What I want is mercy, not sacrifice!
Luke 6:37-38 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.”
Years ago, I was in a church a meeting and they were setting up a fund to give money to a young man who was in seminary. It was a conference call. We discussed the possibility that the young man may leave the seminary because not every seminarian finishes. There were probably 10-12 people on the call. We were about to finalize the $500 gift when one of the people on the call offered an objection.
This person spoke up and said that the young man should know that he had to pay our church back if he didn’t finish seminary. Here is a gift but if you don’t succeed you have to pay it back. It was supposed to be a gift. One of the reasons I respect men who become priests so much is that I appreciate they are human first and a priest second. I know that any priest worked very hard to get to Ordination and yes, any priest can make a mistake, but they are human too. We have to respect their humanity. A seminarian at least is giving the call of the Lord his best effort.
My mouth dropped and I said something over the phone that I probably would have not said in person. I said that the idea was “stupid”. I wasn’t sure who said it, but it came out so quickly that I had to publicly apologize to the man at the next conference call meeting. Yes, I am human too.
How do we show mercy to others?
Mercy is an act of Love. We don’t approve of someone’s sin, but loving the person doesn’t mean approving of that sin or its consequences. Every person has to answer to the consequences of their actions. To love them doesn’t mean we judge them. The gifts of money or moral support won’t make them change, but what will change is how those gifts come back to us in the spiritual gifts that God gives us. God is using your gifts to give back to you in the cup of mercy that you give others. Again, Mercy is act of love and loving one another is what we are supposed to do. Jesus in the Gospel today, said He wanted mercy and not sacrifice.
God Love You Always
Bob Burford
PS: Please Pray for Pope Leo XIV. Please Pray for Cancer victims and their caregivers. Pray for those in Hospice. Pray for the conversion of Russia and the salvation of the Ukrainian and Russian people and their soldiers. Pray for the Holy Land. The impossible could and can happen. (Saint Rita) Never deny God! Pray for justice for all victims of human trafficking and immigrants! Pray for justice for our President and all government officials! Pray for Peace!
