The Gospel of the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time reminds us that we should never be complacent about sin in our lives. Jesus gives examples that may sound rather extreme to our ears when he states that whatever causes us to sin we should remove, “if your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off”. This is not to be taken literally. Our Lord is simply stating that we should avoid sin and sinful situations. The enemy is complacency which causes us to become comfortable with our sin. Both the First Reading (Numbers) and the Second Reading (James) list some of the sins that we may commit in our daily lives. Our Holy Father Pope Francis has established a Holy Year of Mercy beginning on December 8, 2015. He has stated on numerous occasions that the most profound way we can experience divine mercy is to acknowledge our sins and celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation. In this sacrament we are shaken out of our complacency and receive God’s mercy.