God’s mercy is much greater
than any bad thing we’ve ever done. We are called to be merciful to others like
our heavenly Father is merciful to us.
*
If God really loves us
unconditionally then Hell should be an empty place. But if God is truly just,
then everyone should ultimately get what’s coming due. So which is it?
The answer can be found in
the Gospel of Saint Luke. It is the Gospel we will hear for most of this Jubilee
Year of Mercy. In it we are confronted with these powerful images: Jesus asking
forgiveness for those who crucified him; Jesus assuring the thief, hanging on
the next cross, that he will be joining him in heaven; Jesus calling his
followers to forgive their neighbors an endless number of times.
And we also find these
images: a loving father running to embrace his prodigal son; a good shepherd
leaving his flock to look for one little lost sheep; a compassionate vineyard
owner paying 11th hour day-workers a full day’s wage.
But these images can be
difficult to accept. How can God be both the just God revealed by Moses in the
Old Testament, and at the same time the forgiving and merciful God revealed by
the Gospel? With these images the Gospel is telling us that God’s justice is
not our justice.
Saint Luke is using these
images to teach us a great lesson: that God never gives up on us; and that, with
God, it’s never too late to go home.
If there really is a
geographical place called Hell, I think it must be hard to get there: a person
would have to know and feel in the depths of their being how very much they
were loved by God, and then choose to turn their back and walk away from that
love for all eternity. I can’t imagine too many people doing that.
Perhaps when we sit down to
our first meal in heaven, we will be stunned to see who else is around the
table. Wouldn’t that be a shocker! But even God couldn’t be that forgiving,
that merciful — or could he? And could he really expect you and me to be?
God’s unconditional love,
like so much of the reality of God, is a mystery. But it’s God’s mystery, not
ours. Love is of God; justice is of the world. If we loved each other the way
God calls us to, there would be no need for human justice. And if we could feel
how deeply we are loved by God, there would be no need for anyone to ask for
our forgiveness.
This Lent as we sacrifice
some little pleasures, some things we really enjoy, let us pray for the grace
to open any closed chambers of our hearts. Let us offer not just one Year of
Mercy, but a lifetime of forgiveness and mercy to all our sisters and brothers,
without exception – even when it’s neither wanted nor reciprocated.
And let us offer mercy
inwardly as well: let us make amends and forgive ourselves for any things we have
done or failed to do that may have caused hurt and pain to others. Let us place
any guilt we’ve been carrying into the loving hands of God.
God’s mercy is much greater
than any bad thing we’ve ever done. We are called to be merciful like our
heavenly Father is merciful.
………………………………………………………………………………..
Readers of this blog might enjoy these
books by Deacon Lex. Both are available on Amazon.com:
Just to Follow My Friend:
Experiencing God’s Presence in Everyday Life
The Gospel of You, The Gospel
of Me: Making Christ Present in Everyday Life
Synchronicity as the Work of
the Holy Spirit: Jungian Insights for Spiritual Direction and Pastoral Ministry
http://www.amazon.com/Synchronicity-Work-Holy-Spirit-Spiritual/dp/1463518781/
