San Marcos por Ermes Dovico

GOSPEL PEARLS

Better to struggle now

You will be brought down to Hades. (Matthew 11: 23)

Then Jesus began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.” (Matthew 11: 20-24)

There is an old wise proverb: "He who conquers others is powerful, he who conquers himself is all-powerful." Why? The answer is simple: overcoming one's own temptations is impossible without the help of God, but God does not intervene without the help of our will. No one, not even God, can remove us from the struggle against sin. Only we can strive to overcome sin while constantly seeking His help. And yet, the choice to continue struggling is up to us. If we have struggled in our lives and resist temptation, we will live with God for all eternity. If we have decided not to struggle, we will be separated from Him for eternity in a place called Hell. Do you want to struggle today so you won't end up there someday?