MERCY VERSUS SACRIFICE
[This is a weekday homily - 15 Friday in Ordinary Time. Readings: Exodus 11:10-12:14; Matthew 12:1-8. The painting is entitled, "Good Samaritan". It's by Ben Long. It's can be seen in Riverside Baptist Church in Charlotte, N.C. He is the only non-Italian to do a painting at the Abbey of Montecassino, Italy.]
INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily is, “Mercy Versus Sacrifice.”
Today’s gospel has the startling statement: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice….”
That statement is worth wrestling with all our lives.
That statement is very challenging – as well as intriguing.
“Mercy Versus Sacrifice.”
THE CASE FOR SACRIFICE
Today’s first reading talks about the Pascal Lamb – who sacrifices his life – his blood for the good of the people. No sacrifice; no meal.
Today’s first reading talks about the Unleavened Bread – baked and eaten fast – for the good of those who are celebrating Passover.
Jesus certainly stressed sacrifice – and here we are at the sacrifice of the Mass. Here we face the gigantic cross of sacrifice. And the Greek word used is, “Thusia” – “sacrifice”. It refers to the act of offering – the slaying of the victim. Jesus would be very aware of the Passover – and the slaying of the Lamb. Josephus in his writings about Jerusalem around the time of Jesus said that 255,600 lambs were slaughtered in a single afternoon. The sound of lambs being slaughtered during Jesus' last days were all background sounds for the Passover Meal – the Last Supper – the meal we’re celebrating right now.
And Jesus is the Lamb of God – sacrificed for the good of those who eat him – who are part of the Meal. May his blood be upon us and upon our children.
Love is sacrifice. Greater love no one has than they lay down their life for their friends. We know raising a family – takes great sacrifice. We know making a marriage work – calls for great sacrifice.
So a good case can me made for sacrifice over mercy – not that mercy isn’t important.
THE CASE FOR MERCY
Yet Jesus quotes Hosea 6:6, the great 8th century B.C. prophet , “For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.”
Obviously, both are important.
Yet Hosea and Jesus are giving the warning – that life calls for both – but we better not become crazy when it comes to the letter of the law. We better not become rigid in religion: we better see that a big heart is key to religion – key to Christianity.
The Greek word used is, “Eleon”. It’s translated into English with the word “mercy”. We know this word “eleon” when we say or sing the Greek words of our Mass, “eleison” – as in Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, Kyrie eleison.
Biblical Scholars like John L. McKenzie said “mercy” as the word used to translate “eleos” is inadequate. It seems that no word works in English. Eleos – is the Greek word used to translate the Hebrew word, “Hesed”.
Mercy means showing great kindness, understanding, walking in another’s shoes. It means empathy – this word they were trying to pin on Sonia Sotomayor – that a judge better not have empathy. Give me a break. In fact, “Give me a break” is part of the meaning of “eleos”.
“Eleos” – the Greek word in today’s text, “Hesed” the Hebrew word used in Hosea 6:6 which Jesus refers to in today’s gospel – means kindness, understanding, generosity.
Jesus is saying, “Come on give us a break. My disciples are starving – and people are hungry and starving on the Sabbath, so let them eat – even though you think it’s breaking the Sabbath Law.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve met folks whose modus operandi seems to be obligation and law, law, law, and that’s how they see God. And I know they are probably not going to change and I almost at 70 am not going to change either, so I figure the message better be that we have mercy on each other.
St. Ambrose said, “Mercy is not … pronouncing judgment on another another’s lack, but in relieving his necessities; in giving aid to the poor, not in inquiring how good they are.”
Thomas Merton wrote in Life and Holiness, [1963] “Unless we learn the meaning of mercy by exercising it towards others, we will never have any real knowledge of what it means to love Christ.”
Anthony De Mello likes to tell little parables. Here’s one: “When one of his disciples was guilty of a serious lapse everyone expected the Master to give him some exemplary punishment. When nothing was done for a whole month someone tried to correct the Master. 'We cannot ignore what has happened. After all, God has given us eyes.' 'Yes' replied the Master, 'and eyelids.'”
Arjan who died in 1606, a member of the Sikh Religion said, “Mercy to human beings is more acceptable than bathing at the sixty-eight places of pilgrimage, and than all alms offered there.”
I think he stole that last part from Jesus’ comment about the widow who put her two pennies into the temple treasury.
CONCLUSION
The title of my homily is, “Mercy Versus Sacrifice.”
I am not saying that sacrifice isn’t important. I’m saying what Jesus said in today’s gospel, “If you knew what this meant, I desire mercy, not sacrifice, you would not have condemned these innocent men.”
I don’t know what your dad was like, but my dad was easy going - a piece of cake – and rigid folks have told me, “It’s obvious.”
I don’t know what your God is like, but this is the God I have experienced in Jesus Christ and in the New Testament and I hope and pray people say, “It’s obvious.”
P.S. I just got home from the 8 AM Mass and found the following story someone sent me in an e-mail. It fits. Life is interesting. The author's name is not mentioned.
THE COAT HANGER
A woman was at work when she received a phone call that her small daughter was very sick with a fever.
She left her work and stopped by the pharmacy to get some medication.
She got back to her car and found that she had locked her keys in the car.
She didn't know what to do, so she called home and told the baby sitter what had happened.
The baby sitter told her that the fever was getting worse.
She said, "You might find a coat hanger and use that to open the door."
The woman looked around and found an old rusty coat hanger that had been left on the ground, possibly by someone else who at some time had locked their keys in their car. She looked at the hanger and said, "I don't know how to use this."
She bowed her head and asked God to send her help.
Within five minutes a beat up old motor cycle pulled up, with a dirty, greasy, bearded man who was wearing an old biker skull rag on his head.
The woman thought, "This is what you sent to help me?"
But, she was desperate, so she was also very thankful.
The man got off his cycle and asked if he could help.
She said, "Yes, my daughter is very sick. I stopped to get her some medication and I locked my keys in my car. I must get home to her. Please, can you use this hanger to unlock my car?"
He said, "Sure."
He walked over to the car, and in less than a minute the car was opened.
She hugged the man and through her tears she said, "Thank You So Much! You are a very nice man."
The man replied, "Lady, I am not a nice man. I just got out of prison today. I was in prison for car theft and have only been out for about an hour."
The woman hugged the man again and with sobbing tears cried out loud, "Oh, thank you God!
You even sent me a Professional!!!'"
Is - GOD GOOD - or what!!!???
