[11th
Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C 2Sam12:7-1013; Ps 32; Gal 2:16-19-21; Lk
7:36-8:3]
Prophet Nathan exposes David’s
sin. In his subtle but firm approach, he unveils the logic of sin. God favoured David, showed him so much love and made
him king. “And if this were too little, I would add to you as much more.” Then,
“Why have you despised the word of the Lord, to do what is evil in his sight?”
We come to see that David’s sin was a withdrawal
from the love of God or lack of appreciation of God’s love and blessings.
‘Love’ is always the first victim of sin. We cannot sin if we are hanging on
the love of God. Yes, God is love! So the Master says, “Remain in my love” (Jn
15:9-10). “If you love me, keep my commandments” (Jn 14:15). The second logic
is this; though David hurt Uriah’s family, it was God who took the offense! Sin
is not just a human mistake or hurt against someone. It despises the Lord. In
truth I tell you, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these
brothers of mine, you did it to me (Mt 25:40). The King confessed, “I have
sinned against the Lord.”
God’s mercy surprises us. How
could he allow David to get away with so much atrocity! Furthermore, this mercy
of God is now more readily available and accessible in Jesus Christ and through
the Church. According to St Paul in the 2nd reading, faith in Jesus
unveils this mercy and we are justified. Jesus is visiting…
At the meal in Simon’s house, “A
woman of the city”—a popular for her sins—came to Jesus, who was equally
popular as a prophet. At the feet of Jesus, she did something unpopular; “she
began to wet his feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head,
and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.” It appears to sin is popular but contrition and repentance are not.
With those gestures, she regretted her past, poured out herself and expressed
the desire to share in the holiness of Jesus. Above all, she loved Jesus, and
sacrificed her expensive perfume for Him. Often times, we have to do the
“unpopular” thing in order to come out of our sins, e.g, queuing for
confession, etc.
Simon, the Pharisee, a man who
admired Jesus and invited Him for a meal, became suspicious; “If this man were
a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is
touching him, for she is a sinner.” But Jesus patiently demonstrated to him
that He knows both the woman’s heart and his own secret heart. Jesus knows our
hearts. He is in touch with the heart of man, even our hidden sinful thoughts. “I,
the Lord, search the heart, test the motives, to give each person what his
conduct and his actions deserve” (Jer 17:10). “God, Sabaoth…observer of motives
and thoughts” (Jer 20:12). We remember Simeon’s prophecy, “So that the secret
thoughts of many may be laid bare” (Lk 2:35). If we like the Pharisee, try to
probe the minds of others, we end up judging and condemning them. That is why
there is so much gossip in our societies today. Only Jesus judge and purify our
consciences. Yes, “we believe in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by
faith in Christ.”
Then, Jesus said to her, “Your
sins are forgiven.” This disturbed those at table and they began to ask, “Who
is this, who even forgives sins?” He is “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin
of the world” (Jn 1:29). “He bore our sins in His body on the Cross, so that we
might die to sin and live for uprightness” (1Pet 2:24). He is the Good Shepherd who came to bring
back the lost (cf. Mt 18:12). And he continues to absolve our sins through the ministry of the Church in
the Sacrament of Reconciliation (cf. Jn 20:23). We cannot cancel our own sins,
neither can we cancel the sins of others even if they hurt us. Ours is to
forgive! Sin is an offence against God—a crucifixion of Jesus! You crucified Jesus of Nazareth (cf.
Acts 2:23ff). If we realize that sin is primarily an offence against God, it
becomes easier to forgive, since we cannot probe the heart no matter the extent
of the hurt.
“Your faith has saved you; go in
peace.” Sin cannot be the final word for those in Christ Jesus since the love
of God has been poured into our hearts (cf. Rm 5:5). Faith in Jesus is the key.
We live by faith, not by sight (cf. 2Cor 5:7). Yes, the righteous shall live by
faith (cf. Heb 10:38). “And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in
the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
And they went with Him. Those
forgiven should not go back to their old ways, but they follow Jesus to proclaim
the good news of the Kingdom of God—the manifestation of God’s mercy in Christ
Jesus. Therefore, God’s mercy overrides the logic of sin, “For his faithful
love endures forever” (Ps 136).
Fr Jude Nwachukwu, C.Ss.RNational Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help,
Ugwogo-Nike, Enugu,
Nigeria.
Sunday, June 12, 2016
