Memorial of Saint Francis de Sales, bishop and doctor of the Church

Scrupulous souls are fascinated by the “unforgiveable sin.” Convinced by their own psychiatric illness that they are unlovable, they worry they might inadvertently commit that apparently heinous crime.

But there is no such thing as an unforgiveable sin. The very idea is oxymoronic. Sin, by definition, is that which grace forgives as it consoles, heals and reconciles. Sin is the shadow thrown by an obstacle which blocks the light of grace. Remove the obstacle and the place will be filled with light.

But some people think they find reference to an unforgiveable sin in today’s gospel:

But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit
will never have forgiveness,
but is guilty of an everlasting sin.”

Finding this teaching in its context of Jesus’ heated debate with the scribes helps to understand:

Jesus has once again demonstrated the authority of God by healing a possessed man. Can any reasonable person doubt he comes from God?

But the scribes have their own agenda that is unaffected by evidence, rationality or persuasion. And so they concoct a cock-and-bull story that Jesus drives out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons. You can hear the frustration in Jesus’ voice as he meets their obtuse defiance.

Their sin is to deny the evidence of their eyes and thereby “blaspheme against the Holy Spirit.” They intentionally refuse to see God’s presence and authority in Jesus. Nor will they listen to his reasoning, “How can Satan drive out Satan?”

And so there is nothing he can do for them. They are beyond his power to save because they put themselves in the outer darkness. They are all the more blind because they say, “We see!” If they were actually blind and willing to be led they could get someplace.

But if they stay frozen in that place, unwilling to move, refusing to be persuaded by evidence or argument, they cannot accept the mercy of God. They are, in effect, guilty of an everlasting sin.

And, of course, it happens. We read about and perhaps meet people who are frozen in evil habits and cynical attitudes. It seems they cannot ever change. And occasionally, to our horror, we meet the limits of our own faith and the depths of our cynicism. We might believe God is good but, at times, we’re cynical. We suppose his goodness cannot reach this far.

To live in faith is to be open to surprise. Faith melts our frozen attitudes and relationships and allows us to imagine the unimaginable.

God is not finished with us yet and no one can predict what the future will bring. For the Holy Spirit over the bent world broods, with warm breast, and – ah – bright wings.