OXYGEN

11 Mar

In place of a story for today, I would like to share with you a news report:

Vatican Updates Sins For Modern World

Polluting the environment, drug pushing and genetic manipulation have been added to the list of mortal sins.

Reuters reports head of the Apostolic Penitentiary – the Vatican body which oversees confessions and plenary indulgence – Bishop Archbishop Gianfranco Girotti (pictured) told L’Osservatore Romano said the greatest “danger zone” fro the soul in modern times was bioethics.

“(Within bioethics) there are areas where we absolutely must denounce some violations of the fundamental rights of human nature through experiments and genetic manipulation whose outcome is difficult to predict and control,” Archbishop Girotti said.

“Priests must take account of new sins which have appeared on the horizon of humanity as a corollary of the unstoppable process of globalisation.

“You offend God not only by stealing, blaspheming or coveting your neighbour’s wife, but also by ruining the environment, carrying out morally debatable scientific experiments, or allowing genetic manipulations which alter DNA or compromise embryos,” he said.

In the interview with the Vatican based newspaper, the Archbishop also listed “ecological” offences as modern evils.

He also listed drug trafficking and taking, social and economic injustices and excessive wealth as modern sins.

He added that two mortal sins which continued to preoccupy the Vatican were abortion and paedophilia.

The Archbishop also said it was disappointing that fewer and fewer Catholics attend confession.

He pointed to a study by Milan’s Catholic University that showed that up to 60 percent of Catholic faithful in Italy stopped going to confession.

- Source: CathNews (http://www.cathnews.com/article.aspx?aeid=6179)
____________________

Numbers 21:4-9

The Israelites left Mount Hor by the road to the Sea of Suph, to skirt the land of Edom. On the way the people lost patience. They spoke against God and against Moses, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt to die in this wilderness? For there is neither bread nor water here; we are sick of this unsatisfying food.”

At this God sent fiery serpents among the people; their bite brought death to many in Israel. The people came and said to Moses, “We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you. Intercede for us with the Lord to save us from these serpents.” Moses interceded for the people, and the Lord answered him, “Make a fiery serpent and put it on a standard. If anyone is bitten and looks at it, he shall live.” So Moses fashioned a bronze serpent which he put on a standard, and if anyone was bitten by a serpent, he looked at the bronze serpent and lived.
____________________

John 8:21-30

Jesus said to the Pharisees:

“I am going away; you will look for me
and you will die in your sin.
Where I am going, you cannot come.”

The Jews said to one another, “Will he kill himself? Is that what he means by saying, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” Jesus went on:

“You are from below;
I am from above.
You are of this world;
I am not of this world.
I have told you already: You will die in your sins.
Yes, if you do not believe that I am He,
you will die in your sins.”

So they said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus answered:

“What I have told you from the outset.
About you I have much to say
and much to condemn;
but the one who sent me is truthful,
and what I have learnt from him
I declare to the world.”

They failed to understand that he was talking to them about the Father. So Jesus said:

“When you have lifted up the Son of Man,
then you will know that I am He
and that I do nothing of myself:
what the Father has taught me
is what I preach;
he who sent me is with me,
and has not left me to myself,
for I always do what pleases him.”

As he was saying this, many came to believe in him.
____________________

You will die in your sins.

‘Sudden death’ is a term used in soccer to determine the winning team in a match that has ended in a draw. A seemingly harmless description when used in sports but in the context of life, a sudden death of a loved one or a closed friend brings about much confusion, grief and pain to all of us. In today’s readings, the state of the soul at the point of death is a key theme that I wish to invite the reader to ponder upon.

The Israelites in the first reading were grumbling about the living conditions in the desert and that made God angry enough to send fiery serpents to bring death upon them. Christ further elaborates in the Gospel reading when He mentions that the Jews were “…from below [but He] was from above.” What is important for us to note is that the lack of belief will result in them dying in their sins.

Dying in our sins may result in the eternal damnation which is actually the absence of the presence of God’s love. It may seem trivial to us at this present moment but it is similar to those who have been through the permanent absence of a loved one as a result of death.

As we enter the last week of Lent, let us take the opportunity to reflect on our Lenten journey and examine our conscience on whether we have fulfilled the resolution to avoid temptations and sin. The healing powers of the Sacrament of Reconciliation will allow us to avoid the ultimate pain of an absence from God.

(Today’s reflection by Nick Chia)
____________________

Prayer: Lord, we pray for the grace to question deeply the state of our soul.

Thanksgiving: We give thanks for those who constantly remind us of the need for God’s love.

Upcoming Readings:
Wed, 12 Mar – Daniel 3:14-20, 91-92; John 8:31-42
Thu, 13 Mar – Genesis 17:3-9; John 8:51-59
Fri, 14 Mar – Jeremiah 20:10-13; John 10:31-42
Sat, 15 Mar – 2 Samuel 7:4-5a, 12-14a, 16; Romans 4:13, 16-18; Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24a; or Luke 2:41-51a; Solemnity of St. Joseph, husband of Mary
Sun, 16 Mar – Isaiah 50:4-7; Philemon 2:6-11; Matthew 26:14-27; 66; Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion
————————
To subscribe to this mailing list, send a blank e-mail to this address:
Godismyoxygen-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
To unsubscribe to this mailing list, send a blank e-mail to this address:
Godismyoxygen-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com