2 Samuel 12:7-10, 13
Psalm 32:1-2, 5, 7, 11
Galatians 2:16, 19-21
Luke 7:36—8:3 or 7:36-50
June 16-17, 2007
The readings we have this Sunday all proclaim the forgiveness of sin.
The first reading tells story of King David confessing his guilt for committing adultery with Bathsheba and allowing her husband Uriah to die in a battle in order to cover up David’s sins
What we heard from the second reading was a testimony of St Paul, who in his former life was a hardcore persecutor of Christians, but having encountered Christ personally, he received Christ’s loving mercy and forgiveness that turned his life upside down. From being a persecutor he converted to a faithful proclaimer of Jesus. His powerful words in the second reading clamor a new person in him, “I am crucified with Christ, it’s no longer I, but Jesus Christ who lives in me.”
And the Gospel tells a story about a moving encounter of Jesus with a sinful woman in the house of Simon, the Pharisees. This particular sinful woman, a former prostitute, symbolizes all outcasts, those who ‘have a bad name in town’ for any reason whatsoever. When this woman (Mary) heard that Jesus was present at Simon’s house, she enters the house without any word but with silent gestures of humility and gratitude: She throws herself at Jesus' feet, washes them with tears, dries them with her hair, and kissing them, pours them with the ointment from her flask.
Simon, the Pharisee, sees the sinful woman’s gestures as public scandal. He rebukes Jesus for allowing her doing so. Jesus knowing what was inside the mind of Simon is preparing everyone to understand what he is about to say in defense of the woman: "'For this reason I say to you her many sins are forgiven her because she has loved much. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.' Then he said to her, 'Your sins are forgiven you.'" Jesus returned to this woman her lost dignity and her bad reputation by being forgiven for whom ever she had been in the past.
From these three readings, we saw three different characters who had one quality in common, all were sinners: David, an adulterous King and murderer; Paul, a persecutor and murderer; and Mary, a prostitute. They were different people who messed up their lives against morality, they caused scandal to the people and sinned against God. But in the end their sins were forgiven, they received healing, and they began a brand new life.
Conversion
Perhaps, each of us here today, has the need to be forgiven, to receive Christ’s healing touch, and has the need to be converted. Let us not be scared to let ourselves be identified with David, Paul or Mary for each of us indeed are but sinners and unworthy human beings in the presence of God.
Let us accept the fact that each we need conversion in our lives – a change of heart.
Conversion is not only an event, it is a process, just as being a Christian is always a process of becoming. No sin no matter how great or grave it may be can never be forgiven by God. Jesus came to call sinners. Jesus’ love and mercy surpasses all our human weaknesses and failures. We all are children of God who are important and are made into his image and likeness. Let us be confident that we can always turn back to God. We can always stand up again from where we fall.
When we sin, when we do something wrong, there is always trouble in our hearts, there is no peace, there is no harmony within us, we feel guilty, we feel restless, we feel unworthy, we feel hopeless. God doesn’t want us to live in misery. God wants us to be happy. God wants to restore our brokenness caused by our sin and our human weaknesses.
Let us humble ourselves to admit our sinfulness and allow God’s grace to bring us healing and restore our confidence to move on.
I like to end my reflection with this story…
Rise Again
A young priest was supposed to preach in the prison. Day after day he tried to find some message or formula that would move hard hearts.
As he entered the room, he shuddered under the gaze and stares of the crime-hardened faces. He said a silent prayer for light as he walked up to the pulpit. He stumble on the second last step and rolled head over heels right down to the floor. The audience broke out into loud laughter.
For a brief minute the your priest felt himself hindered by pain and shame. Then he got an idea. He jumped up, took the steps two at a time and laughed right back at his captive audience, tellimg them, “Men, that’s exactly why I came here today: I wanted to show you that a man can stand up again after he has fallen flat on his face.”
We are forgiven. We can be forgiven. Stand now. Let’s move on.
*1001 Stories You Can Use by Fr Frank Mihalic SVD;
Some reflection readings http://www.liturgy.slu.edu/ ; the model in the picture is myself :)
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