General. The supplication made to God this Sunday is that He might be our strength due to our weakness. We recognize that our weakness is a result of our sins, or lack of keeping God’s commandments, so that we pray God in this Eucharist to help us with His grace to be pleasing to Him in our will and doings. The Christian’s food is always to accomplish God’s Will before all else.

Second Book of Samuel. The prophet Nathan speaks fearlessly to King David about his sin and David does not shun to utter his guilt. This confession made David pleasing to God as Nathan, a holy man, knew only too well the ways of God’s actions with contrite sinners. For that reason David was not to be overcome by death as God had forgiven him his sins. David also expressed his guilt and sorrow by composing Psalm 51 (50) whose contents are an eye-opener to man’s reality when faced with sin.

Epistle to the Galatians. St Paul raises the issue of justification by the works of the Law and faith in Jesus Christ. He associates the Law with sin and gives faith as the reason for his belief. Paul attributes his faith to his dying on the cross with Christ who now lives in him. The greatest love shown by the Father towards humanity was that of His Son dying out of love on the cross for his enemies. There would have been nothing extraordinary had Jesus died for his friends, but the act of redemption lay in dying for one’s enemies while begging forgiveness for their sins – a true sign of love.

St Luke. Heaven rejoices when sinners repent, and so did the Son of God whenever he met contrite sinners. In loving many the greater were the woman’s sins, while in showing a contrite heart much was forgiven her. Jesus spoke out with power in forgiving her sins, telling her that her faith had saved her (second reading). His words of dismissal to her were ‘Go in peace!’ reflecting the serenity which union with God through lack of sin gives. Jesus was followed by the Twelve and many other disciples who were faithful to him for what he had accomplished in their souls.

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