Reflect today on the call God gives you to show mercy

"Which of these three, in your opinion, was close to the victim of the robbers?" He replied, "He who treated him with mercy." Jesus said to him: “Go and do the same”. Luke 10: 36-37

Here we have the conclusion of the family story of the Good Samaritan. First, the thieves beat him and left him for dead. Then a priest came by and ignored him. And then a Levite also passed by ignoring him. Finally, the Samaritan passed and took care of him with great generosity.

Interestingly, when Jesus asked his disciples which of these three had acted as a neighbor, they did not answer "the Samaritan." Rather, they replied: "The one who treated him with mercy." Mercy was the main goal.

It's so easy to be critical and hard on each other. If you read the newspapers or listen to news commentators, you can't help but hear constant judgments and condemnations. Our fallen human nature seems to thrive in being critical of others. And when we're not critical, we're often tempted to act like the priest and the Levite in this story. We are tempted to turn a blind eye to those in need. The key must be to always show mercy and show it in superabundance.

Reflect today on the call God is giving you to show mercy. Mercy, to be true mercy, must hurt. It has to "hurt" in the sense that it requires you to let go of your pride, selfishness and anger and choose to show love instead. Choose to show love to the point that it hurts. But that pain is a true source of healing as it cleanses you from your sin. Saint Mother Teresa is said to have said: “I found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more pain, only more love”. Mercy is the kind of love that can hurt at first, but ultimately leaves love alone.

Lord, make me an instrument of your love and mercy. Help me show mercy especially when it is difficult in life and when I don't feel like it. May those moments be moments of grace in which you transform me into your gift of love. Jesus I believe in you.