Mercy

Who hasn’t felt like giving up?

Who hasn’t felt the sting of someone who acts ‘holier than thou’ and judges unfairly?

These are common human experiences from which we can either become bitter or take as life lessons in how to act.

The Gospel account of the woman caught in adultery could be used for a Broadway play. In fact, a former professor interpreted much of John’s Gospel as being used in that way by early Christian communities. The scene in this story is well known. Jesus is preaching on the Mount of Olives (a foreshadowing of Holy Thursday night) and some Pharisees drag before Him a woman caught in adultery. The question is clear and direct ‘Should we follow the Law of Moses and stone her? You can feel the tension mount and maybe a drum roll. However, Jesus didn’t engage in an argument but started tracing something on the ground causing the Pharisees to drift away until no one remained. At the end Jesus does not condemn the woman but calls her to go and sin no more. A God, who we know will judge us at the end of our life and history (Matthew 25), but one who goes out of His way to show us mercy not to excuse sin but so that we can change. Not a judge who lords it over us but one who wants us to convert to become better.

The first reading from Isaiah begins “Thus says the Lord who opens a way in the sea and a path in the mighty waters…” Not only a good God of mercy but one who can help us move through times of our life when we feel like we are drowning, overwhelmed, alone and ridiculed. He can help us, if we ask.
God is a God of Mercy who gives us time to leave sin behind and is able to empower us to do so.

That is Good News!

During this Fifth Sunday of Lent perhaps we can ask how much mercy we show to those in our family, our co-workers, and the poor who are suffering in the Third World with inadequate medical care. The Mission Doctors Association acts to enable Catholic doctors to put into practice mercy through healing bodies broken by disease and poverty- this fine organization can always use our prayers and help.

Today's guest blog post is contributed by Brother John Kiesler, OFM is a member of the facility of the Franciscan School of Theology in California. Brother John is a member of the Formation Facility for long-term missionaries through Mission Doctors and presents at the Annual Retreat Seminar on the theology of mission. Additionally he serves as a member of the Board of Directors for Mission Doctors Association.