Your secret is coming out

There is nothing concealed
that will not be revealed,
nor secret that will not be known.

Therefore
whatever you have said in the darkness
will be heard in the light,
and what you have whispered behind closed doors
will be proclaimed on the housetops.

For some of us, these words from today's Gospel (Luke 12:1-7) may be especially disturbing, if we allow ourselves to think about it. We may think that we have successfully covered our tracks and that the bad things we have done will never see the light of day.

But God knows.

Even if we are successful in hiding the truth from everyone else in the world (and that seems increasingly difficult over time), even if we have escaped the shame and the punishments that we have feared in this world, what lies ahead is truly fearsome and inescapable.

I tell you, my friends,
do not be afraid of those who kill the body
but after that can do no more.

I shall show you whom to fear.

Be afraid of the one who after killing
has the power to cast into Gehenna;
yes, I tell you, be afraid of that one.

Lord Jesus Christ, son of the living God, be merciful to me - a sinner.

When it comes to our own sin, secrecy can be comforting and, depending on the sin, we can rationalize that we are protecting others by keeping quiet, but secrecy about our own sin can also be a trap that drags us into more and more sin.

When it comes to our own sin, our priority should be getting right with God, not on maintaining our own cover-up.

And even if there are no big skeletons in our personal closets, today's Gospel reminds us to be attentive to our words and deeds, even when we are alone or "just among friends", for Christ calls us to let his light shine in everything we say and everything we do.