Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
"Do not judge, and you will not be judged;
do not condemn, and you will not be condemned.
Forgive, and you will be forgiven;
give, and it will be given to you.
A good measure, pressed down, shaken together,
running over, will be put into your lap;
for the measure you give is the measure you will get back."
Luke 6: 36 -38
Now that we are well into the 40 days of Lent, many of us have given up something that we usually enjoy or indulge in. If we give up chocolate, are we secretly wanting to lose weight? (If so, have you noticed it never works?☺) Rather than giving up something we pamper ourselves with or feel we are entitled to, perhaps our Lord is asking us to dig deeper and give up something that usually is neither enjoyable nor to our liking.
For example, a group of us, who meet annually for Lenten meals and prayer once a week, have chosen to give up something that is keeping us separated from the love of God and from loving our neighbor. In the Gospel reading for Monday, March 9, 2020, Jesus continues his instructions for his followers on how to live the Good News. The sixth chapter of Luke is full of important events and teachings: Jesus chooses his 12 and also gives his lesson known as the Beatitudes. Jesus goes on to compare the works of the good with the selfishness of the wicked, and then we're brought to today's Gospel. We hear about one quality we can choose to put on for Lent and one characteristic that we can give up.
Christ tells his followers to be like their Heavenly Father, the One He has been describing to his listeners. And one of the ways to be like our Creator is to be merciful. Mercy is defined as leniency and compassion. Another way to see mercy is the ability to remain free of judgment and instead be forgiving, when someone has harmed you. Being non-judgmental keeps us merciful, because we have to look beyond the surface action or just the words we hear. We must not condemn people, but instead we can be more understanding.
This command from Christ is one of the hardest instructions to follow, but without at least trying to master it, there is no way that we can love our enemies and do good to those who hurt us, or even follow the Golden Rule. Being judged, and being condemned, especially wrongly, is a mighty lesson in forgiveness. But even here, Jesus lets us know that our efforts will not go unrewarded. Whatever mercy and forgiveness we are able to give, our Heavenly Parent will show us the same - and then even more so. The love, compassion, and benevolence of our gracious God will be given to us till it overflows!
So there is still time to do something for the sake of your spiritual life during this season of Lent. In addition to giving up that indulgence, give up being narrow in your opinion of others; give up summing up someone before (or right after) you meet them; or give up condemning someone for their sin, because we are all sinners! Instead, offer the benefit of the doubt, forgive instead of holding a grudge, or offer understanding instead of condemnation.
Lent is a time for reflection on our relationship with God - and about what stands in the way of that connection. We can give up something and make a sacrifice for Christ, but is that enough? Will giving up going to the movies or drinking expensive coffee bring you closer to God? Or will being more forgiving tear down barriers between you and God, between you and your neighbor? It's your choice; choose from your heart.
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