Reflection for October 6, 2014

"But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin."(Mark 3:29)

When I was a curate, the Rector of the parish and I were talking about this passage and he said that it always made him nervous.  It was mainly do to the fact that he wasn't sure what blaspheming the Holy Spirit might be.  And he certainly didn't want to do something that he couldn't be forgiven for.

Mark tells us in the next verse that it was because they said Jesus had a demon and that is how he was doing all the miracles.  In other words doubting that God could possibly work through some one to bring healing and wholeness to a broken world.

For me blaspheming the Holy Spirit is about saying that something can't be.  Deciding that because I don't like something God might not be able to do it. Pretty presumptuous for me to decide that what I want to do is what God might also want to do.

But I also have another thought about this.  What if I believe I've done something that is unforgivable.  When I begin to doubt that forgiveness is even possible.  That is also blaspheming the Holy Spirit.  I've again decided what I can accept, instead of accepting that gracious gift of the Spirit.  You can't have something when you won't believe it is possible.  And the inability to accept that forgiveness might very well make it eternal.

Blessings,
Ed