Every day of Lent, Bishop Edward Malesic writes a Scripture reflection for the faithful. Follow the bishop on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Click HERE for the readings.
Even though we are in a covenant agreement with God – we are God’s people and he is our God – we sometimes break the terms of the covenant. This is the admission of God’s people in our first reading today: “We have sinned, been wicked and done evil; we have rebelled and departed from your commandments and your laws.”
The first step to recovery is to admit we have a problem. For AA, it’s the honest statement, “I’m an alcoholic,” that leads to sobriety. For us who are human beings (100 percent of us are!), the first step to redemption is the heart-felt admission, “I’m a sinner. I have sinned. I have not kept the commandments.” That is when God can do his work to restore the covenant agreement between him and us and set things right.
In the process, we learn that God is compassionate and forgiving. God does not treat us like we so often treat one another.
How blessed we are! What a “great and awesome God” we have, as our first reading says.
But, to those who have been given much, much is required. If we have sinned and been redeemed, a process that has repeated itself time and time again, then we must also heed the teaching of Jesus, our Lord. He says, “Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven.”
Our world is very harsh. We are too quick to judge in the age of instant news. We find examples of people ready to condemn those of different races, ways of life, opinions, and beliefs all too quickly. We see this bitter poison in the opinion section of our newspapers, on the comments at the end of Facebook posts, and in the conversations between the “talking heads” on television. Jesus simply says to us, “Stop it.”
When we realize that we are sinners – just like everyone else – and admit it, then the healing comes. I don’t need to try to push myself above my neighbors, I just need to love them. Forgiveness that is received must be forgiveness that is given too. That’s part of the covenant agreement we have with God. Let’s be determined to keep it.