In today’s first reading from the Letter to the Romans (3:23), St. Paul draws our attention to the universal nature of human vulnerability. He writes: “There is no distinction (between us); all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God.” Later in the passage, he poses a sobering question: “What occasion then is there for boasting?”
This powerful message from St. Paul forms the foundation of my homily for the week. It echoes what we heard last Sunday in the stories of Naaman the leper and the ten lepers, narratives that reflect our shared human condition. Like them, we too carry wounds. We, too, need healing.
Sin reveals itself as the dark spots in our lives, the scars we carry for most of life, the places where we fall short and break. Yet, the message of Scripture is not one of condemnation, but of hope. We come to this Eucharist asking God to cleanse, restore, and make us whole again. At the same time, we pray for those who feel hopeless and think their situation is beyond redemption. May they come to know that no one is ever outside the reach of God’s mercy. Amen!