Search
-
February 27, 2019Many times, one of the nasty effects of personal sin is the gnawing idea that one must deal with their guilt alone. But, this is far from Catholic teaching and the Heart of Christ. There is personal responsibility, but we actually cannot deal with it alone.
When we come face to face this Lent with our sins and in our Act of Contrition firmly resolve to sin no more, we shouldn’t forget the critical words “with the help of God’s grace.” Amongst the greatest graces God generously gives us is the intercession of His saints. Our sins hurt the whole body of Christ, but the saints who are triumphant in heaven are waging a war to win us back to full union with Jesus and His Bride, the Church. It is really the saints who remind us that we don’t have to do this alone.
There are a few saints to help you even in the midst of your sins.
The first one I would offer you is St. Joseph, Spouse of the Virgin Mary (March 19), who amongst other titles is known as the terror of demons and the patron of a happy death. Breaking away from our guilt and sins can be very difficult not only because of the wounds we incur, but also because the principalities and powers and the evil one trying to hold us bound in guilt and reliant on our sins. Ask St. Joseph to deal with those demons. Another result of sin is a fear of death and death itself, so we should also ask the good St. Joseph to bless us with a happy death. He will help us with our natural and spiritual fears and ensure that, despite our nasty sins, we will die in the merciful arms of Jesus and Mary like he did.
Saint Mary Magdalene is another powerful patroness. Although scripture may not say it explicitly, the Church’s tradition tells us that she was an adulteress and that perhaps she was the very woman who was caught in the act of adultery whom Jesus saved from being stoned. Meeting Jesus changed her whole life as she subsequently was faithful to Him, standing at the foot of the cross with the Blessed Virgin Mary and was even the very first person to see Jesus after the resurrection. Saint Mary Magdalene is a powerful intercessor for those who are still stuck in their sins and are trapped thinking there is no hope.
The relationship between St. Monica and her wayward son, St. Augustine, should never be far from our minds when we or someone we are close to is sinning and does not want to change. Had it not been for St. Monica’s fervent heroic perseverance in prayer, there may never have been a St. Augustine. She would not stop begging God until her son was converted from his very careless way of life. Saint Monica’s prayers remind us to never give up in asking God for conversion of people who are actively sinning, and St. Augustine in his holy repentance reminds us that no sin can actually satisfy us… Our hearts are absolutely restless until they rest in Jesus.
For those who think that their sins are far too big, that conversion can never really happen, that they have gone too far away from God, there is hope and a critical example of the Mercy of Jesus in the life of St. Dismas, the thief who “stole heaven.” He was a thief his whole life. He was condemned to death. Some accounts of the Gospels even have him mocking Christ on the cross along with his fellow thief. But, as he hung on his cross for hours next to the dying Jesus, he suddenly had a change of heart, asking Jesus for forgiveness for all his sins. In an astounding act of Divine Mercy, Jesus promised that this wicked thief would be going to heaven that day!
Lent’s good and holy focus on our sins taken the wrong way can leave us feeling dejected, gloomy and discouraged. But, Jesus and the Blessed Mother and all the saints are waiting for us to cry out for their powerful help and protection. They prove that we don’t have to deal with our sins alone.
Fr. John Paul Gardner is parochial vicar at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Bismarck. If you have a question you were afraid to ask, now is the time to ask it! Simply email your question to [email protected] with the “Question Afraid to Ask” in the subject line.