Sinners

“Priests have received a power which God has given neither to angels nor to archangels. It was said to them: ‘Whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever you shall loose, shall be loosed.’” (Saint John Chrysostom).

Ten Lepers Call Out to Jesus (Gebhard Fugel)

I have been reflecting on the great Saints.  I am not so interested in their holy deeds – though their holy deeds are worthy and remarkable.  I am interested in their sins.  After all, what sins have they repented of?  How have they pushed through their failings, with Grace, to achieve some favour with the Lord? 

I imagine Saint Faustina and Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta.  What were their failings?  How did they overcome them?  Clearly, we do not save ourselves.  We are saved by Grace.  And so, we are responsible for asking for Grace and waiting for the Holy Will of God.  Saint Therese of Lisieux explained that a lily has its place int eh Garden of God as much as a daffodil or a daisy or a rose.  And each soul has a certain amount of merit based on the Will of God.  And as each soul accepts their Grace and direction from God that soul blossoms into a rose or lily or a simple daisy instead.  And a thimble is as full as a bucket – despite each containing vastly different amounts of water.

And it is the same with souls.  A soul with capacity to be a great Saint must be full of Grace to their capacity.  A lesser soul who cannot achieve those heights of holiness, must be content with a thimble-full of Grace instead.  Both the bucket and thimble are full (as Saint Therese of Lisieux’s sister explained to her).  This is true holiness, as this means that we accept God’s Will…

“As Jesus entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices and said, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.’ When he saw them he said to them, ‘Go and show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went they were cleansed.” (Luke 17:11-19).

After being cleansed, the lepers were instructed to show themselves to a priest.  They were told to seek absolution and cleansing by the priest, in God’s name – not because Christ was unable to give absolution, but because Christ wanted to establish a rule for after He was gone…

Saint John Vianney said, “Go to confession to the Blessed Virgin, or to an angel; will they absolve you? No. Will they give you the Body and Blood of Our Lord? No. The Holy Virgin cannot make her Divine Son descend into the Host. You might have two hundred angels there, but they could not absolve you. A priest, however simple he may be, can do it; he can say to you, ‘Go in peace; I pardon you.’ Oh, how great is a priest!”

For, “Priests have received a power which God has given neither to angels nor to archangels. It was said to them: ‘Whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever you shall loose, shall be loosed.’” (Saint John Chrysostom).

And what a blessing that is for a sinner like me.  What a wonderful blessing…

For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.