The eternal damnation that every single sin causes me to merit. That is the eternal consequence of the enjoyment of the moment.
The other day, my second son was invited to attend his graduation party that was held to celebrate the end of his primary school years.
The event was a big one by primary school standards… The class needed to fundraise for the event so that there would be enough money raised for some nice activities and events on the day. Then, we needed to book his ticket to the party prior to the event. Then, we needed to arrange the outfit because there was a clear dress code for this coming of age event. Then, we needed to prepare for the party. Because I am a mean mother, my son had to attend school on the day of the party, but other (much kinder mothers than me) allowed their children to spend that school day at home preparing for the big event. The girls had their hair done and their nails fixed and made sure that their dresses were prepared to perfection.
And then there was the party itself. Parents were not allowed to attend. Instead, we were required to drop our children off at the venue and then collect them at nine or ten o’clock in the evening when they were done.
In my family, we decided to sit in another part of the venue and have a lovely meal together as we waited for the time to collect our second son. And we waited for as long as we could and eventually – at a little after nine o’clock in the evening, we collected our son and went home to prepare for sleep.
There was only one problem with this event – which was a roaring success for my son – and that was that it took place on a Thursday evening. And that meant that the next day was a school day. And so, after sleeping at an unusually late hour, the very next morning all of my children had to wake up for school. And man oh man oh man were they unhappy about that!
They woke up tired and cranky. It was sort of the child-version of a hang-over. They had thoroughly enjoyed the evening before but now that the morning was here they had a million regrets!
And that reminds me of sin. It seems so easy to enjoy the superficial thrill of the sin in the moment when it is taking place. But later – afterwards – oh the pain and the discomfort. The pain of confessing our sins. The suffering of punishment. And then there is hell… The eternal damnation that every single sin causes me to merit. That is the eternal consequence of the enjoyment of the moment.
And while I do not – in any way – think that my son enjoying a party to celebrate the end of primary school is sinful, bad or wrong, I did somehow see the consequence of my sins in the waking up the next morning.
And it occurs to me today to give thanks for the PERFECT HUMILITY of a God who is willing to allow me to confess my sins and forgive them…
For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.