10th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Fr. Leo
It is a sad moment when Adam confesses, he heard the Lord in the Garden; ‘but was afraid, because he was naked and hid himself.” Adam became blind to his own goodness and shame set in. Shame is a universal experience and most people suffer from it. Who has not doubted themselves or felt ashamed for what they have done?
Jesus is the one who comes to deliver us from this “not good enough” feeling. His love restores us to our true self where we can be ourselves naked before others without shame. Today’s psalm celebrates God’s healing love, by putting a wonderful refrain on our lips. “With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.” The Psalm adds, “If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand? But with you is forgiveness, that you may be revered.”
Jesus seems to be facing head-on the shaming side of even those he knew in the Gospel. Jesus seems like a mad man saying and doing things not said or done before. Even his relatives and family want to intervene. But he has found his community of support in the men and women before him who believe. His inner strength is confirmed when he says. “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of God is my brother, and my sister, and my mother.
When we are our true selves, we will find the “family” we need. Minorities go through this, but so do all who take Christ to heart and believe and live out the challenge of God’s love. When we live for what matters, we will find a new family around us who dares to care and love as much as we do.