24th Sunday in Ordinary Time
R. I will rise and go to my father.
Written by Nick Balser
The three stanzas in today’s psalm strike me as a perfect representation of each individual’s journey towards salvation and call to holiness: repent, renew, rejoice.
“Have mercy on me, O God”. We are all sinners and in need of recognizing this fact.
“A clean heart create for me, O God”. Our cry for help, acknowledging we are broken and in need of fixing.
“Open my lips, and my mouth shall proclaim your praise”. Renewed, we turn to the Lord in joyful praise, celebration, and thanksgiving. Only God’s mercy is capable of a transformation this profound.
This is ultimately God’s calling and desire for each one of us. We have all likely experienced this cycle in some form or fashion. Many of us, especially me, repeatedly, as we continue to fall in our persistent pursuit of correction and finding our straighter path. It’s a constant journey, and unfortunately, one that we will likely never perfect. But, that doesn’t mean we stop trying. God’s mercy is endless and He never ceases to extend it. No matter how many times we fall, God continues to draw us nearer to him each and every time.
One thing I’ve always found particularly inspiring are the stories of those who have found God after coming out of the darkest moments of their lives, especially those with seemingly no prior spirituality or faith. Many of us have heard that converts make the best Catholics (and probably Christians in general, to be fair). And in today’s Gospel we also hear how God rejoices immensely in finding the one lost sheep. The recent conversion story of Shia Labeouf making the rounds is one I’ve found particularly inspiring. If you haven’t had the chance yet, I highly recommend watching the interview between Shia and Bishop Barron. It is a perfect representation of the cycle of redemption and how God’s mercy can overwhelm (and overcome) all obstacles and prior sins of our past. Labeouf talks about how far he’d fallen and been cast out, to the point of almost no longer wanting to live, until he was slowly and lovingly drawn into the Church and her sacraments. He humbly paints the picture that no matter how far off the prescribed path we’ve strayed, God is always calling us back into relationship with Him.
Who do you know that may be in need of God’s mercy? It could be yourself, a family member, a friend, a coworker. Think about today’s readings and how much God rejoices in one sinner who repents. How can you lovingly invite this person to rise and go to their Father?
Nick Balser is a finance professional, husband, and Texan living in Denver, Colorado. When not working or playing/watching sports, Nick and his wife love escaping to the mountains in their RV with their Cockapoo puppy, Sadie, seeking adventures of any kind.
Pray with today’s psalm.