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Saturday, February 23, 2008, St. Polycarp
Micah 7:14-15, 18-20, Psalm 103, Luke 15:1-3, 11-32
Link to Readings --> http://www.usccb.org/nab/022308.shtml
GUILT RIDDANCE
"Who is there like You, the God Who removes guilt?" —Micah 7:18
In today's eucharistic Scriptures, the Lord throws our repented sins far
into the ocean, into the very depths of the sea (Mi 7:19). Then He puts up
a huge sign marked: "No Swimming!" Yet some of us don't really understand
God's amazing love. We put on a spiritual wetsuit, dive into the ocean to
retrieve our guilt, and spend years feeling guilty for having caused God
and others so many problems. We're more comfortable in our prison of guilt
than in being set free by Jesus.
The Lord doesn't want us to move back into prison after He's set us free.
He grabs the guilt we recovered from the sea and tramples it under His
feet (Mi 7:19). Jesus is serious. He really doesn't want us to take back
that guilt. At this point, some of us are tempted to feel guilty about
feeling guilty. This is why Jesus tells the story about the prodigal son.
Jesus wants to see the guilty party — with music and celebration (Lk
15:23, 25).
When we're truly set free from our prison of guilt, however, not everyone
rejoices. People want to put us back into our prison cell. When Jesus
removes and tramples our guilt, we are free indeed! (Jn 8:36) Don't pay
attention to what others think. Instead, focus on what Jesus thinks. We
must "fix [our] eyes on Jesus" (Heb 3:1). If He is for us, who can be
against us? (Rm 8:31) If Jesus alone rejoices to see us free from guilt,
then our opponents are outnumbered. "So stand firm, and do not take on
yourselves the yoke of slavery" and guilt "a second time" (Gal 5:1).
Prayer: Jesus, may all prisoners come to know in the core of their being
the depths of Your mercy and compassion for them.
Promise: "As far as the east is from the west, so far has He put our
transgressions from us." —Ps 103:12
Praise: St. Polycarp calmly accepted martyrdom at age eighty-six after
living a life totally devoted to his Lord.
(This teaching was submitted by a member of our editorial team.)
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Rescript: In accord with the "Code of Canon Law", I hereby grant my
permission to publish "One Bread, One Body" covering the period from
February 1, 2008 through March 31, 2008
†Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General Archdiocese of Cincinnati,
August 14, 2007
The rescript is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be
free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have
granted ecclesial permission agree with the contents, opinions, or
statements expressed.
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