“How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven…”

Read Psalm 32

“How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven…”

Psalm 32: 1 (NAS)

“How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered! How blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity.”

David does also say that when he kept silent about his sin, his “body wasted away”…and his “vitality was drained away.” How David was burdened by his transgressions; how we are burdened by our transgressions. Book of Common Prayer (Episcopal) calls us to confess those things done and those things left undone. This then affords me the opportunity to listen to myself and to listen to the Spirit that will reveal those things to me that I need to confront, to acknowledge my shortcomings. While it is usually easy for us to recognize the for the opportunity to seek forgiveness for those most obvious transgressions, the ignoring of those less obvious commissions and omissions results in living blindly. By listening, praying and asking God to transform with forgiveness and healing, I then can grow more fully into maturity. I can truly find myself wasted away with my vitality drained by choosing to remain unconscious.

The call to consciousness is our life’s task for it is the call to openness and allows God’s spirit to inhabit more of me. I am truly convinced that our transgressions are a direct result of our unconsciousness, our unconscious fears, wounds, and insecurities that drive many of our choices and actions, many of whom are often self-destructive resulting in addictions…drink, drugs, food, idle business, etc. So may we all ask for the desire and for the strength to know ourselves so that the Light of Christ may penetrate our being, so that the Love of Christ may shine forth in our daily lives, so that we may be set free to truly live abundantly to love and serve one another.

Mary J. Wade (Birmingham, AL)

Prayer
God, Creator of the Universe, Source of all Wisdom, Truth and Love, please open me to the power of your Spirit to be still, to listen and confess my transgressions, known and unknown so that I might be forgiven and healed, so that I might become the person that you created me to be.