_(Monday 9th
March 2020. Read Daniel 9:4-10, Psalm 79 and Luke 6:36-38)_
_“Give, and it will be given to you;
good measure pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into
your lap.” *(Luke 6:38)*_
I am sure you are quite familiar with
this verse of the Bible; “give and it shall be given unto you.” You hear it at
fundraising events, you hear it sang by the choir when your donations are
requested. It may interest you to note that Jesus was not even talking about
money when he said these words.
Jesus was talking out being merciful
to others, forgiving people, refraining from passing judgement and condemnation
on others. Jesus was talking about loving our enemies. By giving so that it
will be given unto us, Jesus was actually re-echoing the words of the prayer
which he taught us: “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against
us.” For if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father
forgive your trespasses.
Our first reading today contains the
prayer of Daniel for and on behalf of the nation of Israel. The bottom line of
this prayer is a plea for God’s mercy over the sins of the people. “To the Lord
belongs mercy and forgiveness because we have rebelled against him and have not
obeyed the voice of the Lord our God.”
If God forgives us our faults, we too
should forgive others. On Saturday, we heard Jesus say “be perfect as you
heavenly Father is perfect” and we noted that the essence of this perfection is
loving our enemies. Today, Jesus is saying: “be merciful even as your Father is
merciful.” If we say God is our Father, we must resemble Him by treating people
with mercy, kindness and compassion.
The opposite of mercy is
condemnation. To condemn is to write off a person as good for nothing,
irredeemable, beyond repair and disposable. If God never gives us on us, why
should we give up on our fellow human beings? As our responsorial psalm sings:
“O Lord, do not treat us according to our sins.” If this is our prayer, then we
too should not treat people according to their sins.
Let us pray: Lord Jesus, give me a
merciful heart like yours. Amen.
Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith.
It is well with you. God bless you. (Monday of the 2nd Week of Lent. Bible Study: Daniel 9:4-10,
Psalm 79 and Luke 6:36-38).
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