READINGS AT MASS
Sir 35:12-14;16-18
Psalm 34
2 Tim 4:6-8,16-18
Lk. 18:9-14
Theme: HAVE MERCY ON ME, A SINNER
Dear friends in Christ, N'wokafu YESU KRISTO...
St. Bernard once asked: "But what can I count on; my own merits? No, my merit is God's mercy."
Today's First Reading teaches us that God does not esteem man for his material or spiritual accomplishments. Rather a humble man's prayer will move Him to shower His grace on him.
Our Gospel text for today presents one of the greatest prayers in the Bible: "O GOD, BE MERCIFUL TO ME A SINNER." This simple prayer, we were told, moved God to justify a poor tax collector and not an eloquent Pharisee. This poor tax collector; realizing he had nothing to offer but his sins, approached the mercy throne of God instead of justifying himself as righteous.
Beloved in Christ, we have no merit of our own in God's presence except His mercy. God's mercy is His greatest attribute and those who come to Him must count on that rather than their own merit. Counting on God's Mercy helps us to pray to God rather than to ourselves.
Until we 'stand far away' because of our emptiness (compared to God's greatness), allow our sins to embarrass us and cause us to bow our heads in shame; beating our breast in pain, we cannot pray an effectual prayer.
PRAYER
Lord, I bow before you in my nothingness. Have mercy on me, a sinner. Amen.
May God bless you.
-Fr. Kenneth Debre
Sunday, October 23, 2022
Holy Rosary Parish, Hohoe.
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