Pastor’s Pen
17th Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 24, 2022
St. Augustine’s Catholic Church
Brothers and Sisters,
You must have come across this biblical psalm which says, “The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger and rich in mercy” (Psalm 103:8). God, our creator and Father of us all, walks, as it were, in our world in a hidden way. We remember last Sunday that we read of Abraham, popularly called ‘Our Father in Faith’. He and his wife demonstrated a special kind of welcome and hospitality to three strangers who were passing by their house. At the end of their stay, one of them asked Abraham about his wife. Abraham said she was in the tent. The Man of God said to him, “By this time next year she will have son”. It is interpreted that these three men were God himself disguised as men. From the love and kindness done to them, Abraham and his wife were rewarded by the blessing and mercy of God to give them a son at God’s own time. Right?
The same psalm, in today’s first reading, continues to describe God as One slow to anger and rich in mercy. That is also demonstrated that the Lord had heard the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah and the evil that was taking place there that could possibly destroy the city. However, Abraham pleaded to God and said, “Perhaps there could be at least 50 just people there, will you destroy the good with the guilty?” The Lord answered, “If there were 50 good people there, he would not destroy the city.” Braham again asked the Lord, “Supposing there were 45?” God said, “No.” “What about 40? And then 30? And 20? And finally if ten good people were found there? The Lord said he would not destroy them. That is how our God is slow to anger and rich in mercy. That is why we always ask for God’s mercy, during our penitential services, at the beginning of our Masses, and indeed, at all times. Praise the Lord!
Fr. Chris
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