“Stopping Sin”
By Father Frank Hernandez
“Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven (Luke 6:37).” Lesson from Jesus in how we should not act with one another. Being a human being, we act a certain way with others when we get upset. We let our emotions get in the way and overtake our decisions, actions and thoughts. Because of that, we act out in ways that are not good for us and others. We hurt others, physically, emotionally, spiritually and mentally. And when that does happen, we fall into sin. Sin in the Catechism of the Catholic Church says it is an offense against reason, truth, and right conscience; it is failure in genuine love for God and neighbor caused by a perverse attachment to certain goods (No. 1849). This is true, when we sin, we are not loving others, the Lord and ourselves as we should. Jesus tells the people and us, we need to not fall into sin in our lives.
But when we do fall into sin, how quick are we to forgive and to try not to commit that same sin again in our lives. Because when we get angry with another person, a few moments we realize the wrong we have done and try to mend that relationship again. But that relationship has been hurt and will take time for that trust to return again. The same with the Lord, how often do we offend Him and feel sorry for our actions. We try to seek forgiveness for the wrong we have committed.
Yet, we seek forgiveness for wrong done to us; sometimes we do not hold ourselves to the same standard. We demand judgment or forgiveness for the offense they have caused us. We DEMAND justice for the wrong done to us, but we do not do the same when we commit sin towards others, we say “they deserved it, why should I say sorry”. Jesus tells us we should not act like; the way we want to be treated is the same way we should treat others.
How can this passage from Luke influence our daily lives? How can it help us to not fall into sin and when we do offend someone or they offend us, we can ask them to recognize the wrong we have done and try to mend that relationship in our lives? May we truly forgive as the Lord forgives us every day of our lives.