God’s mercy and forgiveness are gifts that are freely given to us
Jesus was often criticized by the religious rulers of His day for sitting and eating with sinners. For the Fouth Sunday of Lent, one option for the Gospel starts with that particular accusation, while the other option has the story about a man who is born blind. In each situation, Jesus interacts with individuals considered unclean and unworthy of God’s love. The normal religious interaction of the day would have been to disregard these people, ridicule them or avoid them, but it certainly wouldn’t have been praying for their healing or sitting down and having a meal with them. People questioned Jesus’ religious credentials since He spent time with people like that.
These Gospels help us examine our way of life and our interior attitudes. Would we rather be known as people who share a meal with religiously self-righteous people, or would we, like Jesus, go out of our way to keep company with those who are rejected? The Pharisees and scribes are examples of holy people who preach one thing and live a different life. They were examples of disciples who followed a merciless and exacting God. They didn’t recognize the God who is imaged in the story of the prodigal son.
Lent is a time in the Church when we are asked to make radical conversions of our lives. We shouldn’t simply continue to live comfortable and convenient lives. This is a season when we are truly meant to examine our minds, hearts and choices, trying to form new patterns of behavior that follow more clearly in the path of Jesus. The Gospel readings clearly proclaim the path of Jesus, and we are asked to conform our lives to that path.
Who are those individuals or groups of people thought to be unworthy of God’s mercy and love? Who are the individuals or groups of people that we wouldn’t want to be associated with, afraid people would think badly of us because of the company we keep? Who would Jesus, out of love and mercy, be drawn to in our current situations?
This self-examination starts with each of us admitting that we are sinners. Another person’s sins don’t separate them from us but, in fact, create communion with us. We are one in our sinfulness and yearning for forgiveness and mercy. None of us have earned the forgiveness and mercy from God. God’s mercy and forgiveness are gifts. If we truly accepted them as undeserved gifts, we would naturally want to share them with others instead of casting them out in judgment.
We can all find other people to blame for the shape of our world and the brokenness of humanity so we can avoid facing ourselves and our own failings. We can also become so cynical or disillusioned with our world that we give into the temptation to give up hope. Jesus never made those choices. He simply found those who were open to receiving mercy and forgiveness and gave them that gift, no matter what other people thought. Is it possible for us to be that courageous and humble?
What kind of example would you like to give to those around you who are hungry for authentic disciples of Jesus?
Father Donald Wester is retired and serves as lecturer of homiletics at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary.
