Be Merciful as your Heavenly Father is Merciful

Dan. 9:4-10, Lk 6:36-38. Today's Gospel begins with the exhortation to imitate God the Father by being merciful like Him. In the Old Testament 'Being Merciful' was one of the attributes of God. In the Jewish literature 'the Merciful' was also a title given to God. To resemble our Father and be a brother of Christ entails dropping behind the tendency to revenge, to be indifferent and hard-hearted and taking up the daily task of conforming our lives to that of our Father who is constantly merciful. It also means that, all sinners ought to be capable of compassion, as they continually seek this very response of mercy from God. Jesus does not allow half-measures; it must be all. Pardon must be bestowed so generously upon anyone who has hurt us. We are expected to bestow twice as much love as others show us hate, twice as much trust as the other party manifested suspicion.

This is an invitation to remodel our lives based on God’s mercy: when we judge and condemn, when we hold back forgiveness, when we give deaf ears to the cries of the homeless, poor and abandoned. Possessed by this divine spirit of compassion and pardon, we can pray for mercy with the confidence as that of Daniel in today’s first reading. We can admit to God that we have rebelled and departed from His commandments and laws. When confessing our sins, we are already within the bond of God’s love and our sins are gone forever, driven out by God’s Holy Spirit that is already within us.

May the Lord sow within us all the seeds of His love and remove from our hearts and minds all pride, egoistic and selfish attitudes, wicked thoughts and desires! Amen!! Good morning and have a fruitful week!!!