Mercy Given is Mercy Received

“And how much do you owe?” He said, “A hundred measures of wheat.” He said to him, “Take your bill and write eighty.” 
Lk.16:7

In the parable of the shrewd manager Jesus shows how dispensing mercy and grace can attract mercy and grace.

There is something about mercy that overrides its motivation. In this parable the shrewd manager is clearly attempting to feather his own nest, and with his masters assets. Yet, mercy given is mercy received and it is beautiful regardless. 

I'm reminded of a court case where the mother of a child who was killed by the reckless driving of a young man forgave the young man, not because she wanted to but because she felt obliged to as a Christian. The young man was remorseful, to the extent that he went to high schools in his city to share his story and plead with his peers to not make the mistakes he made.  

In the months following, the young man and the family of the child reconciled. The family started helping the young  man get back on track with his life. He had come from a broken home. The mother is quoted as saying she is so grateful the episode hadn't resulted in two lives being destroyed.

Mercy given is mercy received.

Lost Sheep

Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.
Lk.15:6

Jesus tells the story of a lost sheep being found to illustrate the joy in heaven when a single sinner is saved.

Who among us can't identify with the image of a lost sheep being brought home on the shoulders of the Good Shepherd. But I think there is a wider message from Jesus here. He wants us, the Church, to be good shepherds, out searching for lost sheep and on finding them, to bring them home.

The reality today is that it is the ninety-nine who have drifted off into the wilds and are lost, leaving one sheep in the penfold. We are very good at stroking the wool of that one sheep. We have programs galore to feed and coddle him. Searching for the lost ninety-nine? Not our strength. 

The Church is the one organisation whose primary reason for existing is for the benefit of its non-members. If our parishes aren't making evangelisation (sorry to use the 'e' word) the main focus of all activity then we are failing the Great Commission and are disobedient to Jesus' very clear command. We tend to leave that to the 'missionary priests and nuns'.

Yikes! This is all a bit negative from me. 

There is good news. Some parishes are moving from maintenance to mission. My job is work for my parish being one of them.

Saint Paul the evangelist, please pray for us.

Hound of Heaven

One Sabbath, when Jesus went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully.
Lk.14:1

Jesus enters the home of an adversary, not to attack but to teach.

I am struck by how Jesus never gave up on the Pharisees. Knowing their deadly antagonism, he joins them for a meal and engages with them. He made small gains numerically from this sect. The few converts included Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathea and, most famously, Saint Paul. Yet, Jesus still pursued them.

I am one who has benefited from Jesus' tenacious pursuit. It wasn't until my mid thirties that I finally put my hands in the air and surrendered. He never gave up on me. 

This outrageous, reckless love of God is staggering. He releases the hounds of heaven to chase us down, to bring us home, and he leads the hunt. 

Jesus your pursuit of me shows how much you love me. Make me a hound of heaven to chase down others and bring them home. Lord, you lead the hunt.

More than a Conqueror

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Rms.8:38,39

Saint Paul underscores his claim that we are more the conquerors through the love of Jesus.

There is something incongruous in the claim that love fights for us. Isn't love the bearer of peace? Yet, I do have spiritual enemies who seek the ruin of my soul and today I am reminded that love has beaten them.

This victory isn't just for this time. It's for all time, for present things and things to come. 

Today I walk is one who is more than a conqueror, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

A Clown for God

And men from east and west, from north and south, will come to take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. Yes, there are those now last who will be first, and those now first who will be last.
Lk.13:29,30

In answering the question, who will be saved, Jesus is clear that many will try and not succeed while many who are considered unworthy will enter the Kingdom of God.

I'm reminded of Flannery O'connor's short story 'Revelation' where the central character, Mrs Turpin, has a vision of end times. She sees a huge company of unlikely souls making their way to the next world. It’s not a ‘respectable’ sight, not a sedate procession, but a mass of people ‘rumbling toward heaven.’ The heaven-bound horde includes ‘battalions of freaks and lunatics shouting and clapping and leaping like frogs.’ 

At the rear of the procession are the 'respectable' people like herself. She could see by their shocked and altered faces that 'even their virtues were being burned away.'

Going by Flannery O'Connor's description, I want to be among the ‘battalions of freaks and lunatics shouting and clapping and leaping like frogs.’  If I remain 'respectable' I risk even my virtues being burnt away.

Jesus, strip away my respectable hypocrisy. I want to be a "Jongleur de Dieu", a clown for God.
Saint  Francis of Assisi, please pray for me.

Available

When day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named Apostles: 
Lk.6:13

Jesus didn't appoint the perfect, he chose from those who were available.

When I run over the names of the apostles I am both astounded and encouraged. They are such a ragtag collection of humanity, exhibiting all the sins and weaknesses that I possess. So what recommended them? Their availability.

I don't need to be perfect to serve Jesus. Just available. What a relief. 

Here I am Lord, I've come to do your will.
Saints Simon and Jude, please pray for me

 

Repent and Live

No; but unless you repent you will all perish as they did.
Lk.13:3

Jesus twice repeats a warning. Without repentance there is no eternal life.

It is said that good people don't necessarily get to heaven. Only forgiven people do. This was an obstacle to my atheistic pride for many years. Even then I knew that to seek forgiveness meant acknowledging someone greater than me who could forgive. 

Praise be to God I've met the one who can and does forgive. As Saint Paul writes in today's first reading, "If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, then he who raised Jesus from the dead will give life." Rms.8:11  

Today my joy is in knowing I have sought forgiveness and been granted it. I have been given life.

Thank you Jesus that even from the Cross you prayed for my forgiveness. I place my trust in you.