Reflections
for Sunday, June 16, 2013
Where is your heart? Today the readings from Scripture remind us over and
over that we must come to know the Lord personally and let that personal
relationship with God guide our actions. Too often we do what is right but
without ever putting ourselves into our actions. We go to Church and do
not meet the Lord. We love others but we do not connect with them. We do
good things but without giving ourselves.
In the Second Book of Samuel, we are told once more about King David in the
Old Testament. He knew God and related to God very personally and yet when
an attractive woman came by, he forgot God and the ways of God and could
only think of the woman. He even arranged to have the husband of the woman
murdered so that he could continue his relationship with her. David is
given to us as an example of faith.
Faith does not immediately heal us of our sinfulness and certainly not of
our desires. Yet as we continue to walk in faith, our lives are changed.
David, once he is confronted with his sin, repents wholeheartedly.
Saint Paul in the Letter to the Galatians reminds us that salvation is not
a result of our doing good things. Salvation comes from belief in God and
trusting completely in God. Trust in God allows us to repent of our sins
and to continue walking on the way with the Lord Jesus..
The Gospel of Luke today gives us an account of a banquet with Jesus.
Surely the people present were all good people, striving to do good. Yet
for many of them, it was impossible to see the good in the woman who could
only cast herself at the feet of the Lord with a very womanly love and show
her love for him with ointments and tears. Jesus accepts her love and her
repentance.
Living with God will demand our whole being, heart, mind, soul, body and
spirit. There are times when we may sense that we are fully integrated in
seeking God. There may be other times when we know that we are only broken
human beings and not fully given to God. Living our faith is a process.
It is a journey with Christ and in that journey we come to know Him and to
love Him more and more, even when we recognize our sinfulness and
failures.
Jesus is always present for us. It is we who are not always present for
Him. He always loves us even when we forget about Him. He always pardons
us even though we continue to sin even after repentance. He invites to His
banquet no matter how many times we have refused His invitation. He never
tires of seeking us. Let us thank the Lord for His love. May we turn to
Him today, even in the smallest way, and ask Him to transform us in His
love. Let us love our Lord Jesus with all our being.
Readings of the day:
First Reading: 2 Samuel 12.7-10, 13
Second Reading: Galatians 2.16, 19-21
Gospel: Luke 7.36 – 8.3
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