REASONS WHY WE MUST KEEP PUSHING

 

The sad truth about sins many of us may not be aware is that once we cease making conscious effort to get rid of any of them in our lives especially through frequent Confessions and self-denials, with time, such sin will gradually solidify in our souls. And when that happens, among its effects is that it will start generating many other terrible sins in our hearts which will eventually render our lives so miserable and horrible!

If you had been very attentive, my Beloved Friend, you may have as well noticed that any sin we do not make effort to eradicate in our lives will eventually open door for other sins. This is exactly why, for instance, someone who struggles with masturbation will soon add watching pornography on top should he or she not work on it on time. Funnily, with time, if care is not taken, the sin of fornication will as well make its way into such person’s life. This obviously opens door for the sin of abortion and many other terrible evils the person may eventually deep his or her hands in. All these arise because just as no virtue walks in isolation, so also do vices operate. They are all connected.

In fact, the sad truth about all these is that the more we commit any sin whatsoever, the more we get used to it. If you wonder why people keep involving themselves in terrible sins with no sense of shame or remorse, even after many corrections and rebukes, this is just one of the reasons. With frequent falls, our intellects will gradually become blinded, and our wills strongly hooked to the sin. This is one the reasons why trying to sensitize such persons that what they are doing is bad is like pouring water to a rock – with repetition, they have gradually lost the horror of sin! It has become part of them.

Honestly, it takes a lot to win such souls who have reached this extent back to God unless His grace had first moved them to repentance. This is why I encourage us all to keep making effort to get rid of any sin we notice in our lives. No matter how frequent we may fall, let us never give up, especially in going for Confession. This is because, the moment the devil finally convinces us to give up Confession, that will be the end of the journey for us - it will make our salvation much more difficult. And the sad truth is that the gate of hell is ever open to receive any soul who stubbornly dies unrepentant in such a state.

This is why I keep lamenting, Dear Friends, let us keep pushing forward. If we do not give up our efforts, verily, the above will never be our lot! For God is so merciful and understanding. Always, He is ever ready to lift us up irrespective of how deeply soaked in sins we may have messed up our lives! Not as we humans see and judge does He operate! His mercy is always able to save us in as much we stretch out our hands in humility and trust! But we must show Him that we are really ready to be healed! Never forget that left to ourselves, we can do absolutely nothing.

I pray that God may continue to sustain us in His grace and love so that at the end of everything, we may not have run in vain, Amen. (Don’t give up!)

        Peace and Love!

Friar Nnanna OFMCap

           (Apostle of God's Mercy)