Everyone who commits sin commits lawlessness,
for sin is lawlessness.
You know that he was revealed to take away sins,
and in him there is no sin.
No one who remains in him sins;
no one who sins has seen him or known him. (1 Jn 3:4-6)
Lawlessness is a concept — and a reality — that truly frightens me.
If there is absolute lawlessness, there is no consequence for action.
If there is no consequence for action, there is total disregard for others.
If there is total disregard for others, there is no room for God.
If there is no room for God, there is no hope.
If there is no hope, there is no reason to live.
Shall I go on?
The first reading today is quite frightening because it reminds us what the consequence for our sin is: lawlessness.
We need to do all that we can to embrace the Lord. And, in order to embrace Him, we must embrace the laws that He has given to us. They are what keep us grounded, what keep us on the path to heaven.
FAITH ACTION: Prayerfully consider the Ten Commandments and try to ascertain the reasons for each of them:
- I am the Lord your God: you shall not have strange Gods before me.
- You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
- Remember to keep holy the Lord’S Day.
- Honor your father and your mother.
- You shall not kill.
- You shall not commit adultery.
- You shall not steal.
- You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
- You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.
- You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.