You belong to this world, but I do not belong to this
world. That is why I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not
believe that I AM, you will die in your sins.” So they said to him, “Who are
you?” Jesus said to them, “What I told you from the beginning. I have much to
say about you in condemnation. But the one who sent me is true, and what I
heard from him I tell the world.”
They did not realize that he was speaking to them of
the Father. So Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you
will realize that I AM, and that I do nothing on my own, but I say only what
the Father taught me. The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone,
because I always do what is pleasing to him.” Because he spoke this way, many
came to believe in him.
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Reflection:
What does sin
do to us?
It separates us from the infinite love of God. The more we sin, the more we widen the distance between us and God.
Why do we
sin?
We sin because we succumb to the devil’s temptation. But we are not beyond redemption, for we have someone who is always there to save us from the bondage of sin — and He is no other than Jesus.
The moment we submit ourselves to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we allow Jesus to extricate us from the bondage of sin. We allow Jesus to heal whatever wounds we have created by our sinfulness.
As we get closer to the holiest of weeks, the Church is slowly but surely bringing us closer to Jesus. For what reason? To help us realize the great love and sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross. Jesus died for us — He didn’t have to, but He gave His life out of love for us.
At the end of the day, it is still up to us whether we want to permanently separate ourselves from the love of Jesus or go to Him and accept His offer of salvation. Jesus is always there, waiting for us, ever ready to forgive whatever sins we have committed.
Would you go
to Jesus? - Marino J. Dasmarinas