God’s Great Gift of Mercy
(Rm 11:29-36; Ps 69; Lk 14:12-14)
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Have you ever received an unexpected gift that touched you deeply, and even had an effect on your life?
The liturgy today invites us to reflect on gift-giving – God’s gifts to us, especially mercy, and how we can be gift to others.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus is sharing a meal at the house of a leader of the Pharisees, who love attention, honor and prestige. Jesus uses that occasion to teach his host to let that desire go, and learn to give without any hope for anything in return. The Pharisees are to invite to their banquets the poor who cannot repay, and they will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.
St. Paul, in the first reading to the Romans, reminds us that it is God who is the greatest giver of gifts, and that God’s gifts are irrevocable. Paul then plunges into an exposition of the mysterious way that God’s generosity works – a rather convoluted presentation on how the disobedience of the Israelites led to God’s mercy being extended to the Gentiles, and how that gift to the Gentiles will eventually lead to God’s mercy being received by the Israelites. It is like mercy will have its way, one way or the other – God’s generosity cannot be held back.
Psalm 69 builds on this teaching of Paul’s. The Lord hears the cry of the needy and will honor their cry by giving them the fullness of salvation. What shines forth from all these readings is the priority of the unrelenting mercy of God.
The fits totally with the two-fold mission that Jesus as Messiah came to accomplish in this world – to redeem and sanctify; to save the world and to heal the world – in short, to extend to us God’s unconditional love as mercy, compassion and forgiveness. He of course is the model of gratuitous giving – so grounded in the Father’s love for him that he could selflessly give his life for us on the cross to show us the depth of the Father’s love for us.
As I was nearing the end of my novitiate year as a young Oblate (a year dedicated to experiencing Oblate life and learning about the charism of our founder, St. Eugene de Mazenod), a fellow novice, Harry Lafond, gave me a beaded leather neck strap for my camera. Harry is an Indigenous Cree person who hailed from Muskeg Lake in Saskatchewan, my home province. That totally unexpected gift surprised me and touched me deeply. It sealed our friendship for life. Having nothing to give him in return, I could only thank him, and use it with great appreciation. It certainly made carrying a camera more comfortable, and I kept it until all the beads fell off and the leather wore out. I think it also taught me the power of giving out of love and friendship with no expectation of anything in return.
The Eucharist one of God’s greatest gifts to us as a Church. It is also an experience of God’s mercy, making present the love that Jesus lived out for us on the Cross.
May our celebration today deepen our awareness of God’s gift of unconditional love and mercy to us, and empower us to give the gift of our love and mercy to others without counting the cost, or expectation of anything in return.
Bishop, I had an expected Gifts from God being able to pray for people who are in pain or in need like couple of people who have cancer and other illness. Like my uncle who have cancer many times and overcome it and people who lost their valuables like keys, wallets and hats , other stuff. I ask them to pray St. Anthony they wouldn’t so I pray for them . It appears right next to them or on their doorstep. I even have the gift to sing even without background music . I can raise my voice up high like the sky shaking , that happen many times at the church. This is probably from the Charismatic prayer meetings and even gift of toughs . I can’t believe I have all these gifts and experiencing the bible . I do not know I can write and comment many things about God or Jesus Christ relating back to the Bible . Like yesterday during small lecture about the Eucharistic ministry and other rituals some people are surprised I know so much stuff. I don’t remember studying it in Sunday School. Blessings!
I felt heart warming and pleasant inside like I have repent and done my job besides praying all the time. I totally agree with your readings today it brings back memories and emotions. Why I chose you to be my close friend. Thanks again for the homilies and well done , unexpected how I met you as my friend couple years ago. Gracias ! Always trust in God , you also mentioned this on Sunday.
Hopefully you understood what I am saying about trusting God and Having God’s love . You mentioned about on your last homily. I don’t know if it is expected or unexpected to meet you as my friend. Well you will always be my friend that I can talk to besides other people. Sometimes my comments is like going to confession. I need someone who understands. Pardon me .