Nine weeks ago, Jesuit Father Antonio
Spadaro, editor of the Italian journal LaCivilta Cattolica, sat down with our
Holy Father, Pope Francis, to interview the new pope. Father Spadaro’s first question was this - “Who
is Jorge Mario Bergoglio?” Father Spadaro wrote: “The pope stares at me in
silence. I ask him if this is a question that I am allowed to ask.... He nods
that it is, and he tells me: “I do not know what might be the most fitting
description.... I am a sinner. This is the most accurate definition. It is not
a figure of speech, a literary genre. I am a sinner.”
I was struck by this direct and
humble and honest answer. Francis is a
sinner, and so, apparently, was Paul.
For in this morning’s first readings from the seventh chapter of his
letter to the Romans, Paul is describing his struggle with temptation, as well
as his apparent failures in that struggle.
There is an internal battle, Paul says, a war between the flesh and the
will, between the inner self and what he calls his other members. The flesh is prone to give in when tempted,
even so far as to overcome the rational will, and when that happens, we call it
sin.
Now Paul is very distressed by this
internal battle, this struggle against temptation. We know how well Paul was thought of, how he
lived a virtuous and exemplary life. Yet
he writes of his pain and distress over this struggle – “miserable one that I
am,” he says.
Here’s the thing – we know that we Christians
are neither immune from temptation or from sin.
In fact, I think we’re prone to experience temptation even more acutely,
with more pain, than someone without faith, as did Paul. Many without faith go about life oblivious of
their sinfulness, unaware of whether their lives are pleasing to God,
glorifying God. But as you and I
progress in our faith journey, as we grow in holiness, the Lord shines an ever
brighter light inside us, in our conscience.
One commentator I read used this little metaphor – he asked what happens
when you replace one or two light bulbs in the bathroom – you see the dirt much
more easily! We become more aware of our
imperfections, of the temptations we face, and of our sins, and as Paul was,
more miserable, more frustrated, with our human weakness. For we desire more and more to truly be holy.
This is an important part of our
sanctification, of our purification – and it is the working of the Holy Spirit,
who dwells within us because of the death and resurrection of Our Lord, for
when are more aware of temptation and sin, and more grieved by our failures, we
have no choice but to rely on the strength that comes only from Christ. We, realize, like Paul, that we cannot win
this battle on our own. Only by the
power of Christ, by His indwelling Spirit, will we achieve victory over
temptation, sin and death.
Victory only if we remain close to
Him, close in prayer, in Sacrament and the service of our lives, and only if we
call upon Him in our time of need, in our time of distress.
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