For the past 3 weeks, we have been
hearing from the 1st and 2nd books of Samuel in our first
readings, about the story of the prophet Samuel and the first kings of Israel,
Saul & David. We recently heard of
David's heroism and courage in slaying the warrior Goliath, of David's mercy and compassion in sparing Saul's life when Saul himself was out to kill
David. Yet, today, we hear the tragic
story of David's adultery and of his murder of Uriah the Hittite, the husband
of Bathsheba.
Our sins have consequences, &
David's sinful actions certainly had consequences for him. Our responsorial psalm response today pleads:
“Be
merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.” We are to come to the Lord in repentance
for our sins, asking for his mercy and wanting to turn away from sin. Just as our faith can grow like a small
mustard seed into a large bush, our sins can also grow and grow if we let
them. The sacrament of reconciliation is
there for us as a grace from God in order to forgive us from our sins & to
help through the process of conversion, repentance, forgiveness, &
renewal. May we approach this sacrament
each time in sincerity & humility, being truly repentant for our sins and
wanting to repair and renew our relationship with God and with our brother and
sisters. We need to get beyond the superficial sins that we usually confess to
see the truly sinful actions and impulses that take ahold of us. It is important to recognize that God's
forgiveness is just a new start for us, not the end of the story. We need to do penance and to do everything in
our power to not return to our sins. In
many cases, with addictions of any kind and with other kinds of sin, this may
be a life-long process and struggle.
As we continue to listen to the first
readings from the 1st and 2nd books of Samuel, may we
learn from the journey of the people of ancient Israel & see what lessons
there are for us to incorporate in our own lives of faith.
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