Word to the Wise
Monday, October 5, 2015 - Monday in the 27th Week in Ordinary Time
[Jonah 1:1—2:2, 11 and Luke 10:25-37]MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2015 MONDAY IN THE TWENTY-SEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME [Jonah 1:1-2:1-2, 11 and Luke 10:25-27] "Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers' victim?" He answered, "The one who treated him with mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise." [Luke] It is a common human tendency to try to limit the application of a principle that disturbs. "That's only for......" we say, and not for people like me. There is an unfortunate streak of "punitive righteousness" in the Church which creates a gap between those who need mercy and those in a position to give it. The Gospel of Luke is the place where one may find the right antidote for a case of "punitive righteousness." Today's gospel scripture is the story of the Good Samaritan, which Jesus tells in response to the lawyer's question that might limit the scope of mercy. ("And who is my neighbor?") But one might read the stories of the Prodigal Son or the Woman who washes Jesus' feet or the Rich Man and Lazarus. Over and over again the matter of mercy is placed before us. The synod on the Family that opens in Rome today is looking for ways that show mercy in difficult pastoral situations regarding marriage and family. In a couple of months the Church will begin a special Jubilee Year of Mercy. Pope Francis refers to the Church as a field hospital for for sick and wounded sinners. One can hope and pray that those who suffer from the sickness of "punitive righteousness" will seek help for that condition! The rest of us must show the very mercy that we want to have from The Lord. AMEN
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