MERCY: A KEY
CHARACTERISTIC OF GOD

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “Mercy: A Key Characteristic of God!”

We better have a grasp and a handle on this word and theme – "mercy" – because we use it so often at Mass and in religious thinking and talking.

“Mercy!”

In today’s gospel Jesus tells us to, “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” [Luke 6:36]

The word in Luke in the primary Greek text is, “oiktirmos”.

When I saw the word “mercy” in our English text, I was expecting that the Greek word would be either “eleous” or “splanchnon”. Nope. It was “oiktirmos” – which can be translated into English by “compassion”, “pity”, “forgiving”, “having a feel for what others are going through”.

I checked out The New Revised Standard Version, The King James Bible, the Good News Bible, and a few other Bibles to see how they translate Luke 6:36. Some use “mercy”; others use “compassion”.

So in general, “mercy” or “compassion” gives us a sense of what Jesus was saying.

MERCY: A CHARACTERISTIC OR ATTRIBUTE OF GOD

Question: When it comes to understanding God, do we see God having “mercy” as a key characteristic?

We use this word “mercy” a lot – like in the Divine Mercy chaplet or in the early prayers at Mass, “Lord, have mercy. Christ have mercy. Lord have mercy.” That is the English translation of the ancient prayer, “Kyrie eleison”. Notice the Greek word “eleous” in the word “eleison” – “eleos” the word I was expecting to find in the Greek text - which was translated "mercy".

Question: when we say that word “mercy” – when we pray that word “mercy”, do we really believe God has compassion and mercy?

As I listen to people carefully, I think at times they really don’t buy it. They worry about sins of their younger days. They think God is going to zap them when they die.

If there is one key characteristic, one description, that Jesus tells us is the Father, it’s that the Father is full of compassion, forgiveness, and mercy.

Now for those who don’t want to see God that way, they can find texts in both the New and Old Testaments that have God as an angry God.

Preachers and readers of the scriptures have their choice: God’s fist or God’s embracing arms.

Dilemma.

I’m saying here that I hear people struggle with this issue.

I’m saying here that Jesus saw people in his day having this very struggle about what God the Father is like.

START WITH SELF – AND MOVE TO GOD!

Next, if I hear what Jesus is trying to do in the gospels, it’s to get people to stop and go into themselves. Start with self.

I could be wrong that God is a loving Father. Maybe God is going to zap me for my life’s mistakes when I die. It seems that not everyone sees mercy as the key characteristic that describes God. However, I’ll take that - compared to there not being anything after we die.

That’s talking about God.

There is one person right here, right now, whom I can find out if mercy is one of the key characteristics that describes that person.

It’s me.

Right here, right now, I can take a good look at myself.

Is mercy a key characteristic that describes me?

As I was thinking about this theme and topic of mercy, I was wondering, if I don’t forgive others, if I don’t forgive myself, then maybe that’s the person who projects this non-mercy onto God.

Isn’t that remaking God in our own image and likeness?

Does it start with self? If I don’t really believe God forgives me my sins, then maybe that’s why I see God as one who doesn’t forgive or show mercy.

This is tricky stuff.

However, I think when I do that, when I think my image of God is the correct image of God, then that is utter self-centeredness. I also think it’s idolatry – making God in my image.

BUY MERCY

I choose to take Jesus at his word. He tells us that God is a very forgiving Father – a very merciful Father . We find this especially in Luke - the gospel writer we're focusing on this year.

I choose texts that support my hope that God is a merciful God – and I know as priest I’m not going to convince those who can’t accept forgiveness – who can't accept mercy.

In today’s gospel, Luke uses the image of the marketplace where are merchants selling grain. They pour the measure of grain you ask for into your cloak. Then they shake it. Then they add some more. Then they shake your garment even more. It spills over. Now that’s the kind of mercy and forgiveness I want God to pour into my heart and mind. And then I want God to even add some more. Like someone putting gravy on our mashed potatoes or parmesan cheese on our spaghetti, I want more, God, more.

Now that’s God. That’s the Good News.

CONCLUSION

In today’s gospel Jesus says, “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”

It’s the psalm refrain for today: “Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.”

Who wants to go through life shamefaced – a word that we heard Marcy read in today’s first reading from Daniel 9: 4b-10. Who wants to spend our while life feeling guilty and stupid about mistakes we made 40 years ago or 4 weeks ago?

Today’s let’s try to treat each other with mercy – in church – in the parking lot – on the road – at work – in the stores – in our homes – in our hearts and minds and soul.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

A couple of people asked that I put this homily - for the 2 Monday in Lent - on my blog. It was a first draft homily - for a Monday morning. I tweaked it a bit just now - so I hope I didn't ruin whatever it was that hit a few folks the "right" way.