11th Sunday O.T (C)
OUR SINS AND GOD’S PARDON:
Lord, forgive the wrong I have done!
This Sunday’s liturgy reminds of our need for a DAILY AND PERMANENT CONVERSION which includes REPARATION FOR OUR SINS and STRIVING TO LIVE THE NEW LIFE as God’s own children, regenerated by the redeeming sacrifice of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
WE ARE ALL SINNERS BEFORE GOD AND WE WILL DIE WITH THIS INCLINATION TO SIN (CONCUPISCENCE).
- EVEN IF WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN BAPTIZED AND HAVE ACCEPTED JESUS AS OUR SAVIOR, WE CAN STILL COMMIT SINS, as St. Paul himself said in Romans 7:19: “For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do”.
- As such, WE MUST HUMBLY and CONTRITELY ACKNOWLEDGE OUR SINS AND MAKE USE OF THE SACRAMENT OF CONFESSION INSTITUTED BY OUR LORD TO RECOVER THE GRACE OF JUSTIFICATION.
- Moreover, WE MUST ALSO RESPOND TO GOD’S PLANS, who wants us TO RENEW OUR LIVES through an effective and constant spirit of penance and to unite ourselves with the Love which flows from his Divine Heart. This STRUGGLE TO LIVE A NEW LIFE is sincere manifestation of our CONTRITION.
- In the 1ST READING (2Sam 12: 7-10.13), King David humbly acknowledged his sin, asked God’s forgiveness and was pardoned. “I have sinned against the Lord.” Nathan answered David: “The Lord on his part has forgiven your sin: you shall not die.”
- The same is seen in today’s GOSPEL taken from Luke 7: 36-8, 3, Jesus welcomes and forgives the sinful woman who out of her generous love to Our Lord and repentance for her sins, broke an alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume to bathe Our Lord’s feet. Our Lord, seeing her CONTRITION, said to Simon and those around him who had critical thoughts against Jesus:
“Do you see this woman? When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet, but she has bathed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she anointed my feet with ointment. So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven because she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.” He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” The others at table said to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” But he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
- In the 2ND READING taken from St. Paul’s letter to the Galatians 2: 16.19-21, the Apostle teaches that justification does not come from the works of the Law (that is, the precepts of the Old Testament, the Jewish law) but by a LIVING FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST to emphasize that CONVERSION AND FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST SUPPOSES NOT ONLY ACCEPTING JESUS AS OUR SAVIOR BUT LIVING THE LIFE OF CHRIST AS WELL THROUGH WORKS COMPATIBLE WITH THE CHRIST’S LIFE (A MERE FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD).
“We who know that A PERSON IS NOT JUSTIFIED BY WORKS OF THE LAW BUT THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST, even we have believed in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. FOR THROUGH THE LAW I DIED TO THE LAW, THAT I MIGHT LIVE FOR GOD. I HAVE BEEN CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST; YET I LIVE, NO LONGER I, BUT CHRIST LIVES IN ME; insofar as I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who has loved me and given himself up for me. I do not nullify the grace of God; for if justification comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.
- It is very important TO UNDERLINE THE FACT that IN NO PLACE DOES THE WORD “ALONE” appear. Luther added this word to justify his position that man is saved and justified by “faith alone (SOLA FIDE)” which is not at all biblical and has to be rejected.
Dear brethren in Christ, GOD’S MERCY IS GREATER THAN OUR SINS AND HE IS EVER READY TO FORGIVE US ALWAYS. YET, WE SHOULD HUMBLY AND CONTRITELY ACKNOWLEDGE OUR SINS AND ASK HIS FORGIVENESS IN THE SACRAMENT OF CONFESSION. But it doesn’t stop there…
A TRUE CONTRITION AND DESIRE FOR CONVERSION should lead then to a real PURPOSE OF AMENDMENT, TO PUT THE MEANS SO AS TO AVOID SIN AND ACQUIRE CHRIST’S VIRTUES which will enable us TO LIVE IN HIM, WITH HIM, FOR HIM: TO LIVE HIS LIFE. For this is our life here on earth: to struggle out of love for God, till the end.
Lord, forgive the wrong I have done! (Resp. Psalm). WE TRUST IN YOU ALMIGHTY GOD FOR YOUR LOVE AND MERCY ARE GREATER THAN OUR ERRORS, WEAKNESSES, INFIDELITIES, AND SINS!
A Blessed weekend to all! Fr. Rolly A.
See as well:
HOLINESS AND BEGINNING AGAIN. IF YOU STUMBLE, GET UP! GOD AWAITS TO FORGIVE AND EMBRACE YOU! https://catholicsstrivingforholiness.com/2016/03/08/holiness-and-beginning-again-if-you-stumble-get-up-god-awaits-to-forgive-and-embrace-you/
POPE FRANCIS ON CONFESSION AND CONFESSORS in https://catholicsstrivingforholiness.com/2016/01/14/pope-francis-on-confession-and-confessors/
SUMMARY OF CATHOLIC TEACHING. TOPIC 22: THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE AND RECONCILIATION (1) in https://catholicsstrivingforholiness.com/2016/06/06/summary-of-catholic-teaching-topic-22-the-sacrament-of-penance-and-reconciliation-1/
ORIGINAL PHOTO CREDIT: Cristo de la Buena Muerte (Sevilla) by YBAMM in https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8566/16554995958_b3d3d81f11_c.jpg