Too Good To Be True

Today Jesus gives us a beautiful working definition of God’s mercy. First of all He tells us, “Be merciful, JUST AS your Father is merciful.” He doesn’t say, “to best of your ability” or “when you are having a good day” or “when you’re in the right season of life” or “after you’ve worked out all of your issues” or “as close as you can to the Father’s mercy”…no, he definitely says, “JUST AS your Father is merciful.” Then Jesus proceeds to tell us what ingredients are included in the Father’s mercy: no judgment, no condemnation, forgiveness, and giving abundant gifts. I feel like it is safe to say that the opposite of these things comes from the enemy. If there is judgment, condemnation, unforgiveness, and a withholding of gifts according to these things, that is NOT from God. 

How do I do something “just as” the Father when I am imperfect? I think I need to take all my imperfection and weakness and place it in the Father’s heart and where I am weak, He is strong, where I am imperfect, He is perfect. Seems like a good idea in theory, but what does that really mean practically speaking? The heart of the Father is Jesus, and the Holy Spirit is that love manifested within each one of us. When I place myself in the presence of God, I allow His heartbeat to sync with mine and from that Oneness I can allow God to love through me, forgive through me, give gifts through me, and be merciful through me. I don’t really need to “do” a thing accept get in touch with His heart in mine. Again, seems like a fairy tale doesn’t it? Just sync up my pulse with my knight in shining armor’s pulse and then peace will abound and they lived happily ever after…! And I’m going to say, YES, God invites us into the fairy tale where our hero steps in and saves us! Somehow we have stopped believing in fairy tales because they seem too good to be true. Well if it’s too good, then it is true, because the nature of God is TOO GOOD. Mercy is too good and that is what He promises us today. To use the image that Jesus gives us, mercy, like flour, is so fine that it can be really smushed into our hearts as a way to maximize the measure of it to be poured out into others. Time in God’s presence is where mercy is shaken down and packed together into our souls so that we overflow with grace to go out and do the same for others. “Give and gifts will be given to you.” 

How do we get into His presence? Worship and thanksgiving. Simply tell God how “too good” He is and thank Him for His “too goodness” and from there grace shakes down. There is no laundry list of needs or wants, just being nose to nose with happily ever after. In our weakness, He is strong. It is well with my soul. 

Reading 1 DN 9:4B-10

“Lord, great and awesome God,
you who keep your merciful covenant toward those who love you
and observe your commandments!
We have sinned, been wicked and done evil;
we have rebelled and departed from your commandments and your laws.
We have not obeyed your servants the prophets,
who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes,
our fathers, and all the people of the land.
Justice, O Lord, is on your side;
we are shamefaced even to this day:
we, the men of Judah, the residents of Jerusalem,
and all Israel, near and far,
in all the countries to which you have scattered them
because of their treachery toward you.
O LORD, we are shamefaced, like our kings, our princes, and our fathers,
for having sinned against you.
But yours, O Lord, our God, are compassion and forgiveness!
Yet we rebelled against you
and paid no heed to your command, O LORD, our God,
to live by the law you gave us through your servants the prophets.”

Responsorial Psalm 79:8, 9, 11 AND 13

R.    (see 103:10a)  Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.
Remember not against us the iniquities of the past;
may your compassion quickly come to us,
for we are brought very low.
R.    Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.
Help us, O God our savior,
because of the glory of your name;
Deliver us and pardon our sins
for your name’s sake.
R.    Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.
Let the prisoners’ sighing come before you;
with your great power free those doomed to death.
Then we, your people and the sheep of your pasture,
will give thanks to you forever;
through all generations we will declare your praise.
R.    Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.

Verse Before The GospelJN 6:63C, 68C

Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life;
you have the words of everlasting life.

Gospel LK 6:36-38

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

“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.”