Memorial of Saint Francis of Assisi
As Christians we are called to be merciful. In today’s scripture reading, Jesus explains what it means to be a “neighbor” by telling the parable of the Good Samaritan. The lawyer who was testing Jesus recognizes that the neighbor in the story is the “one who treated him (the victim) with mercy.” (Luke 10: 32) Being merciful is more than just being kind. Showing mercy implies that the person receiving the kindness may not even be “worthy” or deserving of the blessings, but the giver extends the benefits anyway. Because of Jesus, we can learn firsthand what it means to receive mercy, because He forgives us even though we are not worthy. Jesus paints a picture of love, compassion, and self giving in the parable of the Good Samaritan, and then He turns to us and sends us forth saying, “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:37)
When I reflect on the story of the Good Samaritan, I wonder what prevented the Priest and Levite from responding mercifully. Some scholars have suggested that they did not want to become involved because of the purity laws, but then other scholars have suggested that there were laws that would have dictated care for someone who was injured or possibly dead. The Priest and Levite were probably good people but something prevented them from acting with mercy. As I placed myself in the story, I wondered if fear or indifference may have been the cause of their inaction. Is it possible that they were fearful of what might happen to them, or even what people might think of them if they helped the victim? Maybe they thought that their lives would be endangered as well? Could it be that they were in such a hurry that they didn’t want to take the time it would take to respond and help the man? Or could it actually be that they just didn’t want to get involved because it would be messy and inconvenient for them. To be merciful it takes certain qualities: courage, selflessness, patience and love. These are the things that the Samaritan shows when he sees the victim. Although he is seen an outsider or as an enemy, the Samaritan risks his life and goes to care for the victim. Not only did it take courage, but there was a sense of selflessness as he uses his oils, his animal, and his coins to complete the care. His generous response was well beyond just bandaging the wounds. The Samaritan has no sense of being repaid for his good acts, but gives out of compassion for the other. So where does this deep sense of concern and benevolence come from? If we believe that God dwells within every person, then every individual has the capability to be like God in showing mercy. The Good Samaritan allows God to act through him to do God’s will, and we too are called to do the same.
The story of the Good Samaritan is a wonderful example of showing mercy, but how do I live this merciful approach to life? Being merciful begins with “seeing the need”. In the parable, all three men saw the victim, but only the Samaritan acted upon what he saw. If we don’t keep our eyes and ears open to the needs of others, we will not be able to be compassionate. To act with mercy requires a stepping out in faith. There may be times when I offer to help, and it may be rejected, or others may even criticize my kindness. I need to be merciful anyway. Being merciful probably will require inconvenience and will most definitely require self-sacrifice. My time, talents and resources may be used and there should be no expectation that I will be compensated.
Most of all, mercy requires love. One of my frequent prayers is to be able to see others as God sees them. If we could truly see others and try to love them as God does, then mercy will flow from our words and actions. As I think about my daily life merciful actions may include taking extra time to listen to a co-worker or friend in need of support and encouragement. Showing mercy may be seen in forgiving a family member for saying or doing something and not responding in anger. We can even show mercy when we pray for people who are seen as “enemies”-even those we see as being cruel and hateful. To live this life of mercy is not something that I can accomplish without the help of God. If we allow God’s mercy to penetrate our hearts, then we will be more able to allow that mercy to flow to others around us. Pope Francis explains this well when he said, “Let us be renewed by God's mercy, let us be loved by Jesus, let us enable the power of his love to transform our lives too; and let us become agents of this mercy, channels through which God can water the earth, protect all creation and make justice and peace flourish. (Easter Urbi et Orbi message on March 31, 2013)
"Heavenly Father, thank you for your generous mercy that brings us forgiveness and healing. May we imitate Jesus in being merciful in our giving of self for others. May your Spirit give us the grace we need to love those in need of mercy, so we too can bring justice and peace to all people. We pray this through Christ our LORD. AMEN"
Marylynn Herchline