Who is there like you, the God who removes guilt
and pardons sin for the remnant of his inheritance;
Who does not persist in anger forever,
but delights rather in clemency,
Micah 7:18
If God is a God of Love and we are His followers then why do we have such a difficult time forgiving ourselves? Am I the only one who overanalyzes a misstatement or wrong that hurt someone I love, even after I have apologized, felt remorse, and confessed? If God removes guilt, like washing us clean, and pardons our sins and trangressions, then it can be very wrong for us not to forgive ourselves. Let us try today to find an image of God removing guilt from us. This scripture from the first reading today, goes on to say that God treads on our guilt, like crushes our guilt.
As some of us will enjoy the remaining St Patrick's festivities that are happening today, let us not forget that St Patrick converted an entire island of people! We can pray that we find the strength to begin again in our lives with a new outlook and forgive as God has forgiven us. When we look less at ourselves and more at the needs of others, we begin to see more clearly their needs, and we can then become like the "hands and feet" of Jesus, and who knows? We may be entertaining angels in our midst.
"May the winds be at your back, May the sun shine warm upon your face" (part of an Irish Blessing)
