
Luke 7:47 I tell you that her
many sins are forgiven, so she showed great love. But the person who is
forgiven only a little will love only a little.”
Just reflecting on the
various biblical accounts of Jesus' encounter with purported
"sinners" - this woman at the well, the weeping woman at the house of
Simon, the Pharisee, Zacchaeus, the woman caught for adultery, Simon
Peter himself... left me realising that for God, any encounter with
humanity is an opportunity to invite them to be God's ambassador
of good will. God sees in every human being, the potential of becoming
God's hands, feet and mouthpiece; an instrument of God's peace and
compassion. God never sees it as an encounter between a sinner and
saint. It is us human beings, overwhelmed and always highly conscious
of our "sinfulness" and therefore our "unworthiness" that causes us to
say, "Away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man." God sees none of that
- our sinfulness is the least of God's concern - instead, God joyfully
sees another one of His beloved creation who might (because
God never forces) be willing to be sent to continue God's salvific work
in the world. Our unquenchable thirst for love and meaning in life is
proof of this invitation; an invitation once accepted, will lead us to
find the inner wellspring of our existence who is none other than God
Himself. Let us not be put off by our sinfulness, but ask for the
divine perspective of every human-divine encounter: a meeting of the
creator and creature, lover and the beloved, friend and friend. And the
great adventure that both are about to embark on.
Fr Alvin Ng sj
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