If Your Hand Causes You To Sin…September 26, 2021

This week’s Gospel can be difficult to hear at times. Christ’s words are very powerful and what he is calling us to is very challenging. His words in this Gospel are great to reflect on from a mental health perspective. In my line of work, I frequently come across people who encounter situations, relationships, and habits that are triggers for destructive behavior.

A young person who spends a large amount of time on the internet eventually ends up seeking out pornography. Another person regularly joins their colleagues after work on Friday to spend time at a bar overindulging in alcohol.

In these examples, both the internet and the bar might be the hands and feet that Christ is challenging us to cut off. Just like hands and feet, social media and a bar are not intrinsically evil things, they are just a catalyst for destructive and sinful behavior. When we encounter these sorts of triggers, it can be difficult to give up something we see as good to prevent an evil. However, this is exactly what Christ is calling us to do.

The internet and social groups are both good and useful things, but maybe Christ is calling us to either manage them more effectively or get rid of them entirely. We need to be honest about whether these things are leading us closer to or away from God. The first person can be more intentional about how much time they are spending on the internet and use internet filters, while the second person can suggest a location for the social group that does not involve alcohol. These are good things to do until we are in a better place where we have more self-control and discipline.

This week, consider reflecting on the triggers in your life and the challenge that Christ is giving us in today’s Gospel.