THINGS TO DO

In the Confession we often admit that we have left undone the things we ought to have done: sins of omission. It is easy to forget about those sins, not so the things we have done that we know we should not have done. Those sins are bright and clear because they were deliberate. We knew beforehand that what we were about to do or say was selfish, sinful, but we went ahead and said or did it anyway. Such is sin.

But are sins of omission always sinful? No, in the sense that if we were unaware of a need we could resolve and only later realized we could have helped, then no sin is involved. However, if we know we should have and could have said or done something that needed to be said or done and simply and selfishly chose not to, then, yes, they are. We were simply too lazy or too uncaring or both to do or say what we should have, what would have been said or done by any caring human being let alone anyone who professes to be a follower of Jesus.

Sins of omission are not the result, as some wag once put it, “because I lost the list of things I should do.” On the one hand, there is no list. On the other, the list can be endless. There is so much that we can do as Christians to help alleviate the pain and suffering of others. And, yet, there is only so much that we, individually, can do. We are not miracle workers. But we can perform miracles.

If we are waiting for God or someone to make a to-do list, we’re wasting valuable time. The list, or at least an item or two on the list, is noticed only when we open our eyes to the world about us and then ask what our personal response should be. If we keep our eyes shut, we see no evil, no need. Keeping those eyes shut can be, and probably is, a real occasion for sins of omission.

Most of the time, to be sure, we try to be aware of what is going in in the world around us, especially our little corner of it. We might not be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed all the time. We simply can’t be and still act responsibly. We’d be overwhelmed by all the need, all the suffering. All we can do is give it our best shot knowing full well that we will fall short perhaps more often than not. We are only human after all.

That is our consolation and saving grace. For sometimes it is only by the grace of God that we become aware of what we can and should say or do in a particular situation – a real item on our list. Then with God’s grace and strength we say or do what needs to be said or done.

There still will be times, all too many, I suppose, when we do not do what we know we should do and leave undone what we know we should and could have done: sins of commission and omission. God understands and so should we. That’s not a “get out of jail” card. It is simply an honest reminder to be more mindful than we sometimes are.