Welcoming the Holy
Here we invite you to take time for yourself in personal prayer. The following spiritual reflection offers words and images which we hope will evoke for you an experience of God.
By: Sister Karen Dietz
Opening Prayer
Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all my being bless God’s holy name and forget not all God’s benefits.
Reading
Luke 6: 27 – 38
“But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who are abusive to you. Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic from him either. Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. Treat people the same way you want them to treat you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount. But love your enemies and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil people. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
“Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned. Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.”
Reflection
In 2016 Pope Francis closed the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy with an Apostolic Letter, “Mercy and Misery.” He says of mercy:
“Mercy is always a gratuitous act of our heavenly Father, an unconditional and unmerited act of love. Consequently, we cannot risk opposing the full freedom of the love with which God enters into the life of every person. Mercy is this concrete action of love that, by forgiving, transforms and changes our lives. In this way, the divine mystery of mercy is made manifest. God is merciful (cf. Ex 34:6); his mercy lasts for ever (cf. Ps 136). From generation to generation, it embraces all those who trust in him and it changes them, by bestowing a share in his very life.”
This is the same mercy spoken of by Jesus in today’s Gospel. I am struck by two aspects of this description of God’s mercy; the gratuitousness of it and that it is extended to EVERY person. Imagine a gift that we cannot earn. God simply gives us mercy again and again regardless of our thoughts or deeds. It far surpasses any forgiveness or mercy given to us by the people around us. And it is so inspiring. Also, I try to imagine that the gift of God’s mercy is extended to everyone, even those with whom I do not agree or worse, those whose behavior I find so objectionable.
This reminder of the gift of God’s mercy is core to who we are called to be as believers. When the storms of our lives and of the realities of our time swirl around us, we pray to be held firm in the merciful and loving arms of God. I believe it is only from this place that we can move ahead with compassion and integrity. We are called to be people of mercy, freely given to all.
Closing Prayer
O God, I trust in your merciful love. I will sing to God who has so abundantly blessed me. Amen.