“Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies that people utter
will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy
Spirit will never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an everlasting
sin.” For they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.” Mark
3:28–30
Jesus spoke these words to the crowds who had gathered around His
home in Capernaum because two groups of people had just spoken very
critically of Him in a public way. First, some of His extended
family arrived and said to everyone, “He is out of his mind.” And
then some of the scribes from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by
Beelzebul.” Thus, Jesus states clearly that their blasphemy is a
sin against the Holy Spirit and will have everlasting
consequences.
Why is it that certain sins will never be forgiven? What exactly is
a sin against the Holy Spirit? Traditionally, our Church has
identified this sin in a couple of ways. First, it is a sin of
final impenitence, that is, the sin of obstinately persisting in
grave sin. Obstinacy, or the refusal to repent, is a sin that
cannot be forgiven, simply because the person committing it never
seeks forgiveness. They become so entrenched in their sin that they
refuse to change. Thus, the mercy of God is incapable of entering
into them. Second, it has also been identified as presumption,
meaning a person sins while expecting God to forgive. Presumption
is more subtle; however, it also has the effect of keeping a person
from the sincere repentance that is needed for forgiveness. The
presumptuous person never fully repents and amends their life as
long as they remain in their sin.
Of all the many sins you struggle with or might struggle with in
the future, pay special attention to the sins against the Holy
Spirit. Though we should never think we have a right to God’s
forgiveness, we must always believe that God’s mercy is so great
that the moment we humbly acknowledge our sin and sincerely repent
of it, God will forgive. But the key is “sincerity.” In order to be
forgiven, the repentance within us must be sincere, authentic, real
and complete. We cannot fool God. We can certainly fool ourselves,
but not God.
One of the best ways to regularly be certain that you are not
guilty of any sin against the Holy Spirit is by going to the
Sacrament of Confession and confessing your sins with openness,
thoroughness and humility. Own your sin. Acknowledge it. Experience
sorrow for it. Resolve to change. Then confess it and trust in
God’s mercy.
Reflect, today, upon any way that you lack sincerity and
thoroughness in your repentance from sin. Are you honest with
yourself about the sins you have committed? Have you taken
ownership of those sins? If so, have you also confessed them to God
and firmly resolved never to commit them again? Take repentance
seriously so that you never even begin to fall down the slippery
slope that leads to any sin against the Holy Spirit.
Most merciful Lord, You offer forgiveness to all who come to You
with humility and sincere sorrow. Please fill me with these virtues
and give me the resolve to change as I open myself to Your
unfathomable mercy. Jesus, I trust in You.
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Featured image above: Jesus Tempted by Carl Bloch, via picryl
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