March 11/First Friday of Lent
If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand?
But with you is forgiveness, that you may be revered. ~ Ps 130.3-4
As our society has succumbed to the increasing dominance of social media as our preferred mode of communication, we have become breathtakingly judgmental of the perceived flaws and errors of others — and not shy about voicing those judgments anonymously, without accountability. All it takes is one nasty troll to start, and within minutes, a mob has piled on to call out someone’s racism or wokeism, bigotry or political correctness. We have installed ourselves in the judgment seat, and we have no intention of budging from it. But today’s psalm reminds and admonishes us that no one is without flaws or, to use the old-fashioned word, “iniquities,” and that if God applied the same standard of judgment to us that we apply to others — harsh, merciless, and unforgiving — we would be brought to our knees. It’s worth thinking about what God might judge us for if he did mark iniquities. As we review the unkind thoughts and sharp words that we generate on any given day, the tasks we perform sloppily or not at all, the corners we cut, the grudges we hold, the acts of kindness we forego because we are busy or indifferent, we might shudder at the prospect of getting what we deserve. Luckily, unlike his creatures, God is not a nitpicking deity who delights in catching us out. When we call upon him in a moment of distress, God does not say, “Serves you right!” or “If you’d only done what I suggested!” He does not keep a running tab of our offenses. Instead, he forgives us, he restores us, and he lavishes his loving-kindness upon us. May we do the same unto others.
Merciful Lord, I thank you for not giving me what I deserve, and I ask this day that you help me treat others with compassion and forgiveness, as you do me. Amen.
For today’s readings, click here: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031122.cfm
To hear Kammerchor Altensteig sing “Aus Tiefer Not” by Mendelssohn, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3JTqEFcnYU
