Be Merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful
By Fr. James Conlon, St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Ann Arbor

The Gospel According to Luke (6:27-28)

Jesus said to His disciples: "To you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one as well, and from the person who takes your cloak, do not withhold even your tunic. Give to everyone who asks of you, and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. For if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? 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? Even sinners do the same. If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, and get back the same amount. But rather, love your enemies and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

"Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give, and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you."

Reflection

"Be merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful" is a key line in this Gospel text. In other parts of the Gospels we hear "be compassionate as your heavenly Father is compassionate" and "be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect." Is it possible that human perfection, compassion and mercy are the same thing?

As disciples of Jesus we glimpse the very nature of the Father in the life of Christ. It is he who comes with compassion, mercy and forgiveness for those who have sinned, for those who have strayed from the path of God, for those who have allowed life's pursuits to distract them from knowing their need of God. In Christ we see the very values of the kingdom of God, made visible and are invited to make these values our own. Watch how he nurtures those who are broken, isolated, injured and hurt by the experiences of life, treating each one with deep respect, and love.

Compassion is not simply putting pious words together into meaningful prayer that fades like incense into the air, nor is it a fleeting feeling of concern for others that comes and goes like the summer breeze. True compassion is taking action on behalf of others who live in poverty, it is reaching out to those in need, those who are suffering and those who need that extra help to carry over the bumps of life.

As we approach the season of Lent, we would do well to examine our understanding of compassion, perfection and holiness. Do we see it only as striving after a moral state of innocence or a deep recognition that others might be in need and we can help? Do we turn it into the selfish pursuit of our own salvation or are we generous enough to embrace those who are despised and isolated in our community and world? In short, are we as merciful as the Father is merciful?