If you, O Lord, should note what we do wrong, who then could stand, but there is forgiveness with you.
Our Mass this morning began with this dawning understanding of God’s merciful love for each one of us: the collect of 26th Sunday proclaims that God shows his almighty power most of all in forgiving and showing mercy. From the moment of the fall our God has never ceased to bend down to help us, stooping tenderly to clothe our first parents with garments of skins to take the place of the robes of righteousness they had lost. The unfailing favour of God towards humanity contrasts with the changed attitude of humanity to God, seeking to hide in fear from the loving, all-seeing eye of God. The Holy Spirit opens our hearts to seek forgiveness, preserving the humble from those blasphemies against the Spirit: presumption and despair.
The Gospel draws our attention to the humiliation of our unredeemed state, so well described by the psalmist:The Lord delivered me from my strong enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too strong for me. Our Lord, our Leader to Life, is the Mighty God, the Warrior God, of whom Isaiah spoke. Later the Prophet offers us great hope: Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken, and the prey of the tyrant be rescued. Then all flesh shall know that I am the Lord your saviour, and your redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob. Thanks to the gift and grace of humility we are saved from the utter humiliation of our sinful state and given dignity. Our Lord has established us as a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation at the price of his own humiliation, even to the death of the Cross. Our spiritual progress, too, is often painful, laborious, requiring unremitting application, but St Paul gives us a glimpse of the outcome of our labours in the second reading, showing us what our co-operation can allow grace to achieve: This momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond any comparison, because we look not to the things that are seen, but to the things that are not seen; for the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are not seen are eternal. This is a great call to dedicate ourselves ever more steadfastly to prayer, since it is through prayer that the world we do not see begins to assume its rightful place in our understanding and in our lives. With what care people of the world make their investments of resources that they will surely leave in due time. Let us use our time wisely, remembering that every act of charity, the simplest act of love of God or neighbour, will profit us in eternity: it is an investment in eternity. We truly live where our love is anchored.
Our Lady makes her sole appearance in this Gospel: St Mark presents us with the greatest sign of hope that a creature can provide: She who attained glory beyond all creatures encourages our faltering steps to glory. She is the hope of the Church, fair beyond compare, free from any spot or blemish, who ever accomplished the will of God perfectly, to the glory of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.