Scripture readings for this reflection can be found at Thursday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time | USCCB
In our gospel for today we see the Pharisees and scribes, as usual, judging those who are attempting to turn back to God and repent of their sins. The Lord, in his love and mercy, is reaching out to those who have fallen away from the faith. He was accepting them and their repentance to turn back to love of God. The Lord was judging not their appearance, but rather was judging their hearts. Unfortunately, these were people that the Jewish people and leadership looked down upon.
The tax collectors were the ones that were collecting the taxes for the Roamn government, and thus had turned away from their faith in God. Then there were those other sinners who, for whatever reason, stopped their practice of living out their Jewish faith according to the laws of Moses. The Pharisees and scribes condemned them and showed them no mercy.
With God there is love, mercy and forgiveness. We all know people that have turned away from the practice of their faith. The reasons vary from person to person. We need to pray for them that they may turn back to a loving relationship with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We also should try to encourage them to come with us to church with open arms and a loving heart. We are not to judge them by their appearance or the way they may have lived in the past, but rather we need to show them the love and acceptance that God has for them. Jesus is calling us to love them and be as accepting of them as He is of them. God's love and mercy is for all people, not only for those who show up each week at church. The Lord Jesus is always waiting with an open heart and open arms offering love and forgiveness for all people.
Further, let us not be like the Pharisees and scribes complaining about those returning to the practice of their faith. Rather, let us rejoice when someone returns into relationship with God and seeks forgiveness. Let us be as merciful to them as Jesus is.
Let us rejoice with the angels over those who are repenting of their sins and returning into a loving relationship with God.
From Arlene B. Muller
ReplyDeleteAlthough I have always wanted sinners to repent & everyone to live as GOD desires us to live, for the longest time I struggled with the idea of GOD & everyone in heaven seemingly having more joy over a sinner who repents than people like myself who have dedicated our lives to avoiding sin, avoiding occasions of sin, seeking to obey GOD, love GOD, love people & do good deeds. Somewhat like the Elder Son in the Parable of the Prodigal Son, I did not object to sinners repenting & being welcomed, but I wanted the "good people" to be favored & preferred & given a higher place & priority. It almost seemed like GOD was preferring "bad people" over "good people"! Like A students in school I wanted GOD to put the "good people" on the "honor roll".
Of course, GOD still does have a kind of "honor roll", since the Catholic Church DOES canonize saints who run the gamut from St. Augustine who spent a large segment of his life living in sin & checking out alternative religions & philosophies & only after 30 years of his mother's tears & prayers repented & ultimately became a great saint-- to St. Therese of Lisieux, who followed the LORD & sought to please Him from her childhood & became a great saint by allowing the LORD to work in her & practicing charity & holiness in her "little way" that she recorded in her writings for anyone to follow. So at least people who, by the grace of GOD, the circumstances of their lives, & their own faithful commitment to following the LORD, have never succumbed to grave sin, are also recognized & able to serve as role models.
It was one evening at a Catholic Charismatic prayer meeting in my prayer group that I finally experienced a revelation that clarified this passage for me. Nothing dramatic or noticeably supernatural, but the realization that there is NO ONE who is not in need of repentance! Even those of us who are focused on doing all the right things & avoiding all the wrong things are still imperfect & are still sinners & have one or more areas of sinfulness that require repentance. Maybe we have not performed any sinful act. Maybe we have even avoided sinful words, which is harder. But maybe there are some good things we COULD have done that would have brought us closer to GOD or would have shown greater love & help to someone in need, like a homeless person on the street, that we failed to do. Or maybe we have thoughts, feelings & attitudes in need of conversion, like being too proud of our good lives & looking down at people whose sin(s) are a lot more obvious! So when I acknowledge & seek to repent & ask the LORD to help me overcome my less obvious area(s) of sinfulness,GOD & the angels & everyone in heaven can rejoice over me, too!
From Arlene B. Muller
ReplyDeleteLately I have gotten involved in singing Karaoke. If it wasn't for Karaoke I wouldn't ordinarily set foot in a bar. I usually opt to drink seltzer or seltzer with cranberry juice & lime or Diet Coke. But I enjoy having a chance to sing in a secular environment in addition to singing in a parish choir, & I choose uplifting songs with positive messages, some of which can apply to GOD (even though it might not be obvious), like "YOU LIGHT UP MY LIFE" by Debby Boone & "YOU'RE THE POWER" by Kathy Mattea or "GET TOGETHER" by the YOUNGBLOODS. So sometimes when I am singing I am also secretly praying, & sometimes when I sing I notice people smiling & singing along with me, which is very gratifying.
Through Karaoke I have met a few people who I sense have good, warm hearts & at the same time have issues with alcohol & maybe other issues & who have a Catholic background but haven't come to Mass for awhile. So I have started telling them that I sing at noon Mass in the choir at St. Margaret's & that they might enjoy our music & inviting them to come to our choir Mass. When one friend responded that if he came to church "the walls would cave in", I told him that JESUS would welcome him with open arms. He hasn't come yet, but I told him I would always invite him but never nag him. He said he might come after football season is over. Another asked me to send him the information on FACEBOOK. Another one wears a crucifix & acknowledges JESUS as His LORD & SAVIOR. So I am praying for all 3 of them & hope & pray that someday in the near future they will come & that the LORD will give them the necessary grace & strength to deal with their alcohol & other issues & experience the joy of being embraced in GOD'S mercy & love & get the heavenly party started!