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Catholic Charities USA
Fourth Sunday of Lent
Readings of the Day
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So often, when I reflect on the ministry I am privileged to do, I end
up focusing on the pieces I am comfortable with: God is present in the
poor and marginalized; the people we serve deserve dignity and
respect; we are called to actively pursue charity and justice. These
are all true, but today's readings get at something more
fundamental: God's grace is independent of our worthiness.
As a person who struggles with anxiety and perfectionism, I have a
hard time believing this. Surely, the people who call me for financial
aid or support in their immigration case are loved and can receive
God's grace, but not me. I can readily believe that grace is
poured out for our clients, and that I am a vessel for it, whether or
not society sees them as "worthy," but I have a hard time
believing it for myself. I haven't answered enough phone
calls, planned enough evenings of reflection, or scheduled enough food
pickups. Heck, sometimes I'm downright snippy with a client who
rubs me the wrong way, or I leave a voicemail unanswered for an entire
week, or I vent in frustration about a co-worker. Surely these actions
disqualify me from God's saving love.
Today's readings are powerful (and uncomfortable for me)
precisely because they say that's not true. God's mercy
doesn't depend on my works, but rather on God's love. I
only have to turn toward the light and believe. The people of
Judah had sinned outrageously, "practicing all the abominations
of the nations," and God still showed his mercy and welcomed
them home to rebuild Jerusalem. Paul reminds the Ephesians that
God offers us new life "even when we were dead in our
transgressions" with that same saving grace.
The Gospel may be familiar to you since John 3:16 shows up on so many
bumper stickers and signs at sporting events. However, the line that
struck me was that "God did not send his son into the world to
condemn the world, but that the world might be saved by
him." It is deeply important to me not to condemn the
people who come to the church seeking help. Their identity as beloved
children of God and part of the human and church family is a truth
that I often remind them about. Maybe it's time I offered that
same generosity and grace to myself. After all, I am one of
God's beloved children too.
Sheila Herlihy is a Secular Franciscan who has served as the
Coordinator of Justice and Charity at the bilingual Church of the
Incarnation in Charlottesville, VA since 2013.
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