Yesterday , God’s word taught us to recognize our sins and confess them, not only with our minds, but with our hearts, with a spirit of shame. With shame as the noblest attitude before God regarding our sins. And today, the Lord calls all sinners to dialogue with him because sin closes us in and leads us to hide the truth about us within. This happened to Adam and Eve: after sin they hid because they felt shame, they were naked. When he feels shame, the sinner has the temptation to hide. And the Lord calls:« Come, we will be right» – let’s talk about your sin, let’s talk about your situation, don’t worry. And he continues: «If your sins were like scarlet, they would turn white like snow, and if they were red like purple, they would be like wool.» Come, because I can change everything, says the Lord to us, do not be afraid to come and speak, be brave even in your miseries.
I can think of that saint who was a great penitent and prayed a lot. And he kept trying to give the Lord what the Lord asked of him. But the Lord was not satisfied. One day, he became angry with the Lord because this saint was peculiar. And he says to the Lord: „But Lord, I do not understand you. I give you everything completely, and you are still dissatisfied, as if something is missing. What’s missing?“ – „Give me your sins, that’s what’s missing.“ Be courageous to go with our miseries to talk to the Lord:« Come, we will be right!» Don’t worry, even if your sins are like scarlet, they will turn white like snow, and if they are red like purple, they will be like wool«.
This is the Lord’s invitation. But there is always one trap: pretend that we are not sinners instead of talking to the Lord. This is what the Lord rebuked the scribes for. These people « everything they do, they act only to be seen by people: they expand their prayer straps and enlarge the tassels on their clothes, they like to have leading places at feasts, the first chairs in synagogues, greetings in the streets and when people call them Rabbi». Externality, empty glory. To cover the truth of our hearts with empty glory. Empty glory never heals! Empty glory never heals! It is also poisonous, spreading disease into your heart, bringing you to the hardness of your heart, which tells you: „ But no, do not follow the Lord. Don’t go, stay yourself.“
Vigorous glory is where we close ourselves off from the Lord’s call. However, the Lord’s invitation is paternal, fraternal: „ Come! Let’s talk, let’s talk. After all, I can change your life from red to white.“ May this word of the Lord give us courage. May our prayer become a true prayer about our affairs, about our sins, about our miseries. Let’s talk to the Lord. He knows what we are. We know it, but empty glory tempts us to cover it up every time. May the Lord help us.“
