One aspect of committing an act of sin that is often forgotten, is that it is never a private one. Apart from us it can affect or impact the lives of others, family and friends. More often than not without us ever realising it.
Another thing about the nature of sin often overlooked is that it prevents us from being whom we are called to be. It prevents us from seeing others in need of our love and attention. We are less inclined to respond quickly to the call for help for we become deaf to the pleas. We slowly lose our faith and trust even our relationships. And if we do not turn away from sin and return God our Father then we are lost.
Jesus never turned anyone away who came to Him for healing, reconciliation and love. No sin is too great that He will not forgive. He is the only reason we have hope for eternal life.
Lord have mercy on me for the many times I have strayed from You. Help me remain steadfast in Your love. Amen
Glory to You O Lord my God!
First reading
Hebrews 7:25-8:6
The power of Jesus to save is utterly certain, since he is living for ever to intercede for all who come to God through him.
To suit us, the ideal high priest would have to be holy, innocent and uncontaminated, beyond the influence of sinners, and raised up above the heavens; one who would not need to offer sacrifices every day, as the other high priests do for their own sins and then for those of the people, because he has done this once and for all by offering himself. The Law appoints high priests who are men subject to weakness; but the promise on oath, which came after the Law, appointed the Son who is made perfect for ever.
The great point of all that we have said is that we have a high priest of exactly this kind. He has his place at the right of the throne of divine Majesty in the heavens, and he is the minister of the sanctuary and of the true Tent of Meeting which the Lord, and not any man, set up. It is the duty of every high priest to offer gifts and sacrifices, and so this one too must have something to offer. In fact, if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are others who make the offerings laid down by the Law and these only maintain the service of a model or a reflection of the heavenly realities. For Moses, when he had the Tent to build, was warned by God who said: See that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.
We have seen that he has been given a ministry of a far higher order, and to the same degree it is a better covenant of which he is the mediator, founded on better promises.
Gospel
Mark 3:7-12
Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lakeside, and great crowds from Galilee followed him. From Judaea, Jerusalem, Idumaea, Transjordania and the region of Tyre and Sidon, great numbers who had heard of all he was doing came to him. And he asked his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, to keep him from being crushed. For he had cured so many that all who were afflicted in any way were crowding forward to touch him. And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw him, would fall down before him and shout, ‘You are the Son of God!’ But he warned them strongly not to make him known.
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