Wellspring of the Gospel

 

Year A: 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time

 First Reading: Wisdom 12: 13, 16-19

The First Reading has been chosen to deepen our insights into the highlighted section of the Gospel.

The Reading speaks of the majesty and strength of God - but this is not the power of a despot. God shows His power - especially where He is challenged by those who do set themselves up as tyrants and gods and especially where they abuse the power they have to oppress the weak.

God’s strength is so great that He does not have to “prove” it. It is a strength that allows Him to be gentle and mild when He judges us. God knows of what we are made - and that we are all too prone to failure and making mistakes - and deals with us far more leniently than we might deserve.

Julian of Norwich tells the story of a man eager to please his lord - so eager that he ends up falling over and destroying all that was entrusted to him. Downcast he admits his failure - only to find that his lord is looking on him with pity and not with blame.

She uses this as an analogy of how God deals with us. Where sin is wilful, then God does challenge us. When sin happens simply because we are frail human beings, then God looks on us with pity and not with blame.

In some ways, this is harder! It is harder to realise that you have let down someone who loves you to distraction than it is to go against someone who is always giving you a hard time!

We know that we have failed - but that God will always lead us to repentance and reconciliation. This is not the tyrant waiting for the opportunity to condemn and punish - but the God who loves us into admitting our failure and then shows that He continues to love us. This is the God who, in a way, picks us up - dusts us off and sets us on our way again!

As Julian also says - to go on our way rejoicing, living gladly and gaily because of His love!

What does it mean for me?

Waterlily

How do the insights about sin and God's enduring love help you to deal with failure?

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