Come, Let Us Return to the Lord!

The Lord uses every suffering for our salvation

Ricardo Ida. Photo: Jorge Ribeiro / cancaonova.com


The Word of God shows us the Lord’s desire to heal us, to free us and to take us out of the grave. Biblically speaking, the words “heal and save” have the same meaning, because Jesus came back to save lost humanity.
In the Word of God, according to Ezekiel, Jesus promises that he will take us out of the tomb. And when God promises, He fulfills!


God does not rejoice in the sorrow of His children, so He is not joking with us. Many ask, “Why does God allow so many people to suffer?” God has nothing to do with this story, because He did not create death.
The suffering of our Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross has become the raw material in the hands of God for our salvation. The Lord uses every suffering for our salvation.


St. Paul said that where sin abounds, grace abounds more. Even in our effort is the grace of God; it is at this point that our cooperation enters.



What “death” is this that God is speaking to us about? What “death” is this that causes people so much sadness?


St. Augustine said that the cause of sadness is sin, so the “death” that Jesus is speaking to us is sin. God gives us

grace, He sent us His Holy Spirit, He gave us the Sacraments, He gave us the Church, just to get us out of this death. It is precisely from the death of sin that the Lord came to set us free.


We lack hope, we do not find strength and motive to fight. The Word of God shows us the way out of what makes us slaves.


Many people do not like to hear about mortal sin, but there is no deliverance if we continue in sin. The doctrine of the Church is the truth that has the power to free us from every thought of death. It is precisely with the experience of the truth that we leave the grave.


Many have not yet lived the experience of the Resurrection. Do not blame God; it is not his fault, for he who commits mortal sin submits himself to Satan. When we sin gravely, sanctifying grace is lost and without it we remain in death; and when the final death comes we will go to hell.


God wants to take us away from everything that makes us take risks. I feel such great pain when I see the worldliness that has entered the lives of Christians.  Will we be dead because of the lie; for having a false life?


Jesus is calling, “Come out!” He is the way, let us forsake sin. There is no new life without a firm decision.

The “lukewarm Christian” will not experience the power of the Resurrection; the “lukewarm Christian” will not experience liberation. If we continue to be worldly Christians, we will not leave the grave.


Truth has the power to pluck us out of darkness. Without fasting, without mortification, there is no way to get out of the grave. Let’s dive in the truth!

 

Ricardo Ida