Psalm 79:8-9,11,13
Luke 6:36-38 Full Readings
Saint Mary Ann of Jesus of Paredes
Be Merciful. Stop Judging. Stop Condemning. Forgive. Give
Brethren, today's gospel presents to us five fundamental teachings of Jesus suitable for an authentic Christian. In the same way, Jesus shows us very clearly that Christian life, practices and virtues are twofold and so Jesus calls us to be merciful just as our heavenly father is merciful, not to judge so that we will not be judged, not to condemn so that we will not be condemned, to forgive so that we will be forgiven and to give much so that much will be given to us. These are simply put but may be hard to practice for a Christian who does not walk in the real footsteps of Christ who was perfect in all of these. Jesus does not call us to do what himself never did, he is our role model, if we follow him closely, we will find these easier to do.
Be merciful just as your heavenly Father is merciful. What makes Christians unique is treating others not as they deserve, but as God wishes them to be treated - with forbearance, mercy, and loving-kindness. God shows his goodness to the unjust as well as to the just. His love embraces saint and sinner alike. God always seeks what is best for each one of us and he teaches us to seek the greatest good of others, even those who hate and abuse us. Our love for others, even those who are ungrateful and unkind towards us, must be marked by the same kindness and mercy which God has shown to us. It is easier to show kindness and mercy when we can expect to benefit from doing so. How much harder when we can expect nothing in return. Our prayer for those who do us ill both breaks the power of revenge and releases the power of love to do good in the face of evil.
Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Jesus knows that we judge and condemn too quickly or unfairly with mixed motives, impure hearts, and prejudiced minds, and most times we forget that the way we judge is the way we will be judged. Perhaps one of the reasons that many people struggle with being judgmental and condemning others is because they lack a true awareness of their own sin and their own need for forgiveness. We live in a world that often rationalises sin and downplays the seriousness of it. We need to rekindle a sense of the seriousness of our sin. This is not done simply to create guilt and shame. It’s done to foster a desire for mercy and forgiveness. If you can grow in a deeper awareness of your own sin before God, one of the effects will be that it is then easier to be less judgmental and condemning of others. A person who sees his sin is more apt to be merciful to other sinners. But a person who struggles with self-righteousness will most certainly also struggle with being judgmental and condemning.
We see in the first reading the example of Daniel, a man of great faith in God's mercy and just ways, who prayed daily, not only for himself, but for his own people, and for his persecutors as well. Daniel was 'shamefaced' before God because he recognized that his own people who had been called and chosen by God as the people of Israel, were now suffering in exile due to their sins and unfaithfulness to the covenant God had made with them (see Daniel 9:4-10). Daniel did not sit in judgement over the failings and sins of his own people, instead he pleaded with God for compassion, pardon, and restoration. Our shame will turn to joy and hope if we confess our sins and ask for God's healing love and mercy.
Forgive and you will be forgiven. Forgiving others and being forgiven by them would seem to be two separate affairs. Yet the Gospel assures us they are related. Most of us easily recall the vivid parable about the servant forgiven a huge sum: “When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a much smaller amount. He seized him and started to choke him, demanding, ‘Pay back what you owe’” (Matthew 18:28). We decry his behavior because he tried to separate being forgiven from forgiving others. When we pray "Our Father" with our hands raised and open, we trust that God will forgive us our sins, but we put a condition that invites us first to forgive in order to be forgiven. The two cannot be separated. Do we practice forgiveness so that we too will be forgiven? The very essence of mercy is that it can only be received if it is also given. We should strive to be merciful as our Father in heaven is merciful because everyone is living a difficult life! Mercy requires that we assume everyone is doing their best and, like ourselves, often falling short of their own ideals. By looking at others this way, forgiveness becomes much easier.
Give and gifts will be given to you. It is not only about giving but giving much so that much will be given to us for the measure we give is the measure that will be given to us. Thus, Jesus didn’t merely ask us to forgive—he asked for our generosity. We not only give our material things but so much more our gifts and talents in helping others live well in this world as well as attain salvation. We are not in this world merely to seek our own salvation. Jesus asks us to reach out and share our God-given gifts with others. An old saying warns, “No one gets into heaven by themselves—everyone must bring a friend.” Every day, we have opportunities to help others get one small step closer to heaven. And we too grow closer to Jesus when we help others to grow closer to him through our generosity. And at the end, Jesus will fully give us those things and gifts we have been giving to others; his words of Christ are trustworthy because he himself is trusty worthy. Ponder on these teachings of Jesus today and especially this lent period and become more trusting and come to closer to Gid as you practice them.
Let us Pray.
Lord, you have asked me to be merciful and have taught me what mercy means. If I want to be merciful as the Father is merciful, I need to love others and help to draw them closer to you. You have given me many gifts and talents which I sometimes use to serve myself—for my own comfort, entertainment, and pleasure. Help me to learn what mercy really is and to use my gifts to help others, as you intended. Amen
Be blessed.
No comments:
Post a Comment