God Frowns When We Play God

 

We may even invite punishment unknowingly

Mathew Anthony

Sep 20, 2026

September 20, 2026

The unintended effect of reading the Bible, the Word of God, is the self-ascribed immunity from God’s judgment. An ignominy reserved for other people. Less pious and far from good, in fact, outrightly devilish. WE invite judgment: “Judge not that you may not be judged”. (Mt 7:1)

In the Gospel of John, Jesus states, “Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son“ (John 5:22). This passage underscores the divine authority bestowed upon Jesus, affirming His role as the ultimate Judge of humanity. Jesus judges; we should not.

Some who judge unfairly take shelter in, “And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.” (John 12: 47,48)

They would argue that if we do not believe, we will not be judged; after all, God did not come to judge the world but to save the world. But we cannot be saved if we have not believed. Why did we not believe? To escape judgment for condemning our neighbour? Why are we so bent on judging when we have been told explicitly not to?

We say we pray for the neighbour because he is such a bad fellow and we want him to be saved, but we will not forgive him for what he did to us: scammed us out of our property, our rights, or our good name by gossiping. Is it that, or is our angst due to envy, misconstruing what was done or not done?

We will not admit it. For we are not sinners. Envy is a sin that brings God’s judgment. Envy is “The sin of wanting what others have — invidere in Latin means to look upon with ill-will, and the evil eye is built into the word’s origin.”

Often jealousy is mistaken for envy. Jealousy, however, is a reference to sexual possessiveness and suspicion, from Old French jalousie “enthusiasm, love, longing; jealousy”.

Our judgment of our neighbour stems from a belief that we know right from wrong. We are wrong about that, as Adam and Eve learnt to their dismay when they were expelled from the Garden of Eden to work by the sweat of their brow and bring forth children in painful labour.

Adam & Eve erred when they ate of the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge, which God explicitly forbade them to do. And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” (Gen 2:16-17)

To die spiritually, but live physically. What torture if the spirit is not with us in our physical form.

We do not know how God decides. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Is 55: 8-9)

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus describes the judgment of the nations in the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats. He explains that the Son of Man will separate people as a shepherd separates sheep from goats, based on their actions towards “the least of these” (Mt 25:31-46). This passage highlights compassion and service to others as evidence of genuine faith.

That’s what we are called to do. Not to judge and condemn, no matter what someone has done to us. It helps to believe ‘possession is ownership, ’ i.e., whoever possesses the property owns it, unless the court of law rules otherwise. If you don’t possess it, it’s not meant to be yours. Not that it will never be yours. It can be if God wills it. Certainly not because we will it. So much better to leave it in God’s hands and to His justice. He will render it to you. Don’t let the situation steal your salvation. Better to surrender than become litigious and quarrelsome.

We witness and experience that God’s way of thinking diverges greatly from how man thinks in the Parable of the Labourers in the Vineyard (Mt 20: 1-16):

According to Jewish tradition, the first hour is six o’clock in the morning and the last hour is six o’clock in the evening, a working day comprising 12 hours. Hence, the workers called at the 11^th hour should have received only 1/12 of a denarius; they got one denarius (one day’s wage), the same as the worker who worked from the first hour for 12 hours.

There are four dimensions to this parable: 1) Historical dimension: Jews, God’s people, were the first set of people who were called to the Master’s vineyard, and the last to come are the Gentiles; 2) Ecclesiastical dimension: both are viewed by God as the same (one denarius each - whether called first or last); 3) Economic dimension: relates to social justice enshrined in two encyclicals - Rerum Novarum encyclical of Pope Leo XIII on capital and labour, and Quadragesima Anno, the encyclical of Pope Pius XI on reconstruction of the social order, subscribing to the concept of universal basic income to feed the family for the day, whether they were deserving or not since it was a matter of life and death for them - and hence one denarius to the one who worked for 12 hours and also to one who worked one hour - so that they can feed their family for the day; 4) Personal dimension: those who have been living life righteously, and those who repent at the end of their life, like the thief on the Cross who was to see paradise with Jesus, are treated the same in God’s eyes or Hezekiah when mortally ill (2 kgs 20).

How do we interpret this parable? Was God being fair? Can organisations run their secular operations in this manner? When we share our inheritance with the children, would we give the ‘wasteful’ prodigal son the same as the elder brother who worked hard and stayed by the father? If we possessed property, would our attitude be any different from those unwilling to part with theirs?

- Mathew Anthony

Reflections - The Bishop Confessed

The Bishop Confessed

God did not answer

A bishop of the Catholic Church, well advanced in age, and ripe for the picking by God Almighty, approached his confessor to make a startling confession, “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. (Rom 3:23)

"On the evening of that day, the first day of the week," Jesus showed himself to his apostles. "He breathed on them, and said to them: 'Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained"' (Jn 20:19, 22-23; ccc 1485).

The Bishop was quite disturbed to make the confession. The sin he wanted to confess was committed in his youth. He simply could not bring himself to confess it until now. The bishop was worried if God would forgive him as he was in greater transgression than anybody else.

“In this sacrament, the sinner, placing himself before the merciful judgment of God, anticipates in a certain way the judgment to which he will be subjected at the end of his earthly life. For it is now, in this life, that we are offered the choice between life and death, and it is only by the road of conversion that we can enter the Kingdom, from which one is excluded by grave sin. In converting to Christ through penance and faith, the sinner passes from death to life and "does not come into judgment.” (ccc 1470)

As a bishop of the church, he knew, taught and encouraged the teaching of the catechism of the Catholic church where the definitions of venial and mortal sins are well defined. The importance of making a good and complete confession was well known to the bishop. Yet he waited till now.

“One who desires to obtain reconciliation with God and with the Church, must confess to a priest all the unconfessed grave sins he remembers after having carefully examined his conscience. The confession of venial faults, without being necessary in itself, is nevertheless strongly recommended by the Church.” (ccc 1493) 

Even after making the confession the bishop looked worried. He asked the confessor to seek God’s Word and tell the bishop if God had indeed forgiven him. His confessor had the “Gift of Knowledge”. “…to one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by the same Spirit…” (1 Cor 12:8).

The confessor told the bishop to get in touch in three days. For three agonizing days the bishop waited. At break of dawn on the third day, the bishop rushed to the confessor to hear what God had to say.

The confessor said, “God did not say anything”. The bishop went pale. His face was drained of blood. The confessor realizing that the bishop was about to have a stroke, shook the bishop to consciousness, and said, “God did not say anything because God said he could not remember what sin the bishop was referring to”.

The confessor reminded the bishop of the catechism. The moment we make a good confession God forgets our sins completely never to hold it against us ever again …provided we do not sin again. For that would be taking advantage of God’s merciful and benevolent grace. The confessor too does not remember any of our sins either once the absolution is given.   

“Given the delicacy and greatness of this ministry and the respect due to persons, the Church declares that every priest who hears confessions is bound under very severe penalties to keep absolute secrecy regarding the sins that his penitents have confessed to him. He can make no use of knowledge that confession gives him about penitents' lives.⁷² This secret, which admits of no exceptions, is called the "sacramental seal," because what the penitent has made known to the priest remains "sealed" by the sacrament.” (ccc1467)

We do not know what was the bishop’s sin that troubled him so much that he would not confess for the larger part of his life, but when facing imminent death, felt an urgency to do so, even when not sure of forgiveness of his sins from God.

Taking a cue from the bishop perhaps we need to do a thorough examination of our conscience keeping ‘The Ten commandments’ front and centre and attempting to know how it applies to our life today.

The Ten Commandments are exactly that – commandments – punishable by loss of eternal life - to damnation in eternal fire. 

The commandments keep us on the right side of God by loving him above everything else (where nearly all of us fail without exception given our attachments to material well-being over spiritual). Upfront we need to confess this sin and find ways in which we make ourselves conscious of this failing which is apt to happen in our day-to-day living.

Our films – especially Hollywood – is replete with actors taking the name of the Lord our God in vain and in the most obnoxious ways. We are complicit when we continue to watch films with storylines that demand such denunciation of God’s name even if that is not its intent. But being complicit we are in transgression.

The Sabbath which is given for our rest – to calm our minds, to re-energize our body, to spend time with loved ones, to take in and meditate over God’s Word, to find time for acts of charity and fellowship – we denigrate by abusing our body and mind by stretching it to the limits into the seventh day, forgetting that “our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit”. “Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist.” (Proverbs 23:4).

Another powerful commandment with a huge blessing which does not get as much attention in our discourses is, “Those who honour their father atone for sins, and those who respect their mother are like those who lay up treasure.” (Ecclesiasticus 3.1-15)

When we kill, we are ignoring what God has told us, “Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.” (Romans 12:19).  

Sin is habitual. It defines us. So does virtuous living.

When we lie; we lie from fear of punishment. When we tell the truth and fear not the punishment; we defeat the evil one at his own game.

When we steal, we do so because we are no longer confident of God’s providence or worse, we are greedy or lustful for what is not ours. The ninth and tenth commandment says, “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife and thy neighbour’s goods.”

When we bear false witness, we do it out of coercion from powerful forces, or we do it out of jealousy and envy, or even from vengeance for past grievances. When we slander and habitually gossip, we are bearing false witness which most of us are clearly in breach much as we deny it.

When we commit adultery, we are disavowing our marital or spousal vows which is meant to be taken without any external force or coercion. However, the reality is very different. There are parental pressures, community pressures, situational pressures, the pressure of passing age.

This not is to condone the sin of adultery but to highlight the importance of the sacrament to our happiness on earth and for gaining eternal life, and therefore, for us to truly say when we choose our life partner, “"This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.” (Gen 2:23)

“The Church holds the exchange of consent between the spouses to be the indispensable element that "makes the marriage.” If consent is lacking there is no marriage. (ccc 1626)

“The consent consists in a "human act by which the partners mutually give themselves to each other": "I take you to be my wife" - "I take you to be my husband." This consent that binds the spouses to each other finds its fulfilment in the two "becoming one flesh. (ccc 1627)

“The consent must be an act of the will of each of the contracting parties, free of coercion or grave external fear. No human power can substitute for this consent. If this freedom is lacking the marriage is invalid.” (ccc 1628)

When we betray our spouse whatever the reason – some do it out of a habit – while being ‘faithful’ to their wife as well – some do it out of poor judgment – some do it vindictively – some do it from lack of morality – whatever the reason – there is one other we betray. Jesus who suffered, died, rose again to be present at the wedding with us when we were taking the sacramental vows.

Our hope went penitent of the acts of sin and when expressing sincere remorse would be to seek “Jesus' look of infinite mercy (that) drew tears of repentance from Peter and, after the Lord's resurrection, a threefold affirmation of love for him." (ccc 1429)

As in the case of the bishop who had a near death experience, spasm of relief thereafter, and ‘tears of repentance’ when he heard God does not remember his sin, let’s too confess our littlest sins and mark our way to eternal life with the heavenly Father. 

In particular the First Commandment, “I am the Lord thy God, thou shalt not have any strange gods before Me.” The ‘strange gods’ is our love for money, love of our body, love of our possessions, love for what others have …each of us know what that is in our own life.

Strive to put God above everything else and receive from God what no one else can give, “…the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:7)

Reflections - Atonement

Atonement

Making a good confession

After the Miraculous Catch of Fish (Lk 5:8), Simon Peter, fell at Jesus knees, “Go away from me, Lord,” he said, “for I am a sinful man.”

What must be the power resonating from Jesus at that moment that the smallest of sins of Peter felt like a boulder hanging from his heart, heavy enough to buckle his knees, to fall at the feet of Jesus?  

Peter’s asking for pardon was like a man with leprosy shouting as he progresses, “Unclean! Unclean!”. He did not want Jesus to be infected with his sin. Such was the nobility of Peter. Or such was the divinity of the person without sin that He inspired an earnest, sincere, grief-stricken, penitent response from Peter. 

Let’s stay with Peter for a bit and witness another heart-breaking encounter with Jesus.

Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows twice you will disown me three times." And he broke down and wept. (Mk 14:72)

Peter wore his emotions on his sleeves. Unlike Nathanael, who Jesus characterized as without ‘guile’ (Jn 1:47); Peter was always up to something. Peter reminds you of Dennis the ‘lovable’ menace and Henry Mitchell’s response when he sees Dennis, “Here comes trouble”.

Jesus loved Peter for who Peter was. Peter’s heart was in the right place. Must have been a toss-up for Jesus between Peter and John, the disciple that Jesus loved; but Peter was deemed the Rock of the Church, the Vicar of Christ; Pope Francis being the 267^th successor of St Peter.

What a long history the Church has. The reed that bends does not break. The Church has someone like Peter as a model – an open book – but uncharacteristically pious. Peter’s atonement is always instant and dramatic. A leaf can be taken from Peter’s life by each one of us on how to make a confession.  

“While he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. (Lk 22:60-61)

Oh! What must have been the look that the Lord gave Peter? It would have seared Peter’s heart. How does one even look into the eyes of the one who has been betrayed, not just anyone, but a Master who was your delight, your everything; after repeated uncalled-for assurances to protect and fight to the last breath? Jesus eyes were not of condemnation, but of grief for Peter, for Jesus knew how torn Peter will be, after the fact.

Jesus absolutely had to pardon Peter.

Each time Jesus said, “Feed my sheep,” it was in response to Peter’s three-fold declaration of love for Jesus. The setting was one of the last of Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances to His disciples on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus prepared a breakfast of fish and bread for them, and then commissioned Peter with the task of feeding His sheep and tending His lambs. (Jn 21:15-17)

St Thomas profession of faith, “My Lord and my God!” (Jn 20:28) is the clearest declaration of Jesus’s divinity in the Holy Scripture. The declaration came after Jesus fulfilled Thomas’ condition for believing in Him, “Put your finger here and look at My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Stop doubting and believe.” (Jn 20:27)

The Scripture does not tell us whether Thomas actually touched the wounds. Nevertheless, the invitation and inclination to touch must have been electrifying. If Thomas did touch the wounds, it would have felt like electrocution, an ecstatic surge in his body.

When we confess our sins, do we feel any surge of emotions? Do we perceive the priest sitting in the confessional as Jesus Himself who suffered, died and rose again, and that only Jesus can forgive our sins?

The New Testament frequently quotes the actions of the Ninevites on how to ask for forgiveness.

“And the Ninevites believed God. They proclaimed a fast and dressed in sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least. When word reached the king of Nineveh, he got up from his throne, took off his royal robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.” (Jonah 3:5-6)

Why is our repentance, of being penitent for our sins, largely lacklustre? I speak for myself. Is it because I feel that I don’t sin? I have not stolen, or murdered or committed adultery. Or committed any of those grave or mortal sins. Do I go for confession to a priest to please the Church Fathers, who encourage that a good confession be made at least twice a year: before Easter and Christmas?

It was not ecstatic, in a manner of speaking, but a little more meaningful, when my wife, brother and my mother travelled to Lourdes, France and just about made it for the confessions before lunch break. Perhaps it was just being at Lourdes. Or perhaps it was the injunction that a confession before the bath would be merited to us.

“Enter a bath filled with water from the spring that flows in the Grotto of the apparitions and experience something unique. “Go and drink at the spring and wash yourself there!” These words of the Virgin Mary to Bernadette during one of the apparitions inspired the creation of the baths near the Grotto in which the pilgrims are immersed.”

And, then again at Medjugorje, when I felt I must seek forgiveness from my mother for hurts I have caused her by not being truly attentive to her and for the arguments that we have had. Seeking forgiveness from my mother helped me grow spiritually and in our relationship. Seeking forgiveness from God by seeking forgiveness from those we may have hurt is the sole and express purpose of a good confession.

Lourdes has a leaflet that helps prepare the would-be penitent to make a good confession. Under three headings it provides a checklist. I have chosen to highlight just two under each heading which I thought was meaningful to me.

1.   Jesus said, ‘You will love the Lord your God with all your heart …”

a.   Do I allow the Lord to be the Lord or do I try to be Lord myself?

b.   Am I ashamed to witness to my faith in God in my daily life?

2.   Jesus said, “Love your neighbour as yourself …”

a.   Do I think enough about those who are less fortunate?

b.   I am well-disposed and able to forgive offences?

3.   Jesus said, “Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect”

a.   Have I gone against my conscience out of fear or hypocrisy?

b.   Am I too concerned about myself, my health, and my success?

The root cause of our misery is not, having money or not having money, but our desire, no passion, to hold on to an old grudge for apparent offenses against us which we feel is undeserved and unprovoked.

What is worse is when the grudge exists within us, unaddressed, cropping its head up when the name of the person is mentioned, and we pine to say something uncharitable, we probably say it too – but still stay in denial that we actually harbour a grudge against the person.

James in his epistle (3:1-11) talks about the incendiary nature of the tongue of man; horses and ships can be tamed with bits in the mouth and a rudder respectively, but a loose tongue …?

“The tongue is a small part of the body, but it boasts of great things. Consider how small a spark sets a great forest ablaze. The tongue also is a fire, a world of wickedness among the parts of the body. It pollutes the whole person, sets the course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

“All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

“With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, this should not be!” 

At the confessional, we confess with the same tongue but unlikely that the tongue will confess and convict itself. It has to be reined in or exposed with the power of the Holy Spirit to speak the truth and not canards (lying even at confession when confessing). For more is hidden in our confession than is revealed, doing no justice to the sacrament and the purpose for which it has been instituted.

We need not or will not wear sackcloth or put ashes on our head or fast and then seek the sacrament of confession. Perhaps fasting may be a good touch to expressing penitence.

What we need is to aim for a confession – when we have confessed – we feel a weight off our chest. There is palpable relief. We imagine the wounds of Jesus flattening out and disappearing as we make a good confession and the commitment not to sin again. In our heart not only do we feel light but in our body, there is a sense of healing of our own wounds.   

Tuesday 5 May 2020