Mary 3: 1-9

Peter said.. “What is the Sin of the World?”

The Savior said, “there is no sin, but it is you who make sin when you do the things that are like the nature of adultery, which is called sin. That is why the Good came into your midst, coming to the good which belongs to every nature in order to restore it to its root. This is why you become sick and die for you love what deceives you. One who understands, let him understand!”

Praying with Mary Magdalene: There is No Sin?!?

By Rev. Debra McKnight

Sweet Baby Jesus, did you say, “there is no sin.”

What about the seven deadly ones? 

Did you check with St. Augustine? 

If there is no sin, What will that angry man shout?

What will people sharpie on signs?

Can we still point fingers? 

And what about shame, does that all just go away?

If there’s no sin does it even matter to be saved?

How will we know who is in and out, wrong and right?

Is there no law and no reason to fear? 

Do we eat all the apples and party with Eve?

There is no sin but there are broken hearts and plenty of harm

There are wounds we make and receive, 

there are mistakes and missteps, 

so much War and rarely enough peace,

and “we love what deceives us.”

So open us to The Good

steady us in the growing pains

center us at the mirror,

heal us at our very root.

Let us understand 

Shame is a thing of the past and righteousness isn’t for your-self

Petty legalism and superficial penance no longer apply

Because you want it all,

more than ornamental moralism and our ability to follow rules

you want us to unpack our bags, dance our skeletons out of every closet,

get real about our egos, our triggers, our traumas and be so much more than right.

Let us understand,

you want it all, 

our whole hearts, our deepest being, 

and the peace our wholeness can make.

Let us understand, 

that we are so loved, we can grow.

We are so loved, we can change.

in discipline, hope and grace

can practice with our lives. 

May it be so. 

Amen.