Jan 12, Homily, Fr Ignatius: The States of Sin
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Homily #256 (10min) Play - Fr. Ignatius explains the three states of sin: venial, mortal, and apostasy. In the process he reconciles many seemingly contradictory verses in the Bible and he notes that to expiate apostasy, the worst state of sin, requires extraordinary sacrifices to be offered up by?those who still believe.
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Thank you Fr Ignatious for the Jan 12th homily on the States of Sin and what is required to convert an apostate, that is, extraordinary sacrifice, a victim soul. Recently one of our homeschooling mothers lost her father who had been an apostate for years and was very bitter against the Church and unrepentant. Miraculously, he was converted two days before his death, repented, and received the Sacraments before he died. His daughter, who is my friend, very insistently prayed for him and offered sacrifices during the months leading up to her father’s last days, begging him to repent and let the priest come see him. He refused until the end, but thanks be to God, she persevered and succeeded in the end. Although she is not sick or experienced any calamity, is it possible that she is nontheless the one who merited with her sufferings his ultimate conversion? Is it possible that the sufferings she bears as a result of being married to a non-catholic husband and her faithfulness to God in raising their child Catholic without the help of a believing husband is in itself a kind of martyrdom capable of being called victimhood (of soul) and capable of meriting the conversion of her father?
God bless, keep teaching us!!
mayra
Dear Mayra,
That’s a great story.
To the first question, I would say that your friend’s prayers and sacrifices undoubtedly contributed to obtaining the grace of her father’s conversion but it is less sure whether or not she was the only one. There are always those unseen nuns, friars and monks who are doing much good, unknown to them, by their prayers and sacrifices.
To the second question I would say that her situation could be considered a type of martyrdom capable of meriting extraordinary graces but we must also remember that she freely chose it. This differs from the cases commonly called spiritual victimhood in which the person makes the self-offering and God then chooses the means of fulfilling it. However, it is possible that God could have applied those foreseen merits towards obtaining her father’s conversion. I think it also serves to underline the Church’s wisdom in forbidding mixed marriages except in well defined circumstances (Can. 1124ff.)
In the Immaculate,
Fr. Ignatius