5 February 2014 - not inconsequential

5 February 2014 - not inconsequential


David disobeys the LORD by counting the number of people fit for military service.  But David is quick to regret this.  He wastes no time in repenting.

“I have sinned grievously in what I have done.
But now, LORD, forgive the guilt of your servant,
for I have been very foolish.”

He knows that the man is blessed "whose fault is taken away, whose sin is covered."  He wants to be one "to whom the LORD imputes not guilt, in whose spirit there is no guile."  This is why he is quick to say, "I confess my faults to the LORD".

Yet he must still deal with consequences of his sin.  He is able to place this in the hands of the LORD.  He trusts in God's mercy even when facing this punishment.

David answered Gad: “I am in very serious difficulty.
Let us fall by the hand of God, for he is most merciful;
but let me not fall by the hand of man.”

David's heart won't let him run away from these consequences.  Even in their midst he doesn't cease to trust.  But he can't bear to see the consequences of his own sin affecting others.

When David saw the angel who was striking the people,
he said to the LORD: “It is I who have sinned;
it is I, the shepherd, who have done wrong.
But these are sheep; what have they done?

Yet this is the nature of sin.  It is not a private affair even when it seems like it is.  Even something like counting the men suitable for the army has much more far reaching consequences than David can guess.  Seventy-thousand people die.  When we sin, we may be causing others to die spiritual due to the scandal of our behavior.  

And before Jesus steps unto the scene this is the end of the story.  And Jesus, while he brings forgiveness, does not immediately eliminate all consequences of sin.  But even in the midst of such consequences our union with him sets us free from fear.  It makes us ultimately untouchable.  Our deepest identity is grounded in the resurrected life of Jesus.  No temporal sufferings can cut off that life.  As long as we say, "I confess my faults to the LORD" the words of the psalmist will be true of us:

Though deep waters overflow,
they shall not reach him.

The world is used to things working in a certain way.  It tries to categorize Jesus according to this old paradigm.  It's lie says that he is powerless, a carpenter, a regular person with a mother and relatives.  And if we buy in to this lie we limit the freedom of Jesus to work.

So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there,
apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them.

Faith recognizes in Jesus the one who has the wisdom from on high, who can work mighty deeds.  It honors Jesus and trusts in his power.  By accepting the testimony of Jesus about who he is we thereby invite him to unleash the full power of the Son of God in our world.  America and Europe have become a "native place" of Jesus where everyone thinks they know who Jesus is.  But of course they often have no idea what he says about himself and what his Church says about him.  Let us follow the footsteps of Pope Francis and shake things up. 

Jesus is the only one who can break the cycle of sin that we see even in great hearts like those of David.  He is the only one that can free us from the slavery to fear at the consequences sin inflicts on the world. 

You are my shelter; from distress you will preserve me;
with glad cries of freedom you will ring me round.