News From P.I.T. (Pastor In Training)
I can't stress this enough: Mercy is not purely a human act, it's a divine act. Why do I say this? Because without God's grace, we are actually unable to forgive as we ought. We need to rely on God's witness and grace to live a life of forgiveness.
Throughout my life, including in my priesthood- and it may shock some- I can't tell you how hard it is to forgive those who have wronged me. I don't know if it is my melancholic temperament, where I replay all events and conversations in my head, or if I, like others, desire justice. Or if in simply acknowledging my fallen nature, I have a natural desire for vengeance.
What the Lord asks of us in the Gospel today, he shows us an example by his very life. Unlike Adam, who turned away from God, Jesus, the new Adam, reveals a life of mercy to all those he encounters. When we hear the words, "Love your enemies," we can clearly see an example of that with our Lord on the cross. And he invites us to join him in this act of love and of mercy.
However, if you are like me, you might be tempted to say, “I can't do that”. And I would say you are correct in saying that if you are relying solely on your own ability. But anything is possible through Him who strengthens us (Matthew 19:26, Philippians 4:13). If we truly want to love as we know we ought, we need to stop relying on our own abilities and start seeking - and if I may encourage - pleading for help from the Lord.
The Lord invites us to be children of God, which means that just like children we are supposed to grow and follow the example of our parents. As it is revealed in our Psalm today, we hear "The Lord is kind and merciful." (Psalm 103) This is followed by our Gospel which instructs us to, "Be merciful just as your Father is merciful." (Luke 6:36) Let us ask the Lord for this grace to be merciful as he is merciful.
Father Michael