EZ 18: 21-28
PS 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-7A, 7BC-8
EZ 18: 31
MT 5:20-26
When reflecting on these readings,
there was a common theme of repentance and forgiveness that truly stuck out to me. In the first reading, my first thoughts
brought me to the saying, “hate the sin, love the sinner”. It is important to separate the “wickedness”
of an act or thought from the one committing it because we do not need to be
weighed down by titles such as sinner or liar; we are simply humans who
err. This sin, or error, is forgivable
and our God opens His arms and calls us close especially in times of
deviation. This is particularly evident
in the sacrament of Reconciliation, which is a gift and is particularly pertinent to the Lenten
season. In this time of the liturgical
year, we are called to become vulnerable, admit our flaws, and make a sacrifice
to build a stronger, more intimate relationship with God. In today’s readings,
the idea of salvation is tied with choosing to live our lives with Christ at
the center. It doesn’t matter where we
come from or what wrong things we have done, as long as we choose Christ and
turn away from sin, we all can live a life eternal with God.
God
knows we are human and we are not perfect, but ultimately He is our one and
only judge. As discussed in the gospel, we
will be held accountable for the wrongs we do, but unless we are Jesus or Mary
(which none of us are) we are not without sin, which is why confessing our
transgressions is so welcomed by Jesus.
Even though this gospel can be taken as a downer, I see it in a
different way. This is a challenge and incredibly appropriate for this Lenten
time. God does not want us to just do
the bare minimum and be stagnant, he wants us to strive to be saints. As the example states, we cannot just take the
commandments at face value, but constantly be trying to improve ourselves in
every aspect in order to be as pure and like Christ as possible.
In
this spirit of Lent, let us ask God to enter our lives; not just when we ask
Him, but in every moment. Welcome God
into your life, and you will realize that you truly are never alone. It is both a comfort and a strength to know
that God is in all things, places, and times.
Let us open our eyes, ears, and hearts to notice Him in every aspect of
our lives. In this comfort, we ask that
God may reveal His love for us and help us to repent and forgive.
Miranda Reeder is a junior nursing
student with a health care ethics minor.
She is involved in Campus Ministry (Liturgy Assistant, LIFT member,
Eucharistic Minister, etc.), Gamma Phi Beta, and Mass Choir.
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