Fr. Glenn Jones:

As we experience often daily, it is becoming increasingly challenging to hold to true and ageless Christian principles. Faith often comes under attack by those advocating for the values of modern culture, which are often diametrically opposed to our faith. We hear often sometimes even from clerics: “The Church should get in touch with the times!”, those critics essentially believing that the values of the world should override even very clear teachings of the faith.

But that’s always been the case, really. Even in the story of Adam and Eve, we are given a first glimpse of the struggle between good and evil, the spirit and the flesh, obedience to God and rebellion. One can almost hear the serpent telling Eve between the lines during their dialogue in Genesis 3: “Oh, c’mon! Are you really going to listen to restrictions God put on you. He doesn’t want you to be happy. You should do whatever you want! You’ll be more fulfilled!!” Yeah, well … how did that work out?

In that way we can be like perpetual teenagers. Young people, without the hard experience life brings, often delude themselves that things they’re warned against will really work out well for them. But we older folks do it, too. Always there’s some serpent whispering into our ear trying to draw us away from the good, our responsibilities, our honor. “I’m bored, so I’ll cheat; I won’t get caught!” And then there’s another wrecked marriage … another broken home. As St. Paul warns: “…the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh; for these are opposed to each other…” (Galatians 5:17)…the Spirit leading to charity, obedience and virtue…the desires of the flesh leading to selfishness, disobedience and vice, a.k.a., sin.

And what is sin? … that bugaboo word that even Christians in our day disdain? Even many Christian denominations teach that we need not worry about sin if only we have “faith”.

But what IS faith? A true faith not only believes, but acts in conformity with what God has taught. As St. James says in his letter: “… faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.” (James 2:17) St. Paul bookends his letter to the Romans with the phrase: “The obedience of faith.” And Jesus Himself insists on such observance several times in the Gospels, as in: “Not every one who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven,” (Matthew 7:21) and “You are my friends IF you do what I command you.” (John 15:14)

Sin: a short sharp word which is even often ridiculed nowadays, but certainly was not by Jesus or the apostles. For sin is simply a purposeful departure from the will and teaching of God, and therefore from the absolute Good.

Sometimes we hear: “The guilt that you Christians talk about in warning about sin is not healthy!” But it is not the guilt that is unhealthy; it is the sin which is unhealthy…and spiritually destructive. Guilt and shame are the conscience calling us back from doing wrong. Guilt and shame should not be rejected, but heard and heeded. Depart from wrongdoing—depart from sin —and guilt and shame are no more.

But this, of course, requires self-discipline. Self-control. Self-mastery. And more and more in our world we just don’t like that.

Of course, understanding what God calls us to do–and not to do–is essential. He gives ample grace for self-mastery, with our ultimate example in Jesus. As St. Paul assures us: “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)

What is that “way of escape”? Getting up from the computer when tempted to click on porn.  Opting out of the lunch “meeting” with that attractive co-worker. Beheading the serpent before it strikes. As St. James writes: “God … tempts no one; but each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin; and sin when it is full-grown brings forth death.” (James 1:13-15)

Perhaps most important of all, we need to remember humility and reject narcissistic tendencies of self-glorification and hedonism. As we are given God’s grace for self-control, the truly faithful Christian can say the words of the poem Invictus often quoted here:

I am the master of my fate.

I am the captain of my soul.

…reflecting the theme of the passage: “If you will, you can keep the commandments, and to act faithfully is a matter of your own choice … Before a man are life and death, and whichever he chooses will be given to him.” (Sirach 15:15,17)

This requires that we resist societal pressures and conquer fear of being disliked or challenged … even from family members. We must always take our stand with Christ.

This is a primary message of our Mass Gospel today when Jesus says: “Whoever loves father or mother…son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me…” (Matthew 10:37-38). While at times painful and difficult, we cannot let even our closest earthly relationships get between us and God. This may mean pointing out sin in others if they endanger their souls, for true love warns of peril. We can love God and the person, though it may risk a relationship … or don’t love God or the person enough to try to guide toward the saving path. But when we do so, God will be with us, for we will be exercising the same charity—the same true love—as the prophets, as John the Baptist, as the apostles, and as Jesus Himself. Jesus didn’t say: “Never upset anyone; get along with people at all costs,” He said: “Follow Me.”

Editor’s note: Rev. Glenn Jones is the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe and former pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Los Alamos.