16th Sunday (A) 23 July 2023 Punishment
‘Father, forgive them for they know not what they do’ (Lk 23,34) - words from the Cross. People have done some very foolish things but this one tops them all – crucifying their Creator and Saviour.
Yet even this God can and does forgive.
In fact, the Cross becomes itself the Centrepoint of all God's activity to save the human race from the wrong path. He makes Himself the acceptable sacrifice which is more pleasing to God than sin is displeasing.
We kill Him; He brings us back to life! An unusual arrangement but very much in our favour.
God will forgive any sin, where there is true contrition from the sinner. ‘A humble and contrite heart You will not spurn (Ps 50(51),17)
If we turn to Him in need of mercy we will certainly find it.
What if we do not turn to Him? God does not withdraw His offer of mercy.
He will try to reach the heart and mind of the unrepentant sinner. This may include depriving the sinner of the false securities on which he presently relies.
People often think that they can get by without God, but that is an illusion. Without God we would have no universe to live in, no air to breathe, no ground to walk on, no personal talents or abilities. He makes the whole thing possible, and if He were to withdraw His presence then all creation disappears.
To remove complacency, God punishes the sinner, to claim His attention.
How do we say that God forgives the sinner and also punishes? The forgiveness is the desired result; punishment, when needed, is part of the way of getting to that final result.
If God hurts us it is only so He can heal us. The hand that hurts is the hand that heals (Job 5,18)
When a sinner does repent there is great joy among the angels (Lk 15,7).
God is biased towards saving us. It is like going into a courtroom and the judge is on our side. He will do everything possible to save us, but He will not force our free will.
If a sinner holds out against God's mercy then that sinner may be eternally lost. That is a conclusion we pray to avoid, for everyone.There will be a day of reckoning when the wheat and the darnel are separated (Mt 13,24-30) May we all be ‘wheat’.
Till then, God will continue to save, on call to all who call on Him.
He sees the good that is potentially within each person and seeks to bring that good to the light of day.
He welcomes any move towards him on the part of the sinner.
God wants to move people to where they love Him, and are truly sorry for their sins, loving God for His own sake, and not just wishing to avoid punishment.
For those of us who do readily acknowledge Him, one of the most important things we can do is pray for those who do not pray.
One person can help another to find mercy, even if the other person is not looking for it.
We pray for people who would tell us not to pray. We will not force them to do anything but we pray that they will see the way clear themselves.
Grandparents*, pray for your grandchildren, who are growing up in a world that takes many wrong turnings. Keep your own faith till the end!
[*World day of prayer for grandparents]
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