Something I encountered recently suggested mercy is a way of life, not merely a gracious act in sparing one from deserved punishment.
Mercy is a new way of life that Christ breathed into the disciples when they were in a locked room, in great fear. Father Dan at St. Cornelius even indicated in his homily today that their hearts were locked, so nothing could come in, nor come out--not even fear. Jesus Christ released them from fear, doubt, and even guilt, by His very real presence, and sent them forth on a mission, which we see carried out in the first reading from Acts, as the Apostles works great signs, even in healings, in Christ's name.
Indeed, though we have much to fear, we can count on God's steadfast love and never-failing mercy to raise us up, because Jesus Christ is the One who was once dead, but then came alive again, having forever conquered death. He did it the lives of the Apostles, especially Thomas, who struggled to embrace the Good News of the Resurrection proclaimed to him by the others.
And this day, I celebrated how he did it in my life when I attended Mass in the very parish where I was baptized.
No comments:
Post a Comment