12-13-2011, 11:17 AM
Tuesday, 13 December, 2011, 3rd Week of Advent
REMOVING THE SHAME FROM OUR LIVES
SCRIPTURE READINGS: ZEP 3:1-2.9-13; MT 21:28-32
We are awaiting the birth of Christ. With His coming, we hope a new world will come into being. Not only do we hope for a new creation but most of all, a new life as well. Yet is this new life possible? Many of us are like the Israelites. We have committed so many sins in our lives, made so many mistakes and disappointed so many who have trusted us with their lives. When we review our history, we know how colourful our lives have been. We have done so many shameful things we do not even want to remember ourselves. To keep us going, we suppress the pain of acknowledging our past, hoping that it will not bother us again.
Alas, we cannot forget nor forgive our past wrongdoings. Even if we try, the world, especially those whom we have hurt, will never allow us to start a new life. They will keep reminding us of our past, of our misdeeds and irresponsibility, and how much they suffered because of us. This is particularly true of infidelity in relationships, especially within marriage. We want to condemn those who have failed us and to imprison them in their past all their lives. We do not want to set them free. We pay lip service by telling them they must change and live a new life in Christ. But yet, we keep reminding them that they are condemned, useless, untrustworthy and irresponsible. Condemned and discredited all the time, it is very difficult for one who has failed in life to pick himself up again. This explains why so many ex-convicts eventually return to crime because society cannot accept them again. Wherever they go, the word “convict” is written on their foreheads. Rejected and marginalized even by their loved ones, they cannot but be driven back to their old way of life. Perhaps, the prison is a safer place after all, for at least there, they are among sinners, among prisoners!
This was the case with the tax collectors and prostitutes during the time of Jesus. The tax collector was the most hated male occupation and the prostitute the most despised female occupation. That is why these groups of people are prominently featured in the gospel, for they were the apex of sinners in society then. They were despised, marginalized and treated as outcasts. They were believed to be excluded from the Kingdom of God. There was no hope for them. Good people were expected to stay clear of them, least of all, to eat with them, otherwise they would be contaminated. They had totally no dignity in the face of man. Such was the state they were in. As such they could never get out of their misery nor their sinful state of life. Yet, many of them were sincere, confused and looking for peace, love, acceptance and freedom.
To such people and to us who are also in this condemned state, the Lord is setting us free from our past and our shame. The prophet in the first reading says, “When that day comes you need feel no shame for all the misdeeds you have committed against me, for I will remove your proud boasters from your midst; and you will cease to strut on my holy mountain.” How wonderful this piece of good news must have been for the Israelites. God was going to take away their shame and give them back their dignity as the children of God, the chosen people of God. This promise made to them is once again renewed in our lives as well.
How will it happen? We are told that all we need to do is to repent. Jesus gives us the parable of the two sons. The second son was symbolic of the shameful people during His time, the tax-collectors and the prostitutes. They were the ones who were sinning against the commandments, disobeying God and self-willed. The Lord never gave up hope on them. He came especially for them, for they were seen by the Lord as sick and needed a doctor. He welcomed them into the embrace of God by eating and drinking with them at table. He came to tell them that God has forgiven them. Such is the wondrous mercy and generosity of our God!
Indeed, as the psalmist testifies to us, “The Lord hears the cry of the poor. Look to him that you may be radiant with joy, and your faces may not blush with shame. When the poor one called out, the Lord heard, and from all his distress he saved him. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; and those who are crushed in spirit he saves. The Lord redeems the lives of his servants; no one incurs guilt who takes refuge in him.” We only need to take courage and come to the Lord for mercy and forgiveness; and He will give us a new life and make us a new creation. As far as the Lord is concerned, “love does not keep a record of wrongs.” (1 Cor 13:5) We can therefore be confident that in His eyes, we are always His beloved, regardless of what we have done in our past. In fact, Jesus was called “a friend of tax collectors and prostitutes.” On one hand, it was a disgrace for Jesus to count such dubious characters among His friends. But Jesus took it as a compliment, for He was truly their friend because He loved them for what they were and what they could be.
Indeed, His love and acceptance won over the tax-collectors and prostitutes. Although they turned away from the Lord, they were ready to repent, not because of fear but because of love. Although they replied with a quick “No”, yet after some reflection they came back and quietly carried out the Lord’s command. Truly, when they heard the preaching of John the Baptist and Jesus, they returned to the Lord with a contrite heart. They knew that they were sinners and that they needed help. They were docile and humble enough to turn back and ask for forgiveness. To such people, Jesus said, “I tell you solemnly, tax collectors and prostitutes are making their way into the kingdom of God.” What is said of them is also applicable to us. God is setting us free from our slavery to our past and the prison we and society have created for us.
The one requirement is the humility to repent and realize that on our own we cannot live a good life. So long as we are aware that holiness is the work of God and not our own, then we no longer need to depend on ourselves to observe all the laws. We will turn to Him and allow His love to transform and change us each day as we cooperate with His grace given to us. This is what the Prophet said, “In your midst I will leave a humble and lowly people, and those who are left in Israel will seek refuge in the name of the Lord. They will do no wrong, will tell no lies; and the perjured tongue will no longer be found in their mouths. But they will be able to graze and rest with no one to disturb them.” Only with humility can the Lord obliterate our past and make us a new creation. Sinners before man but just before the Lord!
Yet there is also a warning to those of us who are apparently righteous and upright. Jesus warns us that the “tax collectors and prostitutes are making their way into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you, a pattern of true righteousness, but you did not believe him, and yet the tax collectors and prostitutes did. Even after seeing that, you refused to think better of it and believe in him.” We are typical of the first son in the gospel. We put on pious masks, behaving civilly, saying and doing the right things. We appear to be generous in the eyes of man, making donations to this or that organization; teaching and preaching about Jesus even! We compare ourselves with others and condemn those who are obvious and public sinners. We let them know that they are sinners and that they are condemned. We never let them forget their shame. Yet, we know that we have many skeletons in our own cupboards which we have hidden from the public. We are hypocrites, misleading people into thinking that we are so holy and obedient to God. We say “Yes” to God publicly for everyone to hear but we never really practice what we commit to the Lord.
Let us take heed of the words of the prophet when he said, “Trouble is coming to the rebellious, the defiled, the tyrannical city! She would never listen to the call, would never learn the lesson; she has never trusted in the Lord, never drawn near to her God.” Let us turn to the Lord. Let us be inspired by the many examples of sinners who, in their humility, have turned to God, received His love and forgiveness and are now living a new life in Him. Let us not harden our hearts today or keep deceiving ourselves by putting a false front in the eyes of men just to gain their approval when our hearts are not right with God.
Most of all, if we truly love the Lord, let us not rake up again the past of those who have hurt us. Give them back their dignity of sonship and daughtership. With tender love and mercy, have faith and confidence in them for they are crying out for our acceptance and confidence in them. By giving them back their dignity, they will be able to live like a true son and daughter of the Lord and be freed from the shame that continues to enslave them to the past. By giving them another chance, we will see how the power of love can change and empower lives. See our enemies and those who hurt us with the same eyes that Jesus looks at you and me, sinners as we are. And yet, His eyes radiate love, hope and confidence in us.
REMOVING THE SHAME FROM OUR LIVES
SCRIPTURE READINGS: ZEP 3:1-2.9-13; MT 21:28-32
We are awaiting the birth of Christ. With His coming, we hope a new world will come into being. Not only do we hope for a new creation but most of all, a new life as well. Yet is this new life possible? Many of us are like the Israelites. We have committed so many sins in our lives, made so many mistakes and disappointed so many who have trusted us with their lives. When we review our history, we know how colourful our lives have been. We have done so many shameful things we do not even want to remember ourselves. To keep us going, we suppress the pain of acknowledging our past, hoping that it will not bother us again.
Alas, we cannot forget nor forgive our past wrongdoings. Even if we try, the world, especially those whom we have hurt, will never allow us to start a new life. They will keep reminding us of our past, of our misdeeds and irresponsibility, and how much they suffered because of us. This is particularly true of infidelity in relationships, especially within marriage. We want to condemn those who have failed us and to imprison them in their past all their lives. We do not want to set them free. We pay lip service by telling them they must change and live a new life in Christ. But yet, we keep reminding them that they are condemned, useless, untrustworthy and irresponsible. Condemned and discredited all the time, it is very difficult for one who has failed in life to pick himself up again. This explains why so many ex-convicts eventually return to crime because society cannot accept them again. Wherever they go, the word “convict” is written on their foreheads. Rejected and marginalized even by their loved ones, they cannot but be driven back to their old way of life. Perhaps, the prison is a safer place after all, for at least there, they are among sinners, among prisoners!
This was the case with the tax collectors and prostitutes during the time of Jesus. The tax collector was the most hated male occupation and the prostitute the most despised female occupation. That is why these groups of people are prominently featured in the gospel, for they were the apex of sinners in society then. They were despised, marginalized and treated as outcasts. They were believed to be excluded from the Kingdom of God. There was no hope for them. Good people were expected to stay clear of them, least of all, to eat with them, otherwise they would be contaminated. They had totally no dignity in the face of man. Such was the state they were in. As such they could never get out of their misery nor their sinful state of life. Yet, many of them were sincere, confused and looking for peace, love, acceptance and freedom.
To such people and to us who are also in this condemned state, the Lord is setting us free from our past and our shame. The prophet in the first reading says, “When that day comes you need feel no shame for all the misdeeds you have committed against me, for I will remove your proud boasters from your midst; and you will cease to strut on my holy mountain.” How wonderful this piece of good news must have been for the Israelites. God was going to take away their shame and give them back their dignity as the children of God, the chosen people of God. This promise made to them is once again renewed in our lives as well.
How will it happen? We are told that all we need to do is to repent. Jesus gives us the parable of the two sons. The second son was symbolic of the shameful people during His time, the tax-collectors and the prostitutes. They were the ones who were sinning against the commandments, disobeying God and self-willed. The Lord never gave up hope on them. He came especially for them, for they were seen by the Lord as sick and needed a doctor. He welcomed them into the embrace of God by eating and drinking with them at table. He came to tell them that God has forgiven them. Such is the wondrous mercy and generosity of our God!
Indeed, as the psalmist testifies to us, “The Lord hears the cry of the poor. Look to him that you may be radiant with joy, and your faces may not blush with shame. When the poor one called out, the Lord heard, and from all his distress he saved him. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; and those who are crushed in spirit he saves. The Lord redeems the lives of his servants; no one incurs guilt who takes refuge in him.” We only need to take courage and come to the Lord for mercy and forgiveness; and He will give us a new life and make us a new creation. As far as the Lord is concerned, “love does not keep a record of wrongs.” (1 Cor 13:5) We can therefore be confident that in His eyes, we are always His beloved, regardless of what we have done in our past. In fact, Jesus was called “a friend of tax collectors and prostitutes.” On one hand, it was a disgrace for Jesus to count such dubious characters among His friends. But Jesus took it as a compliment, for He was truly their friend because He loved them for what they were and what they could be.
Indeed, His love and acceptance won over the tax-collectors and prostitutes. Although they turned away from the Lord, they were ready to repent, not because of fear but because of love. Although they replied with a quick “No”, yet after some reflection they came back and quietly carried out the Lord’s command. Truly, when they heard the preaching of John the Baptist and Jesus, they returned to the Lord with a contrite heart. They knew that they were sinners and that they needed help. They were docile and humble enough to turn back and ask for forgiveness. To such people, Jesus said, “I tell you solemnly, tax collectors and prostitutes are making their way into the kingdom of God.” What is said of them is also applicable to us. God is setting us free from our slavery to our past and the prison we and society have created for us.
The one requirement is the humility to repent and realize that on our own we cannot live a good life. So long as we are aware that holiness is the work of God and not our own, then we no longer need to depend on ourselves to observe all the laws. We will turn to Him and allow His love to transform and change us each day as we cooperate with His grace given to us. This is what the Prophet said, “In your midst I will leave a humble and lowly people, and those who are left in Israel will seek refuge in the name of the Lord. They will do no wrong, will tell no lies; and the perjured tongue will no longer be found in their mouths. But they will be able to graze and rest with no one to disturb them.” Only with humility can the Lord obliterate our past and make us a new creation. Sinners before man but just before the Lord!
Yet there is also a warning to those of us who are apparently righteous and upright. Jesus warns us that the “tax collectors and prostitutes are making their way into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you, a pattern of true righteousness, but you did not believe him, and yet the tax collectors and prostitutes did. Even after seeing that, you refused to think better of it and believe in him.” We are typical of the first son in the gospel. We put on pious masks, behaving civilly, saying and doing the right things. We appear to be generous in the eyes of man, making donations to this or that organization; teaching and preaching about Jesus even! We compare ourselves with others and condemn those who are obvious and public sinners. We let them know that they are sinners and that they are condemned. We never let them forget their shame. Yet, we know that we have many skeletons in our own cupboards which we have hidden from the public. We are hypocrites, misleading people into thinking that we are so holy and obedient to God. We say “Yes” to God publicly for everyone to hear but we never really practice what we commit to the Lord.
Let us take heed of the words of the prophet when he said, “Trouble is coming to the rebellious, the defiled, the tyrannical city! She would never listen to the call, would never learn the lesson; she has never trusted in the Lord, never drawn near to her God.” Let us turn to the Lord. Let us be inspired by the many examples of sinners who, in their humility, have turned to God, received His love and forgiveness and are now living a new life in Him. Let us not harden our hearts today or keep deceiving ourselves by putting a false front in the eyes of men just to gain their approval when our hearts are not right with God.
Most of all, if we truly love the Lord, let us not rake up again the past of those who have hurt us. Give them back their dignity of sonship and daughtership. With tender love and mercy, have faith and confidence in them for they are crying out for our acceptance and confidence in them. By giving them back their dignity, they will be able to live like a true son and daughter of the Lord and be freed from the shame that continues to enslave them to the past. By giving them another chance, we will see how the power of love can change and empower lives. See our enemies and those who hurt us with the same eyes that Jesus looks at you and me, sinners as we are. And yet, His eyes radiate love, hope and confidence in us.