Where sin increased, grace overflowed.
Romans 5, 12, 15b, 17-19, 20b-21 + Luke 12, 35-38
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By one man sin entered into the world, and by one Man grace overflowed. This is the message
Paul brings us today, developing his theological arguments by recalling the Fall and comparing
the actions of Adam and Eve to those of Jesus Christ.
As we have journeyed in this pilgrimage to the Jubilee Holy Year, we have had occasion to
reflect on the concepts of structures of sin and structures of beauty. The Holy Father has many
times taught of the danger of structures of sin that encourage evil, and of how these structures
have their beginnings in the concrete individual acts of sin and wickedness. The sins of Adam
and Eve began this process. By grace, however, and through our Lord's obedience, death on the
Cross and Resurrection, there enter into the world structures of beauty and goodness, and we
participate in this through our acts of wisdom, peace, justice, and mercy.
Luke today presents the parable of the faithful stewards, who do their jobs even though the
coming of the Master of the House is delayed. How appropriate this is for us today, when evil
grows wild and strong, and wickedness abounds. The practice of justice is trivialized and
scorned, we put "In God we trust" on our money but turn this noble phrase to blasphemy by our
actions and the things we do with our money. Personally, I am increasingly losing sight of where
the "big picture" of world geopolitics is going these days, the velocity of events is very fast, the
permutations are devious, and the possible consequences are grave beyond our arrogant
imaginings. But it's not really my job to understand this, my call is to be a faithful servant, to do
the works that God sets before me, and let Grace do the rest. In the darkness of our times, even
as the structures of sin seem stronger than ever before, grace yet overflows, a Cup filled and
running over that never empties, from which all are invited to drink deeply.
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