Tag: Reconciliation

Make Me Clean

Jesus frequently used healings and miracles to support and emphasize his teaching of a New Law and a New Covenant. In the Gospel of Mark, for example, we hear early on of the healing of a leper. Lepers were ostracized from the community and were not even allowed to participate in worship; they were absolute outcasts from family and society in a truly profound way. So, being healed of leprosy meant being reunited with family, reunited with friends, and reunited with the People of God, being able to properly worship with the community in the Temple and synagogues.

“A leper came to [Jesus] and kneeling down begged him and said, ‘If you wish, you can make me clean.’ Moved with pity, [Jesus] stretched out his hand, touched the leper, and said to him, ‘I will do it. Be made clean.’ The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean.” (NAB, MK 1:40-42) We are all in need of cleansing, and our faith reminds us that we can turn to our most merciful and forgiving Savior at any time, and he’s there, waiting for us, ready to give us the gift of renewal and reconciliation. The depth of our sins is insignificant in the presence of the power of God’s grace; his infinite love for us provides immediate rescue when we call upon him in faith.

When is the last time you knelt down and begged Jesus to make you clean? It takes humility and faith to admit our sins and confess them, and it takes the strength and courage that come only from God’s grace to keep us from sin in pursuit of holiness and sanctity. We are each called to be a saint; we are called to unity with our Lord in a perfection that can only be accomplished because of the Sacrifice and Passion of God’s Only Begotten Son. We are made perfect through his perfection, and we are made holy through his sanctifying life.

Lord, Jesus, “if you wish, you can make me clean.” Open my mind and reveal to me my sins, that I may honestly and openly confess them with a most contrite heart. I desire nothing less than you, and you desire nothing less than my salvation. Give me a truly sorrowful heart for all of my offenses, and give me your grace, so that I may change my life and pursue the life of holiness to which I am called. Amen.

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Examine Your Walk

As the calendar year comes to an end, many will examine their finances, their health, or other aspects of their life and make resolutions for the New Year. It’s good to have new beginnings, opportunities to realign ourselves to live a healthier lifestyle, make more financially responsible choices, or reset ourselves in some other positive way. It’s also an excellent time to examine our spiritual lives.

Today, we are reminded in the First Letter of John of what that looks like. “Beloved: The way we may be sure that we know Jesus is to keep his commandments. Whoever says, ‘I know him,’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly perfected in him. This is the way we may know that we are in union with him: whoever claims to abide in him ought to walk just as he walked.” (NAB, 1JN 2:3-6)

We often use the word “walk” when referring to our spiritual journey, and rightly so. We are called to be followers of Jesus, to walk with him, in this life, to complete our spiritual journey alongside of him, being his hands, his feet, and speaking his words in our world. Let’s set aside some real time today to truly, deeply, and honestly examine our lives to see if our “walk” matches his, if our lives reflect the life of our Savior. Then, confess whatever is keeping us from authentically living our Christian faith, express true sorrow for our failings, beg God for his grace to help use change our lives to live righteously, and commit, with God’s help, to pursue sanctity and holiness each and every day, in all of our relationships, in every step we take.

Lord, Jesus, you know where my “walk” doesn’t match my “talk,” but more importantly, where my walk isn’t unified with yours. Give me the wisdom I need to see where changes are necessary, where I fail to live according to your Law of Love, and where, with your grace, I can change to live according to your Holy Will. I cannot do it on my own, but only because of your love, grace, and faithfulness. I love you, Lord, and I thank you for loving me. Give me courage to live the life to which you call me, for your glory and according to your will. Amen.

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