This weekend the Catholic Church celebrates the Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time. The mass readings speak to me a message of human weakness — a topic I know all too much about.
Weakness is the keyword I hear in the second reading from Paul’s writing to Hebrews. He tells us that because the Son of God, Jesus, was born in human form he has been exposed firsthand to human weakness. He knows what it is like to be tempted by all the things of this world. The difference is He was able to just say no. That is where I fall short. Sometimes, in my weakness, no is a word I just don’t use. But divinely Paul reminds us that we can “confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help”.
The first reading from Isaiah speaks of the Lord being pleased to crush the infirm servant. Another word for infirm is weak. But why would God be pleased to crush the infirm or weak? I think the answer lies in allowing ourselves to be an example of what not to do. We do this so others can see the pain sin can cause. If we can admit our weakness and offer our resulting struggles as an example to others we in a small way live the example of Jesus. Although, Jesus had no weakness He took on the burden of our sin and died on the cross to bring us opportunity for eternal life.
By letting others witness our admission of weakness and confident approach to the throne of grace for forgiveness we can be an example that leads other weak people to God.
GVW4U 