did not exist then. In fact, private confession and reception of forgiveness will not develop for many more centuries. That brings us to today, when the sacrament of reconciliation is so widely and easily available. However, for one reason or another, the Sacrament of Reconciliation is perceived as a burden than a gift. I think it is so wonderful, that unlike the early Christian time, a ritual exists by which we can be assured that our sins are forgiven.
2) “… That You May Not Sin.” I would like to return to John’s wish for his community that they may not sin. Is John’s expectation unrealistic? Is he being completely impractical? The best way to answer this question is to give an analogy from my own life. Like most of you, I am very generous with sharing my wealth with those in need. I try to give till it hurts. But it is my motivation that has changed in course of my spiritual growth. For the longest time, I did charity because I wanted God to be good to me on judgement day. I wanted God to look at the good I may have done in the world, perhaps overlook my sins, have mercy on me and let me sneak into heaven. In fact, I realized that the more aware I became of my sins, the more charitable I became. It was as if I was bribing God with my charity. Along the way I realized that my motivation must change. Charity is not charity if it is done is in fear. I must be charitable because I have been touched by God’s love. In other words, I do charity not to escape hell but rather because I am already in heaven. This analogy can be applied to the question of sin. John is hoping that we may not sin, not because he wants us to escape hell, but rather, because we are so immersed in God’s love that we have a radical motivation for holiness. Those that we honor as saints in the church are not called saints because they were sinless. Rather we call them saints because their allowed themselves to be overwhelmed by Gods love. May our motivation to be free of sin be motivated by God’s love.
3) Reconciliation is also a Reality. I am very touched by how realistic John was when he says to the early Christians, “But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one. He is expiation for our sins, and not for our sins only but for those of the whole world.” Jesus himself was realistic about sin and reconciliation. In the gospel reading today he sends out his disciples as agents of reconciliation. He wished “that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name.” I find Jesus message so life giving because I am aware of my sinfulness and I stand in need of forgiveness. However, I find Jesus’ message life-giving also because, as an ordained priest, I find myself being an agent of reconciliation. My presence in the sacrament of reconciliation is a direct obedience to Jesus’ command to preach the forgiveness of sins in his name. It is in this sense that Pope Francis’s declaration of the coming year as a “Jubilee of Mercy” is highly significant. Here is what the Pope wishes the Jubilee of Mercy to be. He says, “How much I desire that the year to come will be steeped in mercy, so that we can go out to every man and woman, bringing the goodness and tenderness of God! May the balm of mercy reach everyone, both believers and those far away, s sign that the Kingdom of God is already present in our midst.” And again, The church’s very credibility is seen in how she shows merciful and compassionate love. The Church “has an endless desire to show mercy.”
Perhaps we do not realize this, but every celebration of the Eucharist is a celebration of the endless love and mercy of God. May our participation in this Eucharist give us the motivation to radically strive for holiness. At this very Eucharist, may we also receive the endless mercy and forgiveness of God in Jesus Christ. Amen.
- Fr. Satish Joseph