THE HARDENED HEART
Memorial of Saints John de Brébeuf and Isaac Jogues, Priests, and Companions, Martyrs
My dear encountered couples:
Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit consists in refusing to attribute anything good to God. “God created us,” some people say, “then went back to heaven and no longer cares for us.” That can be called “blasphemy.” Not that God won’t forgive that sin or any sin, but when we willingly and deliberately deny that God does anything good for us, we close our doors to him and leave our souls helpless and unprotected not only in this world, but in the next. Are not confirmed atheists in this critical position?
Currently the Communist government of China has been taking an increasing number of positive steps to squelch all belief in God. The government has decreed that atheism is the only belief legally permitted. Belief in God and worship of God is an offense against the state subject to punishment, imprisonment, even death. Those who with all their hearts and souls accept this philosophy or theology are the kind of people Jesus seems to be talking about.
“Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will acknowledge before the angels of God...But whoever disowns me in the presence of men will be disowned in the presence of the angels of God. Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever blasphemes the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven.”
Pray for the conversion of China, pray for all people who deny their Creator and Redeemer. And let us keep vigilant so that we never begin to slip into this same kind of diabolical mindset.
