“SPRINGS OF LIVING WATER”
Daily Spiritual Reflections
8th November 2021
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MONDAY, THIRTY SECOND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Memorial of St Elizabeth of Trinity
Wis 1: 1-7; Ps 139: 1-10; Lk 17: 1-6
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OUR FRAGILITY TO SIN OPENS US TO GOD’S MERCY
The first reading and the responsorial psalm of today remind us that God truly and completely knows us. It is both a consolation and a warning that he sees all that we think, feel, say and do. The Gospel offers to us several points of both consolation and warning. First is the awareness that there will always be occasions to fall into sin. “Obstacles are sure to come…” But although sin is expected, it is not accepted – “If your brother sins, rebuke him.”
The readings warn us about the inherent pitfalls of sin. The book of Wisdom tells us that “selfish interests divorce from God.” Here lies an exhortation to be spiritually fit, for only then can we live in a harmonious relationship with the Lord. A selfish soul shuts itself out from the grace of God – “Wisdom will never make its way into a crafty soul nor stay in a body that is in debt to sin.” The gospel continues the discourse on sin. Here, the words of Pope Francis come to our mind. When he was asked, “Who Is Jorge Mario Bergoglio?” he responded, “I am a sinner.” Being aware of one’s fragility is the first step towards repentance and reconciliation with God. The readings not only dwell on the effects of sin but also on the restoration of all to the light of the Spirit. God knows our hearts and will acquit those that are truly repentant.
Forgiveness is an essential aspect of the Christian faith. As Jesus says, if a person sins against us, we are to rebuke him; but if he repents, we are to forgive him. There is to be no sense of unforgiveness among God’s people, no matter how great the sin against us, no matter how big a stumbling block is put in our path, we are called to constantly forgive. When God, in his unquantifiable love, can forgive us, if we are truly repentant. We too, with the help of the grace of the Lord need to forgive others like he forgives us. Let us pray for the wisdom to recognize our own fragility and the need for forgiveness.
Response: Lead me, Lord, in the way everlasting.
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