Any sin conceivable can be forgiven, except the sin against the Holy Spirit, which is declared “unforgivable.”

This statement of Jesus is so significant that all three synoptic gospels mention it.

It is only by the power of the Holy Spirit that one can call out “Abba, Father.” 

 

Blessed Virgin Mary

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊  

Romans 4:13, 16-18

If God promised Abraham,

Or rather his descendants, that the world would belong to him, this was not because of his obeying the Law, but because he was just and a friend of God through faith. 

For that reason, faith is the way and all is given by grace; and the promises of Abraham are fulfilled for all his descendants, not only for his children according to the Law, but also for all the others who have believed. 

Abraham is the father of all of us, as it is written: I will make you father of many nations. He is our father in the eyes of Him who gives life to the dead, and calls into existence what does not yet exist, for this is the God in whom he believed.

Abraham believed and hoped against all expectation, thus becoming father of many nations, as he had been told: See how many will be your descendants.

 

Ps 105:6-7, 8-9, 42-43 The Lord remembers his covenant forever.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊     

Luke 12:8-12

I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before people, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God. But the one who denies me before others will be denied before the angels of God. There will be pardon for the one who criticizes the Son of Man, but there will be no pardon for the one who slanders the Holy Spirit.

When you are brought before the synagogues, governors and rulers, don't worry about how you will defend yourself or what to say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you have to say."

 

Gospel Reflection ：

"God reaches out to us with mercy and with grace."

Sometimes we behave as though we can earn our way to heaven by doing the right things. It lets us act as though our eternal destiny is in our control. But where is the space for God's grace in that kind of thinking? Sometimes it seems as though we believe that God just patiently waits in heaven for us to figure out how to get there to be with him. Instead of placing our trust in God, we place too much confidence in our own abilities.

 

It's a hard truth to hear, but we can do nothing without God. On our own, we are powerless against the forces of sin and death. We don't like to admit that we are powerless. But our faith in Christ allows us to rely fully on God's grace to remove the sin in our hearts that keeps us from him and from heaven. God reaches out to us with mercy and with grace. We need only accept his gifts.