Sin “does not exist”, sins exist, with their complete date, day, and time perfectly documented. Yours, mine, those of all human beings. They have your signature, they are impregnated with your essence. Jesus Christ suffered the unspeakable so that instead of your signature appearing on them, He appeared, and they were forgiven.
Our Lord asked Saint Margaret Mary of Alacoque – chosen as the messenger of the “Sacred Heart of Jesus” – to keep vigil with Him for one hour every night from Thursday to Friday, in remembrance and reparation of the hour in which He was abandoned, even for his disciples who fell asleep.
“Behold the heart that has loved men so much that it has spared nothing until it was extinguished and consummated to demonstrate its love to them. And in recognition, I do not receive from the majority, but ingratitude.”
The Lord revealed to Saint Margaret that in that hour he suffered more than in all the rest of his Passion because in that time, Jesus suffered the same terror that the soul experiences when placed before the tribunal of God and receives the verdict of condemnation. The pain was so intense that our Savior sweated blood and still, he decided to save you. Now ask yourself that question again, but does Jesus love me?
The world is full of temptations, they are everywhere. They wrap around your mind and play with it to make you fall. To sin, harm yourself and cause new pain in the Heart of Jesus. God allows them to test you and show him that you love him, but God did not create evil. Evil was created by Satan and the fallen angels of him, the prince of this world
“I will not talk much to you anymore, because the prince of the world is coming.” (John 14-30)
Evil runs rampant because we do not put up enough resistance. Without a firm will to stop it, temptation, a specialty of demons, will never end. As long as we are in this world we will suffer them, and therefore we must be constantly attentive. Following Christ is not an easy task, He Himself warned us.
And you, what are you going to do?
Let us imitate our Lord. When temptation comes, don’t ramble or talk to it. Don’t make calculations about the benefits offered to you. Just ¡PRAY!, and ask God for strength to remove it from your mind and overcome it. Have faith.
Temptation always presents itself as something fruitful, something from which to take advantage. It is where the sin that you will commit is born if you follow the siren song of the evil one and stop to listen.
You think: If I speak ill of someone who has hurt me, not only do I vent, but I also ruin his reputation and put this or that one who suits me in my favor. Falsely, you believe that you gain something, but you only spread the misery of resentment that invades your heart. Every humiliation is a crown of glory. Live it with pride because the Lord will have his reasons for giving it to you.
Your head dreams of that item that you like so much, that whim that you can’t afford. And you exaggerate in your mind how good it will make you feel and how necessary it is in your life until it becomes an obsession. So you decide that if you can’t acquire it, maybe you could steal it.
You have become pregnant unexpectedly, and suddenly the life you had idealized in your mind disappears. And your head begins to scheme: But how is “that” going to be the father of my children? Or on the contrary, but what if “that” was just one-night sex? A child is forever! Am I going to “carry” this for the mistake of a crazy adventure? Let’s get it over with and move on with our lives.
Look at how sick Grandpa is and how expensive his treatment is, not to mention all the time we invest in taking care of him. We can’t even go on vacation anymore. He can’t speak and probably doesn’t even listen to us. Surely he is suffering, and the poor thing can’t tell us. Yes, of course, the best option is euthanasia. Surely, if he could… he would tell us that he agrees.
And the lie? That is the specialty of the snake that we all fall into. Lies to plot and instigate, lies to corrupt and escalate, deeply intended lies to satisfy desires. Broken promises, self-deception, exaggeration, “white” lies, etc. Which one do you recognize yourself most?
Every temptation that turns into sin is a new pain in the Sacred Heart of Jesus. A new thorn that you have placed in that very painful crown that you continue to help weave. A new scourge that tears his flesh. A new mockery that reopens his infinite wounds. A return to Gethsemane.
Repent and ask the Lord with all your heart to wash you with his precious blood, the one he shed for you on the Cross. Beg him to forgive you for having failed him. For having started a conversation with the bad guy and having fallen. Do not excuse yourself with the well-known weakness or fragility, do not justify yourself. Assume whatever you have done and reconcile with Him by going through the sacrament of Confession
God exalts those who humble themselves, those who accept their guilt, those who recognize the lie in which they live and tell the truth no matter how painful it may be. Place yourself in that place you have deserved and kneel to allow the Lord to lift you up.
He, all merciful, will forgive you and restore your peace. Always remember that Jesus is as human as you and he knows perfectly your why’s. He, too, was tempted.
He prays to redirect your life and strengthen you in weakness. And don’t be in a hurry. Let God be God and let Him decide when and how He will answer your prayers. Visit Him frequently, be consistent, and He will increase your faith so that you can feel His presence and respond firmly to the temptations that will continue to come and cause you to fall. Put your life in the Sacred Heart of the greatest love and your life will radically change.
