Today’s gospel is challenging and calls us to evaluate how well we love others. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” Jesus provides us with some valuable food for thought.
Do you judge others?
Judging others can be easy and sometimes just slips into our thoughts. How many times have we thought the cashier at the store was not very friendly or make a judgment when we smile at a stranger and they do not smile back. Or do we form an opinion or make a judgment on someone based on where they live, where they work or where they go to school….. even before we meet them?
Do you condemn others?
We have great freedom and with freedom comes responsibility. Just because someone is guilty of an offense does not give us the right to condemn. There go I but for the grace of God. Thank you Jesus for your endless mercy and compassion.
Do you forgive others?
The real challenge is how we love those who oppose us, betray us or just see the world differently from us. Forgiveness does not mean that you accept the offense or that the offense never happened. Quite the opposite, forgiveness sees a sin for what it is, forgives and moves on. This is what Jesus does for us, unconditional love, mercy and forgiveness for all of our mistakes, big and small. Forgiveness sets the victim free. Forgiveness does not judge. Remember the example Jesus gave us from the cross with his unilateral forgiveness. “Father forgive them, for they know now what they do.”
The grace of God is for everyone, so we need to pray and by placing our needs, our struggles, and our fears before the Lord we are admitting that we cannot go it alone and we accept that we need God’s mercy to love as he did.
The Lord is indeed kind and merciful. Let us strive to imitate Him.
