The 26th Sunday Ordinary Time (Cycle B)

The tie in between today’s readings: How do you view sin?

Numbers 11:25-29, Psalm 19:8-14, James 5:1-6, Mark 9:38-50

A person’s view of sin is a good indicator of their attitude about salvation. Ever since Adam tried to pass the buck in the Garden by telling God that the woman He (God) gave him caused him to eat the forbidden fruit. (Gen 3:12), we’ve all looked for ways to rationalize our failures. We blame our environment, our heredity, or society. We compare ourselves to others and proudly soothe our conscience by saying, “I know I’m not perfect, but I’m better than so and so.” We cling to our moral standards, elevate the estimation of our own goodness, and bend scripture to fit. The result is a decreased appreciation of the crucifixion to a point where it’s almost as if Jesus died to save us from bad habits.  

A serious evaluation of our transgressions against the perfect holy standards of a God is personally devastating, but essential. At that point, we not only realize we need a Savior, but become desperate to find one. When we do, He gives us a new life in Himself and forgives us while removing our sins as far as the east is from the west. We love Him, because He first loved us and whoever is forgiven much, then loves much in return.  True, after all is said and done, both types of people still sin. The authentic born again person, though, struggles against his sin nature; the lukewarm pew sitter, not so much. The difference, as we said before, is all in the attitude.

In Psalm 19:8-14, David asks God not to let presumptuous sin rule over him.  This is the “jump off the Temple” and force God’s hand kind of sin Satan used to tempt Christ. It’s the “I know that it’s wrong, but I’m doing it anyway. God has to forgive me, after all…I’ve got Jesus in my heart.”. It’s nothing less than contempt for the Holy Spirit. This kind of grace-abuse is so familiar and common that some have even given it a name: Carnal Christianity. Carnal Christianity is a contradiction of terms and an anesthetizing cancer in our churches. You can’t play fast and loose with any sin. The nature of your born again life requires that you forsake your iniquities and strive to become more like Christ. If you won’t, if you just want to go along your merry way like the rich church people in James 5:1-6, and continue to abuse and presume on the grace from on High, then God has an answer for someone like that…“I never knew you.”

In today’s gospel, Jesus tells us that everyone will be salted with fire in Mark 9:49. Among other things, salt is connected with judgment; remember Lot’s wife. Fire is as well. I believe these are judgment metaphors.  John the Baptist said that Jesus will come and baptize believers with the Holy Spirit and with fire (Matt 3:11, Luke 3:16). Then, you have that strange scene when Jesus asks James and John if they could be baptized with His baptism and drink His cup. They said yes. Jesus agrees that they would (Mark 10:35-40, Matt 20:22-23). I think that this is a baptism by fire that Jesus and all believers, in this case James and John, go through for salvation. When Jesus drinks the cup at Gethsemane, we, in a spiritual sense, drink our sin portion with Him. Then we are baptized by fire (or salted if you will) spiritually along with Jesus through the crucifixion and we pass through the judgment of God. We die with Christ and are spiritually born again with Him when He resurrects on Easter Sunday.  Salvation is a personal and intimate matter. “If I live, you will live also.” said Jesus. The Holy Spirit helps us to grow in our new life; conforming and transforming us to the image of His Son. So, go and sin no more…well, at least make that your goal.

There is support in this new life. God provides an escape route whenever temptation comes along. He also gives us each other to lean on when things get difficult, as seen in Numbers 11:25-29. He gives us Reconciliation (the most undervalued Sacrament of all, in my opinion) to bring us back into fellowship with Himself, and a seven times seventy well of forgiveness to start again. So, if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off.  Stop playing with sin! It has no place in your life. Get an appreciation for, “This is My body given for you.” and step into your role as saint. We are more than conquerors in Christ (Romans 8:37). Take your victory in Jesus and fight the good fight of faith! Amen.