I usually try to stay away from politics in these thank-you letters, but Sunday’s Readings sure tempted me to say something about the country’s immigration and budget-cutting debates (First Reading and the ResponsorialPsalm), and also about the Congress and the White House (Gospel). But I will behave. Folks will draw their own conclusions when they hear those readings this weekend.
What I want to reflect on is how poor and needy we all are. The only ones who are not are those who have no sense of their own sinfulness and personal poverty. They are so perfect they cannot see their own flaws … and believe me, there are such people. And on rare occasions, I am one of them too.
When someone offends us, how do we feel?Angry and hurt, right? We want to punish that person.At the very least, we would want to make sure that he or she does not behave towards us in that way again.
It is not surprising, then, that many feel God has been “offended” when we do wrong. After all, how can God love a sinner? We don’t.
It is precisely because you and I are flawed human beings, sinners, that we most need the love of God, most need His help.God – unlike us – does not see a sin as an “offence” against Himself. Rather, He sees the sinner as a person who has made a bad mistake and needs to be healed and restored.It is the sinner who is hurt, not God.
On the wall of my office is an icon which has a lot of personal meaning. It is a picture of Jesus holding a tablet and with his hand raised in blessing. Beneath the picture is the title of the icon: “Physician and Healer of Our Souls and Bodies.” That says it all.
God bless you abundantly!!!
Fr. Herb, C.S.C.
