Forgiveness ~ Msgr. Daniel F. Hoye

Readings for today's Homily

Last week our first reading was from the Prophet Amos, next week we will read from Isaiah, and this week we read from Hosea.  Not much is known about Hosea except for the fact that he was married to Gomer (as in Gomer Pyle), but this is a woman.

What Hosea does is use his willingness to forgive Gomer over and over again for her infidelities - as an example of how God is willing to give the Israelian people the tribe – one of the last tribes at this point that was still standing.  As we hear Hosea through the week, we can perhaps celebrate the fact God is always willing to forgive us from our infidelities, not necessarily marital infidelities, but our infidelities and ways that we tried or failed to live out the Christian message.

We heard in the reading today, “On that day, says the LORD, she shall call me “My husband,” and never again “My baal.”  I will espouse you to me forever: I will espouse you in right and in justice, in love and in mercy.”