Reflection on Today's Readings, Saturday of 3rd Week in Ordinary Time, Year 11, January 29th, 2021
Texts: 2 Samuel 12:1-7a,10-17; Psalm 51:12-17; Mark 4:35-41
Today's first reading reminds us of a certain truth about human: The tendency not to feel the weight of our sins because we think it is hidden. This is clear in today's first reading as David seems to feel the weight of His sin after prophet Nathan told him his sin, using parable. David did not feel the weight of the sin he committed becacuse he thought it was hidden. There are some sins we have committed but we do not feel the weight of the sins because we think they are covered. We are made to realise today that our sins are not hidden from God. Let us always be aware that God sees everything, even to our innermost though. It is a kind of self-deception to be at peace with a sin because we think it is hidden, let us stop it. David did all he could do to cover the sin but the more he tried the deeper  he went into committing sins. David married Bethsheba to cover his sin. Sin has a way of increasing and reinforcing himself as we try to cover it up.
Another reason we might not feel the weight of our sin is that we do not put ourselves in the shoes of the victim. David focused on himself as he tried hard to protect his integrity. For David, integrity worths more than life.  Having thought that his integrity worthed more than life, he killed Uriah. David is not different from Herod who killed John the Baptist to honour his oath to the daughter of Herodias (Mtt. 14:6-10). Herod considered honour more important than life. We are to know today that life worths more than integrity. We are not to kill to sustain our integrity or honour. The parable of Nathan helped David to shift his attention from himself to the victim and the act itself. Having shifted his attention to the victim and the  act, he realised how sinful the act was. We are taught today to learn how to consider others. The thought of others in what we do or say helps us to act rightly and to always do what is pleasing to God. We should not also consider ourselves better than others.
When we sin, fear do overcome us; we are often afraid to face the publication and embarrassment of our sin. Any man who has built name for himself and now facing the publication of his sin could relate with the situation of the apostles in today's gospel reading. Such a man experiences a kind of storm in his life. The fear of not being able to stand the embarrassment of one's sin has made many to commit suicide. Judas Iscariot is an example of persons who committed suicide because he was afraid of facing the embarrassment of his sin. Turning to Jesus is the solution to our fear in that moment. We are to wake him by taking responsibility for our sins and begging him to help us bear the embarrassment. Jesus Christ is good at helping people bear their embarrassment. He has helped so many and they are living witness to His mercy and graciousness in helping us to bear our burden, our embarrassment. If we call him, he will calm the storm of our life, He will say, "Peace! Be still!” and they will listen to him. We experience such peace, stillness and harmony with oneself by the sacrament of reconciliation.

Lord God, we thank You for the gift of the sacrament of reconciliation which gives us victory over sin; continue to grant us victory over sin dailly. Amen.

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke