The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to explore our relationships with God and the people in our lives and allow the Spirit to reveal truths about our attitude and acceptance of contrition and forgiveness.
The reading from the Book of Exodus shares the response of God and Moses to the Golden Calf
* [32:11–13] Moses uses three arguments to persuade the Lord to remain faithful to the Sinai covenant even though the people have broken it: (1) they are God’s own people, redeemed with God’s great power; (2) God’s reputation will suffer if they are destroyed; (3) the covenant with Abraham still stands. The Lord’s change of mind is a testimony to Israel’s belief in the power of intercessory prayer. (Exodus, CHAPTER 32, n.d.)
Psalm 51 is a prayer for Cleansing and Pardon
* [Psalm 51] A lament, the most famous of the seven Penitential Psalms, prays for the removal of the personal and social disorders that sin has brought. The poem has two parts of approximately equal length: Ps 51:3–10 and Ps 51:11–19, and a conclusion in Ps 51:20–21. The two parts interlock by repetition of “blot out” in the first verse of each section (Ps 51:3, 11), of “wash (away)” just after the first verse of each section (Ps 51:4) and just before the last verse (Ps 51:9) of the first section, and of “heart,” “God,” and “spirit” in Ps 51:12, 19. The first part (Ps 51:3–10) asks deliverance from sin, not just a past act but its emotional, physical, and social consequences. The second part (Ps 51:11–19) seeks something more profound than wiping the slate clean: nearness to God, living by the spirit of God (Ps 51:12–13), like the relation between God and people described in Jer 31:33–34. Nearness to God brings joy and the authority to teach sinners (Ps 51:15–16). Such proclamation is better than offering sacrifice (Ps 51:17–19). The last two verses express the hope that God’s good will toward those who are cleansed and contrite will prompt him to look favorably on the acts of worship offered in the Jerusalem Temple (Ps 51:19 [20–21]). (Psalms, PSALM 51, n.d.)
The reading from the First Letter to Timothy expresses gratitude for Mercy.
* [1:12–17] Present gratitude for the Christian apostleship leads Paul to recall an earlier time when he had been a fierce persecutor of the Christian communities (cf. Acts 26:9–11) until his conversion by intervention of divine mercy through the appearance of Jesus. This and his subsequent apostolic experience testify to the saving purpose of Jesus’ incarnation. The fact of his former ignorance of the truth has not kept the apostle from regarding himself as having been the worst of sinners (1 Tm 1:15). Yet he was chosen to be an apostle, that God might manifest his firm will to save sinful humanity through Jesus Christ (1 Tm 1:16). The recounting of so great a mystery leads to a spontaneous outpouring of adoration (1 Tm 1:17). (1 Timothy, CHAPTER 1, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus teaches the Parable of the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin and the Lost Son.
* [15:1–32] To the parable of the lost sheep (Lk 15:1–7) that Luke shares with Matthew (Mt 18:12–14), Luke adds two parables (the lost coin, Lk 15:8–10; the prodigal son, Lk 15:11–32) from his own special tradition to illustrate Jesus’ particular concern for the lost and God’s love for the repentant sinner. (Luke, CHAPTER 15, n.d.)
Steve Scholer comments that for some of us, disappointment turns quickly to anger that we cannot control; while for others, they can quickly put it behind them and focus instead on the bigger picture. We, who strive each day to be more Christ-like in how we live our lives and how we present ourselves to those we love, work with, and meet as total strangers, which is the better course to follow?
Today, should disappointment darken your door and frustration, anger, or even hatred creep into your mind, strive to be more Christ-like in your response. Pray that like Timothy, we, too, may be merciful in our treatment of others and abundant in grace, so that our faith and love in Jesus Christ is displayed through our patience and understanding, all of which is proof positive that Christ lives in us and we in him. (Scholer, n.d.)
Don Schwager quotes “The Father redeems his son with a kiss,” by Peter Chrysologus (400-450 AD).
"'He fell on his neck and kissed him.' This is how the father judges and corrects his wayward son and gives him not beatings but kisses. The power of love overlooked the transgressions. The father redeemed the sins of his son by his kiss, and covered them by his embrace, in order not to expose the crimes or humiliate the son. The father so healed the son's wounds as not to leave a scar or blemish upon him. 'Blessed are they,' says Scripture 'whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered' (Romans 4:7)."(excerpt from SERMON 3) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 15:1-32 comments that God’s mercy defies our fallen human logic. Whoever heard of a God who runs to welcome sinners before they have a chance to repent? Or a God who forgives sins that we think are unforgivable? Or a God who rejoices over us even when we give him very little reason to rejoice? But this is your God. His love is unfathomable and free-flowing. In a world powered by pride and selfishness, a world that urges retaliation for every single slight, it’s downright scandalous.
And it’s for you. Your heavenly Father loves you completely, and there’s nothing you can do to make him stop loving you. There’s nothing you can do to make him give up on you—or any of your loved ones.
So let God love you today. Let him run to you and embrace you and shower you with his mercy. Even if it scandalizes you, let that mercy fill your heart and flow out to the people around you.
“Father, thank you for your wondrous, scandalous love!” (Meditation on Luke 15:1-32, n.d.)
Desmond Ryan, Honorary Fellow in the School of Health in Social Science, University of Edinburgh, and Colaborador Externo, Departament de Treball Social i Serveis Socials, Universitat de València.,argues that if we look at this story in a new way we see the harmful consequences of prioritising relationships based on authority over those based on a sibling model.
This parable reclaims me by prompting me to raise my voice in respectful yet insistent challenge of our Christian legacy of adult-averse institutions, world-refusing spirituality, and deafness to youth. I would wish to challenge the waste of human beings whose mutual giving and receiving in love is diminished by the continuing dominance of the vertical axis over the horizontal, of fatherhood over brotherhood, of institutional preaching over humane teaching, of dependence over partnership, of feeling comfortable with oneself over anticipating the needs of others. (Ryan, 2010)
Friar Jude Winkler comments on the chutzpah of Moses in the conservation with God over the worship of the Golden Calf. The reason for leaving the ninety-nine to find the lost one is recognition of the need of the lost. Friar Jude reminds us of the selfishness of the older brother as he encounters the loving parent.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments that the One who knows all can forgive all. But all we know is a little piece—the part that has offended us. Only God knows all, and so God is the One who can forgive all. If we’re honest, none of us have lived the gospel. None of us have loved as we could love, or as we have been loved by God.
I remember when I was jail chaplain in Albuquerque, I would read in the newspaper the stories of criminals in our city and I would form an opinion about how terrible they were. Years ago, a young woman committed murder to steal a baby. Everybody in the city hated her, I think. I went to the jail the very next day, and they told me that she wanted to see a priest.
I didn’t want to go in the cell because I knew I wouldn’t like her. I knew I would judge her because I’d already judged her. I can’t tell the whole story, but I will share this much: when I left that cell, I had nothing but tears and sympathy for the suffering of that young woman. (Rohr, 2022)
We are grateful for the insight led by the Spirit that shows our need for transformation in our practice of compassion and mercy in our relationship to our brothers and sisters in the human family.
References
Exodus, CHAPTER 32. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 11, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/exodus/32?7
Luke, CHAPTER 15. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 11, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/15?1
Meditation on Luke 15:1-32. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved September 11, 2022, from https://wau.org/meditations/2022/09/11/486453/
1 Timothy, CHAPTER 1. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 11, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1timothy/1?12
Psalms, PSALM 51. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 11, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/51?3
Rohr, R. (2022, September 11). We All Need Forgiveness — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved September 11, 2022, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/we-all-need-forgiveness-2022-09-11/
Ryan, D. (2010, March 12). The Prodigal Father - A Postmodern Homily. Thinking Faith. Retrieved September 11, 2022, from https://www.thinkingfaith.org/articles/20100312_1.htm
Scholer, S. (n.d.). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved September 11, 2022, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/091122.html
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 11, 2022, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2022&date=sep11
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