Those of us around in the seventies may remember two famous lines about the word sorry: “sorry seems to be the hardest word” were lyrics from a popular song and “love means never having to say you are sorry” from a popular movie.
Sorry, but neither statement is true!
Let’s go back in time a couple of weeks, to a warm night in Detroit as the Tigers faced the Cleveland Indians. The Detroit pitcher, Armando Galarraga, had the game of his life; in fact with just one batter left he was pitching a perfect game. 26 batters up, 26 batters out! One batter to go and it’s a slow ground ball to the 1st baseman who pitches the ball to Galarraga, covering 1st base. He’s out by a step and the historic perfect game is in the books. Wait a minute. Umpire Jim Joyce calls the runner safe. Safe! How can you call this ump; he is out by a step? Galarraga, for his part, never argues the call. Fans are outraged, sportscasters are outraged, and bloggers all night long called for the umpire to be fired.
Jim Joyce, after the game watches the replay and realizes he was wrong. He could have said, I called it as I saw it or he could say and do nothing. He immediately went to the Detroit locker room, found Galarraga and apologized. He apologized to the Detroit Tiger manager, to the organization and to the fans. So sincere his apology that the very next day he was greeted with a fair amount of applause and respect by the Tigers and the fans.
How many of us can recall sincerely saying I’m sorry or please forgive me when we were wrong; when we offend; when we disappoint?
As people of faith, do we sincerely seek forgiveness from the One who will forgive us; from the One who can even forgive our sins?
Today’s readings give us powerful lessons on forgiveness. They speak to us of laying bare our sinfulness and our brokenness and seeking the love and mercy that God offers to all of us.
In our 1st reading David confronts his sinfulness; he seduces another man’s wife and has that man murdered yet he is allowed to see his sinfulness and proclaims: “I have sinned against the Lord”. And David hears, through the mouth of a prophet: “The Lord has forgiven your sin”. Imagine David, broken and hurt by his own sins, now hearing those words.
David admitted his need for forgiveness and mercy with his words. The Gospel gives us the example of one admitting sinfulness with their actions. And it is not the host in our Gospel; but the woman. And this woman is of ill repute yet she finds a way to make it inside the home of Simon and fall at the feet of Jesus. With her actions; the bathing of His feet with her tears, the drying of His feet with her own hair and the anointing of His feet with the ointment she declares publically, I am a sinner but I want to end my sinfulness, I seek forgiveness and mercy.
Simon, for his part, felt beyond the need to consider his own sinfulness. In fact, his invitation to Jesus was not to learn from Him, or to love Him, but perhaps to expose Him as a fraud, to trap Him in some fashion. He extended no common courtesies of the day to his invited guest. And Simon is indignant that this woman, this sinner has intruded on his plans. Imagine how Simon must feel when he hears Jesus proclaim to the woman, and all gathered together, “Your sins are forgiven” and again, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
These were very important facts for the author, St. Luke, the physician, to include in the Gospel that bears his name. And they are important lessons for all of us gathered here today and preparing to approach the altar to receive the Precious Body & Blood of the same Jesus who forgives the woman in this Gospel.
We are called to seek the Lord and ask for His forgiveness and to seek His mercy. We are called, by His Church, to be able to hear those same words that David and the woman hear; your sins are forgiven. That happens every time we go to reconciliation. The Priest, acting in the name of Jesus, says these words while making the sign of the Cross: “I absolve you of your sins, in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” Perhaps this is the week that we return to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, make a sincere confession and seek forgiveness and mercy. But we, like the woman, need to take action. Reconciliation requires we go forth, we seek the Sacrament, we go; just like the woman.
In the week ahead, we all can make a personal commitment in our daily activities and prayer life to pray for forgiveness. Do we need a great example; seek the response from today’s Psalm 32: “Lord, forgive the wrong I have done!” Make this part of our morning prayer, or evening prayer or something we can pray in those most difficult parts of our day.
And if there is someone who needs to hear “I’m sorry” or “please forgive me”; then say it, mean it and reconcile with whoever that person may be.
Jim Joyce, an experienced and proud umpire, went to the one he wronged, and asked for forgiveness and mercy. David did the same; and the woman went directly to the Lord.
As we prepare today to go to Jesus in Holy Communion, seek His forgiveness, seek His mercy, rejoice in His infinite Love.
Sorry seems to be the hardest word; I don’t think so.
Love means never having to say your sorry; well, all I can say to that is what Umpire Jim Joyce should have said two weeks ago: You’re out!
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