A young couple moved into a new neighborhood. The next morning, while they are eating
breakfast, the young woman sees her neighbor hanging the wash outside.
"That laundry is not very clean," she said. "She doesn’t know how to wash
correctly. Perhaps she needs better
laundry soap." Her husband looked
on, but remained silent.
Every time her neighbor would hang her wash to dry, the
young woman would make the same comments.
About one month later, the woman was surprised to see nice clean wash on
the line and said to her husband: "Look honey, she has learned how to wash
correctly. I wonder who taught her
this."
The husband said, "I got up early this morning and
cleaned our windows."
Scripture gives us two stories where the clouded window
panes in which, those in their perceived power, view others. The giant Philistine, Goliath, when
approaching David could only see a ruddy and handsome boy and he mocked David
and the Israelites. Even Saul is blinded
by what he sees in the boy. The anointed
of God, is challenged to see and trust in David’s faith and trust in God’s saving
power. The Pharisees, clouded by how
they see the Law, instead of responding to Jesus’ question concerning the
healing, only seek an opportunity to accuse him for a violation of the Sabbath.
Jesus is outraged at the stubbornness he
encounters in the synagogue.
Today we also reflect on another David-and-Goliath battle: no,
I’m not talking about the impeachment hearings, I’m referring to the legal
protection for unborn children. Who is more
vulnerable than a child in its mother’s womb?
These children face an unjust law and the clouded consciences of the
public. We seem unable to protect the right
to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for defenseless unborn citizens,
while at the same time maintaining the rights and dignity of women already
born. Today we pray in the name of the
Lord.[1]
May the Lord show us how to let all unborn children in the
womb win life while enlightening us further to know what we see when watching
others depends on the purity of the window panes through which we look.
[1] Weekday HomilyHelps. Homily Suggestion by Rev.
Paul J. Schmidt.
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