On the other hand, the Lord Jesus, speaking to a crowd says that “nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person”. Nothing you eat can corrupt your soul.
How do we reconcile what God says in the first reading and what he says in the Gospel? Well, in the first reading, it was not the fruit itself that was somehow spiritually poisonous. It was not as if this was some mystical fruit that had the power to corrupt man’s nature. What was spiritually deadly, wasn’t the fruit, rather, what was spiritually deadly was the decision to disobey God. And that decision is made in the soul, from within.
As the Lord explains in the Gospel, “from within the man, from his heart, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile.”
Our decisions--—our deliberate actions—matter. Our use of our free will has spiritual consequences. When we use our free will to act in accordance with the divine will of God, we grow in virtue—we habituate ourselves to what is good—to goodness itself. The Catechism says, “The virtuous person tends toward the good with all his sensory and spiritual powers; he pursues the good and chooses it in concrete actions. The goal of a virtuous life is to become like God…The virtuous man is he who freely practices the good. The moral virtues are acquired by human effort. They are the fruit and seed of morally good acts; they dispose all the powers of the human being for communion with divine love.(CCC 1803-1804)”
On the other hand, when we misuse our freewill to act in discord with the divine will, contrary to the purpose for which we were made, our souls are corrupted—we are habituated toward what is harmful to our minds, bodies, heart and soul. Choosing evil allows the powers of death to continue to pervert our natures meant for divine life.
Even with the help of grace, the example of the saints, the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, our life is a constant battle. One of the great lines out of Vatican II reminds us, “Finding himself in the midst of the battlefield man has to struggle to do what is right, and it is at great cost to himself, and aided by God’s grace, that he succeeds in achieving his own inner integrity.”
But inner integrity and sanctity can be achieved through effort, through faithfulness, through love. May we allow the victory of Christ to achieve victory in us today, in our decisions, our deliberate actions, in our struggle to do what is right, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.
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With confidence in God’s grace and a desire to grow in virtue, we bring our prayers before the Lord.
For the Church: That she may faithfully teach and inspire all people to choose good over evil, and to live in accord with God’s divine will.
For those in positions of leadership—civil, religious, and community leaders:
That they may govern and guide with integrity, promoting what is just and right, and resisting the corruption of selfish or sinful motives.
For all who struggle with temptation or with persistent sins: That they may be strengthened by God’s grace and the support of the Christian community, and find the courage to choose the path of virtue.
For those who have been hurt by their own or others’ misuse of free will: That God’s healing mercy will restore them, renew their hope, and guide them toward forgiveness and reconciliation.
For those who suffer in body, mind, or spirit: That the Lord will bring them comfort, and that our loving actions may be a sign of God’s care and compassion in their lives.
For our beloved dead: That they may be granted eternal rest and behold the face of God in the heavenly kingdom.
Merciful Father, you have given us the freedom to choose good and the grace to follow your will. Hear the prayers we offer you this day and help us to grow in holiness. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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