The greatness of a sinner
All people after living awhile on this earth will surely meet one another at a common point: all have sinned. (Rom 3:23) Everyone is a sinner and no one has the right to say that he/she is less sinful than anyone else.
If we want to talk about differences, we can quickly list them as follows: First, each person sins in his/her own way. Second, each behaves differently toward his/her own sin. Third, each sinner has a different attitude toward other sinners. This is the thing I’d like to discuss more here. On this point, in general, there are 3 attitudes that correspond to 3 kinds of sinners:
The first kind of sinners consists of those who are not humble enough and who do not have enough courage to admit their sins and so they try to run away from the fear inside them by projecting it outward onto others in some violent forms such as condemning[1], contempt, destructive criticism, cursing,… These sinners are absurd.
The second kind of sinners are those who are conscious of their weaknesses and wrongdoings that have caused damages in this life. They repent themselves, go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation to find peace for their soul again. These sinners are mediocre.
The third kind of sinners is composed of those who are humble and who have enough courage to admit they are weak, imperfect and always in need of the mercy and forgiveness of God. Especially, there is a bright light in these sinners that make them become more like the loving God (Rom 5:8). That light is the compassion and sympathy toward other sinners. Though being sinners themselves, this special attitude enables them to become wonderful, lovely and precious. They hate sin because of its harmfulness but they love other sinners who actually are their suffering brothers and sisters. They have experienced the fragility and brokenness of the human condition; but more importantly, they have understood and learned from the heart full of mercy of God. It is the mercy in their hearts that keeps them on the state of being like God. These sinners are of great stature.
All are sinners. However, the attitude of a sinner toward other sinful brothers and sisters shows how much he/she understands the loving heart of God (1Jn 4:8). This attitude decides whether he/she is absurd, mediocre or of great stature. Whoever shows compassion to other brothers and sisters injured by sins will become Godlike and remain deeply in the grace of forgiveness and salvation. On the contrary, a sinner will be manipulated to become a malicious means of Satan when his/her heart is absent of humility and looks down on other sinners. There is a common sign showing that a sinner is being manipulated by the Devil: he/she has a tendency to keep seeing someone else’s sin before his/her eyes while he/she is not clearly conscious of his/her own sin. (Lk 6:41). This will be more dangerous if that person believes that he/she is serving God by that attitude because he/she is actually being tempted to become an evil person in the name of good intention. It will be difficult for the forgiveness of God to enter into a proud and blind heart as such. (Lk 18:9-24)
One who has compassion for sinners has true experiences of God. One who does not has not understood anything about God. Why? Because in God’s eyes, a sinner is by no means and in no sense a disgusting stranger but a most beloved child who is in an urgent need of love and healing. Sinners are forever the children of the merciful Father and are always the real brothers and sisters of one another. This truth is undeniable.
All are sinners. No one has the right to claim to be holier than others. What matters remains very simple like this: Which position do I want to choose for myself: absurd, mediocre or of great stature?
An absurd sinner faces the risk of becoming an evil person.
A mediocre sinner does not advance.
A sinner of great stature can become a saint.
Joseph Việt
[2013]
P.S. 1: from the source
+ At that time, Jesus answered those who wanted to kill the adulteress: “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” (Jn 8:7)
+ And it happened that He was reclining at the table in his house, and many tax collectors and sinners were dining with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many of them, and they were following Him. When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that He was eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they said to His disciples, “Why is He eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners?” And hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mk 2:15-17; Lk 5:32) … Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire compassion, not sacrifice’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mt 9:13; also Hosea 6:6)
+ For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Rom 5:7-8)
+ …
P.S. 2: from a living example
+ The people in Rome during these past few months have seen an obvious phenomenon: the number of pilgrims and tourists has increased a lot. One of the main reasons for their coming to Rome is to see the Holy Father Francis. Who is he? Here is a special detail about him: after being voted to be the next Pope, when he was asked if he would be willing to accept the ministry of St. Peter to lead the Catholic Church, the first words of his were: “I am a big sinner” (“Sono un grande peccatore”). He then expressed his confidence in the love and grace of God and accepted this ministry. In his very first Angelus with the people, he affirmed: “Mercy can change the world.” After that day, he has continued to ask people to pray for him because, in his words, “…I am also a sinner, like everyone.” (…perché io sono anche un peccatore, come tutti…”)[2] This merciful pastor continues to passionately preach about the unfailing mercy of God for sinners.
[1] Note: Positive and objective legal actions with appropriate intentions to provide a greater benefit for the community are not supposed to share the same direction of thought and meaning of which the writer is speaking. I am talking about a deeper and more personal dimension of the human conscience.
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