Reflection
Last Monday, in Leviticus, God called us to be “holy” because He is Holy. Today (and every day) Jesus gives us advice on how we can be precisely that: HOLY! He tells us, in Luke’s Gospel, that we are CALLED to be merciful, not to judge, not to condemn, to forgive and to give to all who are in need.
Daniel also gives us sound advice when he tells us how God is “merciful in His love for those who love Him and keep His commandments,” that we should live our lives in His ways.
We know that we are sinners and, just as children test their parents, so we test God especially when we act and do those things that we know go against God’s will. Most of the time we don’t have a legitimate excuse for doing or not doing the things that that turn us away from being “holy” or “merciful” even though we constantly get advice from so many reliable sources. ‘From where’ you may ask! From the Bible! The Bible should be our constant companion. (download a Catholic Bible app to your cell-phone – it’s free).
Today’s scripture provides great examples: Daniel tells how we can keep on doing God’s “good” side by side the things that God wants us to do. We also hear from Jesus, whom God has chosen to GIVE us His Word, telling us where we go wrong: acting wickedly and rebelling, turning away from the commandments, not listening to the prophets (from the Bible and our priests in this modern age).
We know that Jesus loves us so much that He was prepared to die for us in order that we may be freed from the sins that sadly we choose to hold on to. This is what causes us to lose sight of the mercy that we should show to others. We must remember that we are forgiven the moment we repent, because God is merciful, full of forgiveness and encouraging. We can take advantage of God’s graciousness given so freely as we make our journey of repentance from our past failings to our new life of “RENEWAL” as true members of God’s family.
Practical Suggestions
We know the old saying; “You reap what you sow.” Let us make the effort this Lent to plough all our efforts into pleasing God as we try earnestly to be “Holy” by listening to His words when we read the bible daily. Be forgiving and practice all those things that make us merciful in God’s eyes. Remember, God sees all things done in secret!
Prayer
Father, help me to keep you constantly in my thoughts and actions, especially to be ‘Holy’ as you are and to be ‘merciful’ in my judgements, knowing that your wish is for me to climb your mountain to reach your heavenly home. Amen
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