The Sunday Sermon Archive

Dear Friend,

In today's Gospel reading (St. Luke 5: 1-11), we see two very different reactions to the miracles that Jesus performed. St. Ambrose says: "After the Lord had healed many and various kinds of sicknesses, the multitude began to be oblivious of time and place in their eagerness to be healed. Evening comes on, they still follow Him. They come to a lake, and the crowd press in on Him." When St. Peter witnessed the miracle of the catch of fish, his response was to fall at Jesus' knees, saying: "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord."

It appears that the wonders that Jesus performed were received by some men with eagerness and joy and by others with fear and trepidation. This difference is not to be found in Jesus but within men's spirits. Perhaps some were ignorant of their sins or just oblivious to their own unworthiness, looking upon Jesus for material or worldly blessings, while others are struck to their core by the various sins that seared their consciences. There is no doubt that we are all unworthy, but some feel this unworthiness while others appear not to feel it.

The devils will always tempt us toward the extremes. Some boldly approach Jesus for material or worldly advantages as if God owed this to them. It often seems that they think of themselves as gods and that God is their servant to give them whatever they want. We can often see this similarly portrayed by spoiled children when they abuse their parents' love. These tend to presume upon God's mercy. On the other extreme, we find the devils inspire souls to be afraid to even approach Jesus because of their sins. They tend to despair of God's mercy.

Some Catholics will boldly approach Jesus in the Holy Eucharist as if this were their right rather than a privilege or gift. They give no thought to the preparation of their souls. Examining their consciences usually goes as far as saying, "I have not killed anybody, so I am okay." We are also left to wonder if they even truly believe in the True Presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. Without serious thought, they press upon Him, often abusing His goodness. We are left to wonder if such people ever reflect on the words of St. Paul (1 Cor. 11:29) "For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh judgment to himself, not discerning the Body of the Lord."

The examination of our consciences must be taken seriously, and we should never knowingly receive Jesus while we are in the state of mortal sin. We must be careful not to become careless in preparing our souls to receive Him. It is not difficult to purify our souls with genuine contrition and Penance. Jesus wants us to come to Him, but He desires that we become humble and contrite. He likes to shower us with His gifts but does not want us to heap sin upon sin. Or to be emboldened in sin. "Give not that which is holy to dogs: neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest perhaps they trample them under their feet, and turning upon you, tear you" (St. Matthew 7:6).

Conversely, some souls refuse to come to Jesus and put on a false humility: "I am not worthy." No one is worthy because we are all sinners and need God's graces. This appears to be pride and an unwillingness to renounce our sins rather than humility. They often choose to remain in sin for a long time because they love their sins more than they love God. The only obstacle before them is the one they place there and maintain.

Some even become so emboldened as to blasphemously accuse God of not being just. Their reasoning seems to be: "I will repent when God gives me the grace to repent. He has not given it to me yet, which is why I have not yet repented." They want to place the blame upon God rather than on themselves.

Jesus always has His hand stretched out to help us; we must take His hand if we want His help. If we refuse His help, the fault lies with us, not Him. God does not send souls to Hell. People choose to go to Hell of their own free wills because they have freely rejected God's graces. Those who enter Heaven chose to humbly accept the graces Jesus gave us in the Sacraments — striving to become ever more like Jesus, meek and humble of heart.

We have been forewarned of these two extremes; may we always humbly seek the middle course of virtue. "Lord, I am not worthy, but if You only say the Word, my soul shall be healed." Let us seek to follow Him and press upon Him as His disciples — humbly repenting and renouncing our sins as we daily deny ourselves and take up our cross to obtain the eternal blessings of Heaven.

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