A Sunday Thought About Psalm 50:4: "Cleanse me from my sin"

As we move further into 2022, the thought occurs that it's just about two years since the C-Virus virtually exploded into our consciousness. It's pretty remarkable - to put it mildly - isn't it?

The latest round: Omicron. Even as the evidence piles up that it's likely not the end of the world, there's no let up in fear-mongering. And, sadly, no lack of folks who grab and hold on to that fear. 

But let's set the C-Virus Mess aside for today. It will be there, I'm sure, to garner our attention another day. Heck, it's still the Christmas Season. And if we make an effort to sharpen our spirit and spruce up our soul to welcome Christ into our hearts at Christmas, let's make sure our sharpening and sprucing up doesn't become dull and shabby. To that end, let's pray these simple words from Psalm 50:4, "Cleanse me from my sin."

And to help us make our petition all the stronger, here are some words worth meditating on:

“If you desire to draw forth tears of true abiding sorrow, go down frequently into the depths of your own unworthiness and misery. It is not possible to have the contrite and humble heart suggested by the penitent king (David), unless one’s personal malice is realized. To be exempt from faults, all our faculties and all their movements should always be conformed to right reason and to the principles of faith. To be perfectly pleasing to God, all one’s aspirations and desires should continually tend towards God, the sovereign good. But our inclinations so often move in an opposite direction, towards tenderness for self, severity towards our neighbor, towards cupidity, pride, cowardice, and a host of other vices; and personal sin accentuates this tendency towards evil. Besides actual sin and reprehensible inclinations, there are also omissions. With a little zeal you could serve God better than you are doing. Dare you pretend to affirm that in the matter of generosity, humility, obedience, fraternal charity and zeal, you give your full measure? Then again what imperfections are permitted to slip into good works which are performed by us, what selfish motives and human inclinations, what defects in the execution of duties! Negligence and impetuosity so often spoil apparently beautiful works! ‘Take away from your miserable virtues,’ said Joseph de Maistre, ‘what is due to temperament, honor, opinion, pride, powerlessness, or the force of circumstances, and what will remain?’ Who will deny that he has a continual need to turn towards God to implore His clemency and patience with so many defects? Happily we have to deal with an infinitely good and merciful God, ever ready to forgive. Jesus forgives us, and He forgives the thousandth time as perfectly as the first. After granting us pardon there is no bitterness in His heart, nor remembrance of our fault in His mind, because He forgives as God, from a heart of infinite goodness. The door of His justice is always locked; to open it one must will it, and will it obstinately. The door of His goodness is always ajar; to throw it open, it needs but be touched gently; a child can do it.”

Sorrow for our sins: It takes to heart Our Lord's command to see the beam in our own eye before even thinking about the speck (or beam?) in the eye of another. 

Let's give this some time for thought, for meditation, on this second Sunday in 2022. 

Happy New Year!