1 Jn 1:5–7
“This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”
This is a clear message that we must internalize deeply. It applies to us as individuals, helping us to free ourselves from the darker aspects of our soul, and to the image of God that we convey through evangelization. In fact, some philosophical and religious schools of thought argue that divinity contains darkness, too. All those who hold this belief have something in common: they have not yet known God as He really is and are victims of deception. Lucifer himself spreads these deceptions, as he does not want to be identified as the personification of evil.
The truth is that in our heavenly Father there is nothing that is not pure love and truth. This certainty helps us discern spirits, as St. John the Apostle does in his letters. As soon as we perceive anything that blurs the clarity of truth, conveys an ambiguous image, or questions God, we can easily conclude that it cannot come from Him.
This should be the most natural thing for every Catholic. However, we cannot overlook the fact that certain forms of paganism are making a comeback, esoteric ideas are spreading, and other religions are gaining ground. In all of these, although with gradual differences, God is still not sufficiently recognized. Many errors and false doctrines blur the light and hold men captive.
Sadly, we must acknowledge that some of these errors and false doctrines have even infiltrated the Church. Let us recall the flagrant example of the cult of Pachamama in the Vatican Gardens and in St. Peter’s Basilica. To date, those responsible in the ecclesiastical hierarchy have not atoned for this act. Instead of spreading light, some attempts to integrate other cultural elements into the liturgy have succeeded in overshadowing the sacrifice of the Lord on the cross.
In today’s passage, St. John specifically refers to sin as darkness. It is impossible to be in communion with God while living in a state of sin. Those who believe otherwise have missed something essential and therefore live a lie, as the biblical text makes clear.
While it is true that God is merciful and has mercy on the sinner, it is true that, by every possible means, He calls men to conversion and fights to the end for every soul so that it will not be condemned. It is true that He raises man up again and again when he has fallen back into sin and repents. However, it is not true that we can remain in sin and believe that we are in communion with God at the same time.
A clear example is the reception of Holy Communion. Sacred Scripture and the Tradition of the Church teach us that only those in a state of grace can receive it. The Church offers the sacrament of confession to help us regain this state; it only requires repentance for our sins and a commitment to change. Any other teaching in this regard is erroneous, such as that which spread during the previous pontificate and has not been corrected in the present one. This has led to sacrileges being committed, which are exploited by evil forces to corrupt our Church.
St. John makes it clear that true communion among Christians can only exist if we live in the light, that is, according to the will of God and do all we can to remain in it. This gives rise to Christian communion in love and truth, which originates in the relationship of the Holy Trinity. In order for this communion to endure and deepen despite our weaknesses, the Lord grants us the grace to purify ourselves with His blood each time we sincerely approach Him.
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Meditation on today’s Gospel: https://en.elijamission.net/2024/09/24/
