Malice and mercy

BECAUSE of our spiritual nature, because we are free and can choose and determine the course of our life, and a host of other becauses, we are able to turn our life north or south, to rise to the heights of glory or to plunge into the depths of ignominy.

Our dignity is of utmost caliber, nothing less than persons created in the image and likeness of God and made, in fact, as God’s children through the gift of grace. But it’s also by the same token that we can fall far deeper than any creature can into utter meanness. “Corruptio optimi pessima,” the corruption of the best is the worst.

That’s why there’s heaven and hell, eternal bliss and endless damnation. Both truths of faith reflect the best and the worst in us.

Such is our condition. We should be constantly aware of this double-edged possibility that can befall us, so we can be properly prepared and skilled to handle it. Truth is there are moments in our life when we seem to walk on a tightrope between good and evil. We should not be surprised by this situation.

Those who are more gifted in life—in intelligence, talents, looks, fame, wealth, health, power, etc.—usually find themselves with more temptations and trials both in terms of quantity and complexity. Yet, everyone is offered a choice where to turn to.

We have to reassure ourselves that there’s always hope, and that the means for us to make the right choice are always there. As St. Paul once said, “where sin has abounded, the grace of God has abounded even more.” (Rom 5,20)

Yes, our capacity to sin can be endless. If our first parents, Adam and Eve, still in their original condition of sinlessness and excellence, managed to sin, you can imagine how easy it would be for us to fall, since our present condition is much more vulnerable to sin.

Besides, our armory to further this capability to sin to its extreme of malice can be richer. If our fallen first parents only resorted to hiding behind a fig leaf and making petty excuses, we now have far plentier ways of hiding and offering alibis. We can even dare to rebel openly against God, doing so with conviction and indifference.

We should therefore acknowledge our sinfulness and our huge potential to sin. St. John once said, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” (1 Jn 1,8) This is the first step—to acknowledge it—so we can take the necessary succeeding steps.

We need to be constantly on guard against our weaknesses and the temptations both inside and outside us. We have to remember that our worst enemies can be our own selves, and the trickiest temptations can spring from our best endowments. So, let’s not be naïve.

We have to learn how to do battle with them, always coming up with strategies that would clearly identify our specific enemies at the moment (laziness, lust, pride, envy, etc.) and the spiritual and moral weapons we need.

We need to develop virtues and good practices, filling our mind and heart with good thoughts and desires, engaging our faculties with their proper objects. We have to avoid idleness and a selfish loneliness that cuts us from God and from others. Even in our solitary moments, we have to think always of God and others.

Thus, it would be good if we can formulate an effective plan that includes the appropriate acts of piety—prayers, continuing formation, sacrifice, sacraments, etc.—so that we don’t face the day unprepared and ridiculously exposed to our spiritual enemies.

We need also to bolster our faith in God’s everlasting mercy. Our Lord always forgives. He gives special and immediate attention to sinners. Remember the story of the woman caught in adultery and the repentant thief. He didn’t go through complicated investigations. He just forgave them!

He himself taught us to forgive others not only seven times but seventy times seven, meaning always. In fact, God wants us to forgive others so we can be forgiven.

Let us also remember the steps to attain forgiveness and to be able to forgive others—regularly doing examination of conscience, making many acts of contrition reparation, going to frequent confession.

Blessed John Paul II once said it is God’s mercy that limits our capacity to sin. So, it’s very important not only to be familiar with, but also to savor this divine mercy given to us so abundantly.