Today is Another Chance

“Dear Lord, thank you that today I have not sinned. I have not taken Your name in vain. I have not offended my brothers or sisters. I have not cheated, stolen, or even yelled at anyone. Thank you. In a moment, I will get out of bed to start my day.” If you laughed, you could relate to the humor of even thinking we can get through a single day without sin.

Today the Church commemorates Saint Hypatios the Wonderworker, who was put to death by the Novatians, who denied sins committed after baptism could be forgiven. If they were correct, which they were not, why bother getting out of bed ever. Just stay there and that God you have not offended anyone. Then again, being who we are as humans, we would very quickly become prideful that we had not sinned and ruin the whole experiment.

In today’s reading below from Genesis we learn about the Tower of Babel, and the sinful disposition of humanity. Notice no sin is directly mentioned in today’s reading. What is noticeable is the human desire to reach God, but on human terms rather than God’s terms. We are preoccupied with ‘making a name for ourselves’ and reaching for the heights of heaven. But Proverbs has a different idea for us today. Take a moment and read both passages and ask yourself, “Am I trying to do it without God or am I walking with the wise?”

A desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul; but to turn away from evil is an abomination to fools. He who walks with wise men becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm. Misfortune pursues sinners, but prosperity rewards the righteous. A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous. The fallow ground of the poor yields much food, but it is swept away through injustice. He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him. The righteous has enough to satisfy his appetite, but the belly of the wicked suffers want. Wisdom builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down. He who walks in uprightness fears the LORD, but he who is devious in his ways despises him. The talk of a fool is a rod for his back, but the lips of the wise will preserve them. Where there are no oxen, there is no grain; but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox. A faithful witness does not lie, but a false witness breathes out lies. A scoffer seeks wisdom in vain, but knowledge is easy for a man of understanding. – Proverbs 13.19-14.6,

These are the families of the sons of Noah, according to their genealogies, in their nations; and from these the nations spread abroad on the earth after the flood. Now the whole earth had one language and few words. And as men migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.” And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the sons of men had built. And the LORD said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do; and nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. Come, let us go down, and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth. – Genesis 10.32-11.9

This is yet another gift of the Great Fast, as the Church reminds us we need God to accomplish the desire of our soul. Life is a process, and we cannot skip any steps, or we will find ourselves scattered and confused. This is the message of the Cross which we venerated this past Sunday, our struggle leads to life. I invite you to spend the remainder of the Great Fast focused on ‘not taking the easy route’ to heaven. You won’t get there without God, and you most definitely will not get there alone.

Its time to get out of bed and start your day. Thank God for another chance to avoid sin and grow closer to Him. Then when you finish today, ask God for His forgiveness for the sins you inevitably with commit today. He will forgive you because the Novatians were wrong.

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