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March 18, 2019The two readings taken together today suggest a movement from a conventional, law-and-order stage of moral development to that of a more interior “social contract orientation.” It is a movement from ostensible conformity to exterior authority to an interior conviction to live in authentic responsiveness to all my various relationships. The sorrow expressed in the reading from Daniel seems based as much on sorrow for the bad consequences that have resulted from not conforming to God’s laws as on the fact that Israel’s lack of fidelity is not a worthy response to God’s constant fidelity. One gets the sense that despite the prophet’s call out to God’s mercy and compassion, Israel is as likely to turn away from God after the requested mercy as before.
In Luke’s Gospel reading, Jesus is clearly calling for a different kind of response. He suggests an inner transformation. Jesus’ Father is not looking for conformity based on fear of the consequences of disobeying God, but on an authentic response to the love and mercy God has poured out upon us. We have nothing to fear from a merciful and loving God. In fact, we are freed by God’s boundless mercy and constant love to become people who reflect that very mercy and love in our own lives. What part of my response to God needs to be freed up so that I might come closer to the inner transformation Jesus is describing?
