Reflections
This Sunday's Psalm is one of David’s
penitential psalms. David sings out about
the heaviness of his sin that weighs upon him
so long as he keeps silent. The Psalmist’s sins
were hidden in his heart. Then, when he declares
his sin, and confesses his faults, his burden
is lifted and his guilt is taken away.
David’s sins may not have been so obvious
as the sores on the lepers described in this
Sunday's lst reading. (Leviticus 13:1-2)
But like those same lepers, David is compelled
to cry out, “Unclean, unclean,” and to seek
God’s forgiveness in order to be healed.
Just as David throws himself on the mercy
of the Lord, so does the leper in today's Gospel,
who kneels before Jesus and moves the
Lord to pity. (Mark 1:40-41)
The leper in the Gospel shouts for joy after he
is made clean. The same thing can happen to us
when we receive the Sacrament of Confession
and we are made clean inside. We may not be joyful
for the same reasons as the leper, but as Jesus says,
it is what's inside our hearts that needs to be purified.
And having been cleansed from within,
we really have something to be joyful about.
We are all pitiful in the sight of Christ,
but once on our knees, having confessed and repented
of our sins, there is hope for us whose sins are forgiven.
As it says in the Psalm, “Blessed is he whose fault
is taken away, whose sin is covered.”
We all need a spiritual cleansing from time to time
if we are to obtain a pure heart. They say confession
is good for the soul, and from what the Psalm tells us,
confessing our faults will lead us to be glad
in the Lord and rejoice.
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. This Sunday's Psalm Response is, "I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble,
and you fill me with the joy of salvation." Tell of a 'time of trouble' in your life
when you turned to the Lord, confessed your faults, and were filled with
the 'joy of salvation.'
2. Our psalmist is grateful for God's gift of forgiveness; having confessed his sin
before God, he is a new creation thanks to the grace of God. Give an example
of how your anxiety over your sin ceases when you bow down and confess
your faults to the Lord.
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. This Sunday's Psalm Response is, "I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble,
and you fill me with the joy of salvation." Tell of a 'time of trouble' in your life
when you turned to the Lord, confessed your faults, and were filled with
the 'joy of salvation.'
2. Our psalmist is grateful for God's gift of forgiveness; having confessed his sin
before God, he is a new creation thanks to the grace of God. Give an example
of how your anxiety over your sin ceases when you bow down and confess
your faults to the Lord.
Leprosy of the spirit. How I am guilty! This week’s readings skillfully and effectively use the image of leprosy to explain both physical and spiritual illness.
ReplyDeleteIt’s easy to look down on those whose sins are obvious, just as an infectious disease might mark one who is contagious and sick. But what of those of us who suffer on the inside? We may try to hide our dirty and germ-ridden thought life from others, but can we hide from the Lord? Even if we watch what comes out of our mouths, so as to mask the darkness that lies deep in our hearts, we might fool some. (Matthew 15:18-19). But we can never fool the Lord. Our spirits are anxious as we try.
Fully confessing the deformities in our spirit is the only way to true health and peace with the Lord. And the Lord promises that not one of us is too base, lost, or disgusting to touch and to heal. It’s the reassurance of this deep and unconditional love that beckons me to seek Him in private confession and also through the more public act of Reconciliation.
My heart aches to be healed, even if I have to confess over and over again.
The psalmist David experiences the true joy of being forgiven his sins. He is blessed when he acknowledges his adultery with Bathsheba.
ReplyDeleteThis psalm is a penitential psalm, confession to God. What am I learning from this psalm? God is a forgiving God. If I confess, He will forgive the guilt of my sins in the same way as God forgives David.
Our sins are like a leper being “unclean.” We should be cleaned inside and outside by asking God’s forgiveness in order to be healed completely.
Sometimes carrying my sins is like carrying a heavy weight around by myself. I want to lay down my sins in front of God. He will lift me up and protect me from the devil and ease the hardships due to my sins.
Come to think of it even though I easily drift away from God and fall into sin, His unfailing love calls me back again and again. He reminds me He is a forgiving God who has forgiven David’s transgressions.
Yes, He is a loving God who forgives my iniquities which I commit over and over again. He washes my sins away and keeps me clean through my faith in Christ whenever I bow down and repent. That’s why I keep going to Confession with a contrite heart asking His forgiveness whenever I feel anxious over my sins. He rewards me with the joy of Salvation. How I am blessed ! He is my hiding place.