“I can’t believe in a God who sends people to Hell.”
(by request, my homily from Sunday)
“I can’t believe in a God who sends people to Hell.”
It was said smugly. As if it was unanswerable.
A roundhouse hit, right in the collar. Undeniable proof that Christianity is horrible and inhumane. A knockout.
I think that’s why he was stunned when I responded, “me neither.”
I don’t believe in a God who sends people to Hell.
Because God is not in the business of sending me to Hell.
That is my job. I can be in the business of sending me to Hell. If I’m dumb enough to do it.
If I do it enough. If I’m dumb enough to do it enough.
I can totally pull it off. I can earn the dumbest prize anyone ever won.
So how do you do that? It comes down to sin.
Not God punishing you or me for sin. The problems that come with sin are the natural consequences of sin.
Jumping into a pond has the natural consequence of getting wet. You can’t jump into a pond without getting wet. You earn it by jumping into the pond.
It’s the same way with sin. When I sin, I get the natural consequences of sin. I earn it by my sins.
When we think about sin, the things that come to mind are the Ten Commandments, the seven deadlies (lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy, and pride), and other obvious examples.
Those are definitely sins. The thing is, sin is harder than that. Because sin doesn’t stop there.
Sin isn’t about any specific list of “thou shalt nots.” Like I said at the Penance Service, what sin is really about is the effect that it has on you and me. What sin does.
And what sin does is separate you and me from the One who loves us best. Sin gets between us and God. That is what makes something a sin.
And sin is personal. I mean that two ways.
First, sin is personal because anything that is capable of separating you from God? That, for you personally, is a sin.
That’s true, no matter how small or harmless it may look.
Whether it’s something you do, or something you say, or an attitude or perspective that you entertain.
It’s also true, even if it’s not sin for someone else.
Here’s what I mean. There’s a reason why I don’t gamble.
For most of us, gambling is innocent entertainment. Good for you. Enjoy. Thank you for supporting our bingo night.
But for me? It wouldn’t take long for gambling to get out of hand. It would not take long for gambling to come between me and God. That is why gambling, for me, is a sin.
Anything that is capable of separating you from God? That, for you, is a sin.
That’s one way that sin personal.
The other way that sin is personal? When I say that sin separates you from God, I don’t mean that God is keeping a running total of the good and the bad and that your balance has dropped into the negative.
I mean that sin messes up your personal relationship with God.
It’s like this. The last thing my dad always says to me is “I love you.” I can’t remember when he started doing it (he’s been doing it for decades), but I know he why he does it.
So that if something happens, the last words I hear from him will be, “I love you.”
That is an amazing gift to give to someone.
And I always say, “I love you” right back to him. For the same reason.
Let’s say I stopped saying, “I love you” back to my dad. That would hurt. That would mess up our relationship.
Let’s say I stopped taking his calls. Again, that would hurt. That would mess up our relationship.
What if it was something less obvious?
What if my dad asked me to help him with something, and I said I would. But I never got around to it.
Or maybe, whenever there was something that was important to him, I never made time for it.
It’s not as in your face. I’m sure I had plenty of good reasons. But that would hurt too. That would mess up our relationship.
Why would it be any different with God?
And you’re thinking, “It’s the third Sunday of Advent, why are we talking about this stuff? Shouldn’t we be getting ready for Christmas?”
We are. Today is Gaudete Sunday. “Gaudete” means “rejoice.” And we should.
That’s why we’re wearing rose. Because rose is the color of rejoicing, the color of hope.
And that is what Christmas is all about – the reason to rejoice, the reason for hope. That is what John the Baptist is preparing people for in today’s Gospel.
Christmas is about God’s plan for restoring our relationship with Him. The whole “God with us” thing.
It’s God saying to you and me, “I don’t care what’s come between us. Let’s fix whatever it is.”
“Don’t worry about coming to Me, I’ll come to you. We’ll do this together.”
“No matter what it takes. Or how many times.”
The whole “God with us” thing.
Meeting you and me where we are. And loving us too much to leave us there.
Restoring your relationship with Him. That is how much God loves you.
That’s why we have the Sacrament of Reconciliation before Masses every weekend. It’s an opportunity to heal our relationship with God.
That’s why we had the Penance Service last week. Another opportunity to heal our relationship with God.
That’s why the front page of the bulletin has all that information about the plenary indulgence for diocesan year of the Eucharist. Another opportunity to heal our relationship with God.
Grace upon grace upon grace.
That is why I say that God is not in the business of sending anyone to Hell.
Because God holds nothing back in His mercy and love for you.
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