learning from sinners
"The Lord put them away out of His sight. Only the tribe of Judah was left." —2 Kings 17:18
The kingdom of Israel received the wages of its sins, that is, death (Rm 6:23). The Israelites "rejected His (God's) statutes, the covenant which He had made with their fathers, and the warnings which He had given them...till, in His great anger against Israel, the Lord put them away out of His sight. Only the tribe of Judah was left" (2 Kgs 17:15, 18).
The culture in which we live has been called by Pope John Paul II a "culture of death." Our culture has begun to be paid the wages for its sins of idolatry, rebellion, racism, abortion, unforgiveness, and selfishness. Like the tribe of Judah, only a few Christians, families, marriages, and churches are left that have not been destroyed or warped.
Judah did not learn from the self-destruction of the kingdom of Israel. It continued to sin and eventually destroyed itself. Will we, the survivors in our culture of death, take the plank of sin out of our own eyes (Mt 7:5) and escape destruction, or will we let ourselves be sucked into the sinkhole of sin?
Sin is naturally contagious. The misery of sinners loves company. However, God's grace is sufficient (2 Cor 12:9). We have the grace to repent, be different, be uncontaminated, and live holy lives. Go to Confession at the earliest opportunity. Do not destroy yourself.
Prayer: Father, I accept Jesus as my Justice and thereby receive Your mercy.
Promise: "The measure with which you measure will be used to measure you." —Mt 7:2
Praise: Louise led her kidnapper to give his life to Jesus. He felt Jesus take away the hatred from his life.
Reference: (This teaching was submitted by a member of our editorial team.)
Rescript: †Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, January 2, 2014
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