SAINT SCHOLASTICA, VIRGIN (MEMORIAL)

When they heard the sound of the Lord God moving about in the garden . . . , the man and his wife hid themselves.

How tragic! In the past, when the man and woman “heard the sound of the Lord God moving about in the garden,” they went eagerly to meet him. They were more than happy to converse with him and simply enjoy his company (Genesis 3:8). But now, they hid. Realizing they had been duped into disobeying God, they were ashamed of their nakedness and fearful of what God might say or do to them.

What about you? Have you ever tried to hide from God? Sometimes we are so embarrassed by our sins that, like our first parents, we don’t want to face the Lord. Perhaps, as they were, we are afraid of how he might react. Or maybe we feel too guilty. So we stop praying regularly or avoid other opportunities to spend time with him. We might even use a variety of distractions—including some unhealthy ones—to distance ourselves from the Lord.

Of course, this is the last thing God wants. He sent his Son to die for us so that every one of our sins, no matter how grievous or embarrassing, can be forgiven. He sent us the Holy Spirit as our comforter and advocate, not our accuser. This is the God we have—a God of mercy and compassion.

Today’s psalm is a good reminder of this truth. When we come to the Lord asking for forgiveness, we experience a beautiful sense of freedom: “I said, ‘I confess my faults to the Lord,’ and you took away the guilt of my sin. . . . With glad cries of freedom you will ring me round” (Psalm 32:5, 7). And we realize that “mercy surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord” (32:10).

We all struggle with guilt and the temptation to avoid God. Perhaps we’ve battled a certain sin over many years, or maybe we have just recently stumbled into one. It doesn’t matter. What matters is that we not draw away and hide from the very One who longs to set us free—and who has the power to do so. God’s mercy surrounds you, so trust in him. Don’t run from him. Rather, with a contrite heart, run toward him, right into his loving arms.

“Lord, your mercy surrounds me. Help me trust you even when I would rather hide from you.”

Genesis 3:1-8
Psalm 32: 1-2, 5-7
Mark 7:31-37