Reflection for February 22, 2009

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Faith, Freedom, Friendship

In the first reading for this Sunday, from Isaiah 43, God promises to do a new thing, to “remember not the events of the past”, and then rebukes Israel for not calling out to Him, for not claiming His promise to forget their past sins. Even so, He forgives them and us because His nature is to be faithful to His promises. “It is I, I who wipe out for my own sake your offenses; your sins I remember no more.”

The responsorial psalm, “Lord, heal my soul, for I have sinned against you” (Psalm 41), leads us to cry out with the expectant faith that Israel lacked.

We are still further prepared for the Gospel by the second reading (2 Cor. 1:18-22) which affirms the “Yes” of God in sending Jesus as our Savior and Healer. It speaks of the seal of the Holy Spirit as the “first installment” of the fullness God promises. The phrase prompts us to expect to experience in this life a taste of the saving, freeing healing grace that comes from God through Jesus in the Holy Spirit.

The Alleluia verse from Luke 4:18, the mission statement of Jesus, “The Lord sent me to proclaim liberty to captives” builds us up still more to expect to experience the freedom Jesus ministers in the gospel.

In the Gospel story (Mk 2:1-12) of the paralyzed man lowered through the roof  by his friends, Jesus looks beyond the man’s physical paralysis and sees his need and ours, for the spiritual healing that comes with forgiveness of sin. We are assured that even when we have no faith for our healing, we can rely on the expectant faith of the community with whom we gather. Jesus gives us an example not only of the healing we can expect from Him, but also of the ministry of healing we can have as we extend our compassion and friendship to one another.

Reflection by Sister Nancy Kellar, SC