May 5, 2024.
“This is my commandment: “That you love one and other, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, which a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if you do whatsoever I command you.” (John 15, 12-14)
We frequently think that God must be happy with us because we don’t do anything wrong. We search in our conscience and it seems to us that our life has gone by with no mortal sins. Such consideration contrasts against the idea the saints had of themselves; in general, they felt full of anguish and thy considered themselves great sinners, despite the fact that their hands were full of authentic heroic acts of love.
We must try to do nothing bad, to commit no type of sin, especially mortal sins that break our relation with God. But that is not enough. It is as if a soccer team designed its strategy by placing all its players defending the goal area. At best there would be a tie at zero. Sins are goals scored against us, good deeds are goals we score, and at the end what will count is the final score for or against. Moreover, it is easier to be conscious, and therefore repent, of the sins committed than of the acts of love we haven’t carried out, of the so called sins of omission, so frequently ignored. Perhaps there is the key to the behavior of the saints: they were in love with Christ and even doing so many things for Him, everything seemed insufficient. They had so much love that they only felt happy when they gave their live for the Loved One, for God.
Intentions: Avoid all mortal sin and, at the same time, let no opportunity escape to do a good deed, to help thy neighbor, to make up with good works for what bad we have done.