Saturday March 21, 2009 of the 3rd Week in Lent
Readings: Hosea 6: 1-6 Psalm 51 Luke 18: 9-14
Psalm Response: It is mercy I desire, not sacrifice.
When we try to make sense of the English erendering of the original Hebrew, we falter because the terms do not coincide with our way of speaking. Have we ever been rented? If we bring the verses up to date,when we are hired, we are essentially rented to do some task for which we get paid.
But in Hebrew, everybody knew " to rent" meant to tear; and not cry! It would be easy to change the intent of the writer just be givig the words translated their literal meaning. Is
the last verse, a fortelling of the resurrection. We could rationally say "Yes"!
But what was the writers intent both then and for the future? It was to indicate a short lapse of time; however, Paul, (1 Cor. 15: 4) refers to it as a Scripural foretelling of the resurrection.
As God'sspokeman, Hosea, tells the people if they read God's words as he presented them, and put them into practice through their love for Him and one another, then death will only be represented by His words.
God wants all to us to live for and to love Him. Thereby, we offer a sacrifice more pleasing then butchering animals and immolating them to present a pleasing fragrence.
The lament of Psalm 51, in recognition of David's sin, concludes with the acknowledgment God doesn't necessarily desire hundreds of animals be sacrificed; rather, he desires a repentant heart.
In the gospel story, we recognize the pomposity of the Pharisee who catalogues his good habits as though, what he thinks is righteous, IS righteous!
God desires those things and measures our sincerity by our continuous prayer. However, as in the case of David, He prefers the humility and repentance rather than self-aggrandizment of preceived righteousness.
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