Thursday of 21st Week of the Year
1 Thes 3: 7-13; Mt 24: 42-51
Dc. Larry Brockman
Which is more serious- a sin of Omission or a Sin of Commission? Really, both are serious sins, it just depends on the circumstances. Jesus makes that clear in today’s Gospel.
If we just withdraw into a safe state of inaction- decide to relax; avoid challenges; and just take from life what it has to offer, then we are doing just what Jesus attacks in today’s Gospel. Inaction is basically a sin of omission. And it can be just as serious as when we go off and commit an action.
History is full of serious sins of omission- times when people stood by and watched terrible things happen. Our times are certainly no different. More to the point, there are times when people just live life for what they could get out of it, and don’t give back.
But our Faith demands more of us. Practicing our faith means doing; being active just like the servant that Jesus praised in the Gospel. That first servant was doing his job diligently whether the Master was present or not.
We are all blessed with talents and gifts. We are all blessed with challenges and trials. Jesus wants us to meet the challenges head on and apply the talents and the gifts that we have been given. That is practicing our faith.
Sometimes getting involved seems hard to do. You might say “What if I make a mistake”. Well, we learn from our mistakes, but at least we are trying. And as Jesus implies in the Gospel, when the Lord comes, and sees how we are trying, he will be pleased as the master was pleased over the industrious servant
Tags: Sins of Ommission vs Commission; Proactive vs Reactive