What are we to say about Jesus’ warning to this evil generation? Are we an evil generation? Aren’t we all evil in some ways? Pope Francis (“I am a sinner”) reminds us that we are sinners: not to dwell there and be stuck, but to all the better realize the depth of God’s love for us. God is always calling us to his love and grace no matter how many times we make unhealthy choices in our relationships with friends, family, ourselves, and things.
This is the whole point of the first week of the Spiritual Exercises. We are loved sinners! The more honestly I know myself as sinner, the more I can rejoice in God’s unconditional love for me. The more, also, I will want to make this good news known to every person God puts in my life. This grace of the first week of the Exercises is a treasure to be shared with all.
While it is our nature sometimes to make bad choices, it is God’s nature to always love us beyond measure.
—David McNulty works for the Midwest Jesuits. Dave and his wife Judy are grandparents of six.