Saint Athanasius
Coptic Orthodox Church
Many try to find excuses to cover up some of their sins, in order not to be blamed, or to justify their failure in doing good deeds.
It is an ancient fault that goes back to Adam and Eve! Eve’s excuse was that the serpent tempted her. Since she did not have to obey it, this was an unacceptable excuse.
Adam’s excuse was exactly like Eve’s: although Eve gave him the fruit, he could have refused it!
How true is the saying: the road to hell is full of excuses. Even the servant who hid his talent in the ground gave an excuse which was worse than his wrongdoing: he told his master that he was a hard man, reaping where he had not sown!
Many find an excuse for not praying by saying that they have no time, while they have enough time for various amusements and gatherings. In fact, they do not have the desire to pray.
Most of those who do not offer their tithes (10% of one’s income) to God say that they don’t have enough, while the widow who gave all that she had did not think of an excuse.
The same with the widow of Zarephath in Sidon, who offered her flour and oil to the prophet Elijah during the famine, while she badly needed them (1Kings 17).
David, the young boy, could have used many excuses to avoid fighting Goliath. He was not a soldier and no one expected him to volunteer. He was young and even the old feared Goliath (a giant who was hard to defeat), but David’s fiery zeal would not allow excuses.
The thief on the right hand could have given many excuses against belief, but he never used them! How could he believe in a God Whom he saw crucified and Who seemed unable to save Himself? The robber heard the echo of the people’s mockery and challenges, but he would not use them as an excuse not to believe.
Fear was not an excuse for Daniel when he was taken into the lion’s den. Neither was it for the three youths when they were taken into the fiery furnace. The love of his only son could have been used as an excuse for Abraham when God asked him to offer Isaac, the child of promise, who was born after tens of years!
The friends of the paralytic man had many excuses, if they wanted. However, no obstacle stopped them: they uncovered the roof and let down the bed on which the paralytic man was lying. The one who overcomes hardships, not using them as excuses, proves the truth of his inner intentions.
On the other hand, the weak-willed, or the one with a weak determination
reminds us of the saying of the Bible, "The slothful man says, ‘There is a
lion on the road’" (Proverbs 26:13).
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