It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick. Go and learn the meaning of the words: What I want is mercy, not sacrifice. And indeed, I did not come to call the virtuous, but sinners.’
Happy Independence Day!
No, I do not shoot off firecrackers! They scare my pets. I do not get drunk but am looking forward to some hamburgers and hot dogs. I do go to Church and am thank for the United States … not because it is perfect but because it is great dispite the fact it is made up of im mperfect people who strive for greatness.
In our Gospel Jesus came for sinners and to heal. What He wants from us is “mercy”. Mercy to others.
Matthew 25: 35-40 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry, and you gave me no food, I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’ Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?’ He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’
This is the sacrifice that Jesus wants… mercy to others. Now this does not mean we judge, enable or condone sin. We give or encourage sinners in a path to get out of sinful ways. Priests are aided by an active Laity. This is sacrifice. In addition, it is not just the poor we are supposed to lead. We also encourage the rich who suffer from greed, lust and hate. We are all sinners and all of us need mercy at times. To repent we need to show mercy to other sinners and encourage them on a path of mercy.
The Lord promised Abraham, The Lord, God of heaven and God of earth, took me from my father’s home, and from the land of my kinsfolk, and he swore to me that he would give this country to my descendants. Those decedents includes Rebekah, Isaac and us. We on Earth are the product of that promise.
The sacrifices of our mothers, fathers, uncles and aunts and thousands of generations before us were successful in helping us. They had faith, believed in the Lord’s promises and showed mercy to others. This formula that shows mercy to others is the sacrifice that makes people and nations great.
If there is celebration today in the United States or any other country in the world, let it be to the mercy we shoe others. This includes the Middle East, the Ukraine or anywhere else where sinners are sacrificing.
God Love You Always
Bob Burford
PS: Please Pray for the soul of our beloved Pontiff, Pope Francis and for his successor, Pope Leo. Please Pray for Cancer victims and their caregivers. Pray for the conversion of Russia and the salvation of the Ukrainian and Russian people and their soldiers. Pray for the Holy Land. Pray for peace! The impossible could and can happen. Never deny God.
