Do You Understand the Meaning of Mercy?
Good Morning Friends,
This last year for Catholics has been an Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy. And frankly I for one, even though not a Catholic, kind of hate to see it end. There is something good that happens when millions of people focus on something as profound and helpful for humanity as this idea of mercy. Too few grasp its full implications. As one comes to an understanding of the relationship between behavior and trouble it becomes clear, at least in my experience, that without mercy, without the help of others, without the help of God… trouble does not go away. Yesterday in response to the devotion on sincerity and our battle for purity and truth my friend Malcolm King suggested that in the Muslim community there is a word that describes this battle. It is jihad. He went on to explain that there is a greater jihad and a lesser jihad. And that unfortunately the lesser jihad is the only one getting much traction in the world today. He explained that the greater jihad is the struggle each of us makes to become more obedient to God, and thus more holy. It is an individual effort that must be taken with sincerity and truth. The greater focuses on our own faults; the lesser on the faults of others. The lesser jihad is the terrorist tool. It is the desire to stamp out all perceived unrighteousness in the world; it is mostly directed towards others. So with this as a backdrop we contemplate today’s question believing and hoping that mercy was God’s idea from the very beginning and it extends on forever even beyond the battle as the only path to true victory. Do You Understand the Meaning of Mercy?
Scripture: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22-23 (NRSV)
But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you. Because you are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you, I give people in return for you, nations in exchange for your life.
Isaiah 43:1-4 (NRSV)
They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, an hour is coming when those who kill you will think that by doing so they are offering worship to God.
John 16:2 (NRSV)
Pray then in this way: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one.
Matthew 6:9-13 (NRSV)
Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. Beloved, do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged. See, the Judge is standing at the doors! As an example of suffering and patience, beloved, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Indeed we call blessed those who showed endurance. You have heard of the endurance of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.
James 5:7-11 (NRSV)
Message: Jesus spoke of troubling times and I would have to say we are living into them. Still there is hope. When we receive the compassion and mercy of the Lord in our life it acts as a foundation for our faith to grow and with our faith, patience that the Lord will complete the work He has started in us. This perspective, this foundation, changes everything. It impacts us and others when we show compassion and mercy as well. We learn from these encounters. Unfortunately when we gather together as a group of sinners to worship and work it is not surprising that we are not always models of good behavior, but often examples of misbehavior, blaming and judging others. It is within such a context that James directs his comments in today’s scripture. He calls on us to have patience, to follow the example of farmers who wait unhurriedly for the crop. We are called to deal with this lack of wisdom and our need to develop the skills of living in community, to grow in love. The judge is standing at the doors of our hearts, the doors of the Kingdom stand before us, so do not stop before the goal is reached. If you want to avoid His judgment on the journey do not be a stumbling block for others. Certainly God wants us to bring our concerns to Him, but first, I think, He wants us to prepare for just how wonderful and mighty a response He can breathe into our lives. He wants us to be humble and expectant when we cry out for His mercy… mercy that we might not get what we deserve. But there is more, for mercy is the obligation of the covenant promise…the obligation of the stronger to the weaker of the insider to the outsider. It is here that we pray and lay claim to Jesus’ victory over sin…our sin. Here mercy is sacrifice that we can share in a way that helps us to forgive others…to love others. Friends, God showed compassion by sending His son; we show compassion by showing God’s act of compassion to others. In the midst of the dangers of the world, we have been called out of creation to demonstrate God’s compassion. Through its sympathetic consciousness of other’s distress, combined with a desire to alleviate pain, we share the good news of Christ. It is witness to God’s daily mercy and the way of peace. The harmony between God’s mercy and truth resonating in the life of our Lord and Savior cannot be heard in isolation. It must reverberate in us.
Pray we receive mercy in the mess. Pray we be of pure hearts and rich in mercy, gentle, sensitive and courteous with others so that they might know of God’s love. Pray we rejoice in the miracle of mercy. Pray we experience a mercy that is connected in a holy history as it moves forward God’s plan in the world in which we live. Pray we at least try to reconcile mercy and justice but always lead with love. Pray we not try to limit God’s mercy. Pray though that we nevertheless are surprised by the joy of God’s mercy. Pray we realize that God’s extravagant and perpetual love is as an act of mercy.
Blessings,
John Lawson
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