2nd Week of Lent 2019 - Monday - Be Merciful as God is Merciful

During Lent, Our Lord calls us to pray, to fast, and to give alms, that is, to practice mercy. “Be merciful as your Father in heaven is merciful,” as the Lord instructs us in the Gospel today. Notice, Jesus didn't say, “be merciful....once in while.” “Be merciful, only to the people whom you like.”  “Be merciful, only to people who will be able to pay you back.”  No, he says, “be merciful as your Father in heaven is merciful” and his mercy is available to all people at all times.

The call to be merciful is a perennial commandment in Holy Scripture. The covenant people of Israel were to be known for their mercy to widows, orphans, and resident aliens. Israel was often warned about oppressing the poor; the psalms and prophets reminded Israel to show mercy to the poor as they were shown mercy by God who saved them from slavery and captivity.

Because we have such a difficult job imitating God's mercy, God showed us exactly what mercy looks like.  Pope Benedict said, “Mercy has a name, mercy has a face, mercy has a heart...Jesus Christ is divine mercy in person: Encountering Christ means encountering the mercy of God.”

In Christ we realize that God does not stay at a distance judging us, nor is He is not indifferent to our trials.  He enters into our life to show us what it means to be fully human and what it means to be like God. He shows us how to love. So much of our Christian pilgrimage here on earth, is learning to imitate Christ who gives of himself on the cross for our freedom from the slavery and captivity of sin.  He shows us and teaches us how to empty ourselves of our selfishness and self-concern. Sometimes we are not as generous as we should be because we are overly self-concerned—overly concerned about our own security.

Lent helps us, rather, to identify more and more with the Lord in his own self-giving, and to be free from all that keeps us from giving with His spirit and His heart. Are we indifferent to the needs of others? If we want God to be lavish in his gifts and mercy toward us, may we be lavish in sharing our gifts, in our mercy toward our neighbor, toward our brother.

In Christ may we discover ever more deeply the rich mercy of God and thereby come to discover who we are meant to be, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That those despairing of God’s mercy may come to see the face of God’s love in the charity of the Christian people.

That those preparing for baptism and full Christian initiation at Easter may be strengthened in Faith, Hope, and Love.

For an end to all violence in the name of religion, race, nationality, and all oppression of the weak, and for the protection of the unborn.

That we may generously respond to all those in need: the sick, the suffering, the homeless, the imprisoned, and victims of violence, and natural disaster.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Grant, we pray, O Lord, that your people may turn to you with all their heart, so that whatever they dare to ask in fitting prayer they may receive by your mercy.