Fr. Voigt: A Call, a Search and the Find
After the fall of man it was God Who called out: "Man where art
thou?" From his hiding place he responded: "I am naked and
ashamed." "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten
of the fruit of which I forbade thee?" Now God receives the
blame for it was the woman You gave Adam who sought him to
eat of the fruit. Adam and Eve lost the pleasures of paradise and
were like lost sheep wandering and wondering.
Mankind has lost the pleasure of God's company due to sin but the
Love which abides in the heart of the Divine cannot allow the evil
one to destroy the eternal plan. Hence God takes that false note
of sin and turns to His Son to make reparation for man and to
call man back to his spiritual common sense. Francis Thompson
in his Hound of Heaven expresses our situation perfectly when
he pens these words: "Naught shelters thee who will not shelter
Me."
Look at how man runs from one activity to the next to avoid the
call of God: "Man where art thou?" His call is patient and enduring.
He uses sickness, the death of a loved one, a lost job, a detraction
and you name it but all is for one purpose to call that which was
lost and is now found. The world and all that it holds is useless
but everything in this temporal order is meant to "test" us. Are
we ready to detach ourselves from everyone and everything to
attach ourselves to the will of God.
Throughout eternity the refrain is heard "In His Will is our peace."
If only this attitude could conquer the deceits of the world, the
flesh and the devil, then we could pass the test with flying colors.
But man is so earthly tied and the devil is so astute that man
falls again and again. God recognized the weakness in man's fallen
condition and provides a remedy: holy confession. That's right,
confess your sins to one another and so the grace of God will
strengthen your resolve to achieve the kingdom of heaven.
Divine Love shed human blood to pay the price for our re-union
with the holy Trinity. Man need only humble himself and confess
his sins to receive an increase in God's love for him. The Good
Shepherd will recover the lost sheep and carry that soul on His
own shoulders back to the Father. There will be more joy in
heaven over one repentant sinner than over the 99 plus angels
and archangels who have no need of repentance.
Man's return fulfills the designs of God and completes the
perfect number 99 + 1 = 100. What a privilege for man to give
up his hiding, his shame and his blame and come to the confession
of his sins and rejoice in the forgiveness. Though his sins be red
as scarlet they will become white as snow. No human love could
do this or be so amazing; only a divine love could love those who
have so often turned their back on the generosity of God.
Wake up, brothers and sisters, to the reality of God's eternal love
and make up the reparation needed for those who are near and
dear to you. Offer up the holy mass for their return to the door
of the confessional and the forgiveness of all their troubles. Do
not let sin conquer the soul but let divine forgiveness initiate the
shouts of joy in heaven. Imagine all the saints, angels and our
own Blessed Mother cheering us on, encouraging us to conquer
human respect and to walk the path of humility to our great
reward. Eye has not seen; ear has not heard nor has it entered
the imagination of man all that God has prepared for those
who pass the test of love.
God bless you all with a truly holy and complete confession of
your sins.
In the hearts of Jesus, Mary and Joseph,
