Being Merciful as Our Father is Merciful

[BarbaraTherese]

A really beautiful text…

dailygospel.org/www/popup-comments.php?language=AM&id=1002

Saint Isaac the Syrian ( 7th century), monk at Nineveh, near Mosul in modern Iraq
Ascetical discourses, 1st series, no.81

“Be merciful as your Father is merciful”

Don’t try to distinguish between those who are worthy and those who are not. Let all men be equal in your eyes, to be loved and served. In this way you will be able to guide all of them to good.

Did not the Lord sit at table with publicans and women of disreputable life, without keeping the unworthy at a distance from him? So you also should bestow the same generosity, the same favor on the unfaithful and the ruffian, and all the more so in that he, too, is your brother since he shares the same human nature. My son, here is the commandment I give you: let mercy always tip your scales until you start to feel within yourself the mercy that God feels towards the world.

At what point does a man recognise that his heart has attained purity? When he looks on all men as good without a single one seeming impure or besmirched to him. Then, in truth, he is pure of heart (Mt 5,8)…

What is this purity? Briefly, it is compassion of heart towards the entire universe. And what is compassion of heart? It is the flame that consumes it for all creation: men, birds, creatures, demons, for every created thing.

When he thinks of or looks at them, a man feels his eyes filling with tears out of a deep, intense pity, which grips his heart and makes it incapable of allowing, hearing, seeing the least wrong, the least affliction, endured by any creature.

That is why prayer accompanied by tears constantly reaches out as much towards dumb creatures as to those who are enemies of the truth, or who harm it, so that they might be preserved and purified. An immense and measureless compassion is born in the man’s heart, in the image of God.

 

[ncjohn]

Quote:

At what point does a man recognise that his heart has attained purity? When he looks on all men as good without a single one seeming impure or besmirched to him. Then, in truth, he is pure of heart (Mt 5,8)…

Thanks for this wonderful reminder Barb. It can be so discouraging around here at times listening to people throw out the charges of “false ecumenism” for holding exactly the above view.

Certainly we always want to help people to find their way to Christ. But the attitude of exclusion that pervades so much discussion here, as if those who just haven’t found their way yet aren’t still beloved children of God and that others of us are then “superior” for having been blessed to have an “easier” road, is just one thing that I struggle with.

I have to admit to at times finding some less good based on their inability to find all men to be good. How’s that for good old-fashioned judgmentalism!

Father, help me to always love all of Your children as You do, and to show them the same mercy and compassion that You show me.

 

[BarbaraTherese]

Quote:

Thanks for this wonderful reminder Barb. It can be so discouraging around here at times listening to people throw out the charges of “false ecumenism” for holding exactly the above view.

Certainly we always want to help people to find their way to Christ. But the attitude of exclusion that pervades so much discussion here, as if those who just haven’t found their way yet aren’t still beloved children of God and that others of us are then “superior” for having been blessed to have an “easier” road, is just one thing that I struggle with.

I have to admit to at times finding some less good based on their inability to find all men to be good. How’s that for good old-fashioned judgmentalism!

Father, help me to always love all of Your children as You do, and to show them the same mercy and compassion that You show me.

Hi John…Thank you for your comments…I did a reply to the above and then lost it due to the doorbell, so I’ll return to your post above and reply again later today. Always good to come across you in these Forums and we remain on that same wavelength always…Blessings, John, and my regards…Barb:wave:

 

[BarbaraTherese]

Thanks for this wonderful reminder Barb. It can be so discouraging around here at times listening to people throw out the charges of “false ecumenism” for holding exactly the above view.

Hi again John…the articles I post have always spoken to me in a meaningful way and there is a bit of projection going on since I therefore tend to think that the same article will surely speak to others. Not to worry - my humanity is full of surprises! I am glad you found it as impressive as I did.
Yes, I too come across a post or thread where the law is being rammed down the throats of others with some violence as it were…pretty much the same as in the days of Jesus when those who persecuted him were his own moreso for sure than the pagans and others. And truth, even the greatest truth, conveyed without respect and love of the other as a person is only half the truth.

Certainly we always want to help people to find their way to Christ. But the attitude of exclusion that pervades so much discussion here, as if those who just haven’t found their way yet aren’t still beloved children of God and that others of us are then “superior” for having been blessed to have an “easier” road, is just one thing that I struggle with.

I said to the two Morman guys who knocked on my door a few weeks ago that I think that the question asked at judgement will not be “what have you believed?” rather it will be “how have you lived, how have you loved?”.
If there is any ‘superiority’ afoot it should be absolutely humbling to receive such a Grace and “to whom much is given, much will be expected”…nor will that bigger expection be about the knowledge in one’s head, rather about the heart and how one has lived.
I am reading at the moment a commentary on St. Teresa’s The Interior Castle by Sr. Ruth Burrows, a discalced Carmelite nun and it is of great interest, although I think ‘Teresian purists’ will throw up their hands in horror…Sr. Ruth points out that the measurement of any Grace which is pointed out by St. Teresa is an increase in love, or living better - and that if this increase is absent then there was no Grace in the first place. Sr. Ruth is speaking of St. Teresa and “interior favours”.

I have to admit to at times finding some less good based on their inability to find all men to be good. How’s that for good old-fashioned judgmentalism!

Sometimes I seem to ‘touch base’, John…and invariably mistake it as an arrival - just as promptly as I find all men good…I find myself highly critical and self righteous somewhere or other. Ahhhh the journey!
Very interesting Sr. Ruth pointed out that the Spanish word “mansion” can be interpreted as a point of arrival and departure…a transit stop in the journey. Her commentary really is of great interest and giving much food for thought…and many a smile as I imagined strict Teresian purists getting all upset…and probably mistinterpreting Sr. Ruth as quite possibly they have St. Teresa

Thanks for the (name removed by moderator)ut John…good to catch up with you again and as always we live on that same wavelength…regards - Barb:wave:

 

[ncjohn]

Sr. Ruth points out that the measurement of any Grace which is pointed out by St. Teresa is an increase in love, or living better - and that if this increase is absent then there was no Grace in the first place.

Exactly!

And that is often the test I apply when I hear someone state that God has told them something, or to do something. If what they were told doesn’t in some way improve things for someone besides the one hearing the message, I find it doubtful that it came from God. I try very hard to apply the same test to myself when I feel prompted to do something.

By their fruits you shall know them.

Good to run into you again Barb, and to actually feel some desire to post here rather than trying to “force it”.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

BarbaraTheresa,
you don’t know who good the timing of your posting this was for me. I’ve been getting some very uncharitable flack, for showing compassion for a person, who others called a liar and a sinner.

Thanks
Jim

 

[ncjohn]

BarbaraTheresa,
you don’t know who good the timing of your posting this was for me. I’ve been getting some very uncharitable flack, for showing compassion for a person, who others called a liar and a sinner.

Thanks
Jim

Now Jim, you know that Jesus was not one to be hanging around with that type, much less showing them compassion!

Oh, wait…

 

[BarbaraTherese]

Now Jim, you know that Jesus was not one to be hanging around with that type, much less showing them compassion!

Oh, wait…

Shame on you, Jim…oh yeah, hang on a minute! …

“By their fruits you will know them” and “they have persecuted me, they will persecute you”…and very interestingly the unrelenting persecution of Jesus was from his own…

Barb

 

[BarbaraTherese]

BarbaraTheresa,
you don’t know who good the timing of your posting this was for me. I’ve been getting some very uncharitable flack, for showing compassion for a person, who others called a liar and a sinner.

Thanks
Jim

Any form of persecution is totally hard to bear!!! Hold out for Mercy and understanding, compassion, Jim “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us”. I know that any form of persecution is very hard to bear and easy for me to encourage you when I am totally not in the situation you obviously are experiencing. Sometimes, however, support and encouragement from others can get one through without too much damage.
And as I said in my Post, the accusation of others and the reality of a situation are not necessarily the same. “Liar” and “sinner” is pretty heavy and judgemental language!
Hope I have not been patronizing, this was totally unintentional if I have been - and a fault of mine.

Will keep you and the situation in prayer…Blessings and regards…Barb

 

[BarbaraTherese]

Exactly!

And that is often the test I apply when I hear someone state that God has told them something, or to do something. If what they were told doesn’t in some way improve things for someone besides the one hearing the message, I find it doubtful that it came from God. I try very hard to apply the same test to myself when I feel prompted to do something.

By their fruits you shall know them.

Good to run into you again Barb, and to actually feel some desire to post here rather than trying to “force it”.

Talking to my parish priest one day years ago and commented “I think I might get an A for effort, Father” and Father replied “And God has a very soft spot for all A For Efforters”…that really consoled me and encouraged me. Strange how a passing comment can mean so much and live with one for so long. The Holy Spirit is no snob!!! Another sentence that has encouraged and consoled me along the way is “saints are sinners who dont give up” and so when things go wrong, I repeat over and over to myself “I wont give up” and through all and any doubts and confusions, that is my ‘mantra’.
One of the hardest things for me to do is not to repeat gossip I may hear. Someone was here the other day and I had an ‘item’ I longed to share and I found it hard to listen to what my visitor was saying from the sheer effort not to repeat the gossip. It has just occured to me reading over this post and wondering how it fits into the subject of mercy, that not repeating gossip is an act of mercy for the one that is being gossiped about. It is also an act of mercy on the other person and not subjecting them to an occasion of sin by sharing gossip…and it is an act of mercy on oneself in not causing something sinful in oneself.

Blessings, John, and will cacha on the rounds again somewhere or other I am sure…regards - Barb:wave:

 

[ncjohn]

Father replied “And God has a very soft spot for all A For Efforters”…that really consoled me and encouraged me. Strange how a passing comment can mean so much and live with one for so long.

I can well imagine that sticking with you…as it will with me now!

It has just occured to me reading over this post and wondering how it fits into the subject of mercy, that not repeating gossip is an act of mercy for the one that is being gossiped about.

That is a very interesting insight Barb. I hadn’t thought about it that way, but I think you’re spot on with that one.

It is not something that I have fought with to any great degree, but I have had the occasion where I bit my tongue while considering passing something along. And in my better moments, I have stopped someone in mid-sentence from passing something on to me by either changing the subject or gently questioning whether there was something to be gained by repeating such things.

But then there are my less-than-better moments…

I may not always get the A for effort, but I’ll usually get the A for intentions. Hopefully it isn’t just the road to hell that is paved with those… I do believe that over time intentions lead to reality.

 

[BarbaraTherese]

I may not always get the A for effort, but I’ll usually get the A for intentions. Hopefully it isn’t just the road to hell that is paved with those…

… I do believe that over time intentions lead to reality!

Yep! I can go with that. First I recognize, then I intend to overcome…then for me comes the two steps forward, three back, four forward, two back, three back…little spiritual dance…I can look back on my life and see where there has been success - and areas where the dance goes on …