The episode in today's
First Reading has been called "Israel's original sin."
Freed from bondage, born as a people of God in the covenant
at Sinai, Israel turned aside from His ways and fell to worshipping
a golden calf.
Moses implores God's mercy, just as Jesus will later intercede
for the whole human race. Just as He still pleads for sinners
at God's right hand and through the ministry of the Church.
Israel's sin is the sin of the world. It is your sin and mine.
Ransomed from death and made His children in Baptism, we fall
prey to the idols of this world. We remain a "stiff-necked
people," resisting His will for us like an ox refuses the
plowman's yoke (see Jeremiah 7:26).
Like Israel, in our sin we push God away and reject our divine
sonship. Once He called us "my people" (see Exodus
3:10; 6:7). But our sin makes us "no people," people
He should, in justice, disown (see Deuteronomy 32:21; 1 Peter
2:10).
Yet in His mercy, He is faithful to the covenant He swore by
His own self in Jesus. In Jesus, God comes to Israel and to
each of us—as a shepherd to seek the lost (see Ezekiel
34:11-16), to carry us back to the heavenly feast, the perpetual
heritage promised long ago to Abraham's children.
"Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners,"
Paul cries in today's Epistle. These are the happiest words
the world has ever known. Because of Jesus, as Paul himself
can testify, even the blasphemer and persecutor can seek His
mercy. As the sinners do in today's Gospel, we draw near to
listen to Him. In this Eucharist, we bring Him the acceptable
sacrifice we sing of in today's Psalm—our hearts, humbled
and contrite.
In the company of His angels and saints, we rejoice that He
has wiped out our offense. We celebrate with Him that we have
turned from the evil way that we might live (see Ezekiel 18:23).
