Grant to Us, O Lord, a Heart Renewed

Nathan’s message to King David could not have been any more pointed: God  says, “I have given you all that you have, and you have taken away all that your  devoted soldier Uriah had: his wife and his life.’” David acknowledges his sin,  confessing his guilt, and God shows mercy, forgiving him.  

After hearing Jesus preach, a woman responds with repentance to his message announcing the coming of God’s reign. She comes to the house of Simon the  Pharisee to express her grateful heart for all to see. Simon, however, is a harder nut to crack. As Nathan did with David, Jesus tells a story, hoping to penetrate  Simon’s judgmental heart. Simon gets the point, but we don’t know whether it stays in his head without reaching his heart. 

God sent Jesus to liberate people, to bring them to a fuller life. We see Jesus trying to free both men and women from what imprisons them, and to bring them out of the darkness and into the light of communion with God and with each other. We see how quickly God responds to David’s confession and how appreciatively Jesus speaks of the woman to Simon. 

One hopes that Simon came to himself at some point and was able to receive the good news of God’s kingdom so near to his grasp. One hopes he came to know God’s generous forgiveness for his sins, whether many or few, great or small. One hopes he came to recognize Jesus as truly God’s prophet and Son.

Consider/Discuss

• Do our “little” sins lead us to be judgmental of others? 
• Do we know that no sin is beyond God’s forgiveness? 

Responding to the Word

You are our forgiving Father who desires to lift any burden caused by sin. Give us the courage to confess honestly what we have done and what we have failed to do. When we sin, save us from despair and keep our eyes on your merciful love,  revealed to us by your Son, Jesus.