Daily Meditation - Friday 18July 2008 - CHOOSING MERCY RATHER THAN JUDGEMENT

[BarbaraTherese]

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Friday is a day of Penance
Friday
Obligations here

USA** ONLY** - Camillus de Lellis (USA), Opt. Mem.

Mass Readings & Meditation
Readings**

Meditation

Matthew 12:1-8

**I desire mercy, **
not sacrifice. (Matthew 12:7)

• Why did Jesus let his disciples break the sabbath law?
• The Pharisees were right, weren’t they?
• After all, the third commandment tells us to keep the Sabbath holy.

Does Jesus really allow us to cast aside rules when they inconvenience us? Not really.

• The Pharisees in this passage were looking at the disciples’ actions through a filter of judgment.
• Instead of seeing them as individuals,
• they immediately branded the disciples as lawbreakers and were scandalized when Jesus didn’t rebuke them.

** But this isn’t how Jesus saw things. **

He chose mercy as his starting point, not judgment.

• Compassion was his foundation, and that helped him to put his disciples’ actions into context.
• Like David’s warriors, they were tired and hungry from serving God.
• Surely they could be forgiven this minor infraction.

What a wonderful way to approach our relationships,
especially in church!

When we feel that someone is falling short of our expectations,

• we too could choose mercy over judgment.
• That doesn’t mean glossing over sin,
• but it does mean always trying to treat people with the respect and honor they deserve as beloved children of God.

Our fellow parishioners, even our pastor, can fall short of our ideals.

• However, they all have great dignity in God’s eyes.
• Who are we to cast off someone whom Jesus has seen fit to redeem?
• Who are we to condemn someone whom Jesus has died for?
  There is another benefit to choosing mercy as our starting point instead of judgment:
• It tends to make us much more peaceful!
• We are not keeping an eye out for offenses but are looking at blessings.
• We are not focusing on human sin as much as divine grace.
• And that tends to open our eyes to the good in the world—
• which, in turn, has the power to encourage and inspire us.

There is so much to be grateful for.

• There are so many blessings to thank the Lord for.
• Fixing our hearts on these can bring unity far more effectively than looking for trouble.
• After all, “the Son of Man is Lord of the sabbath” (Matthew 12:8).

** It’s his job, not ours, to be concerned with the conscience of each person he has made.**

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“Jesus, you are forgiving and compassionate. Instead of trying to trap us in our sins, you offer mercy. I exalt you, for you are my loving Lord.”

 

[bullfrog543]

sorry i dont understand much about mercy and the bible teaching of jesus and stuff but i do believe my comments below i also believe italy placed a plate for their enemy germany in ww 2 its biblical and i could appreciate the vatican and the world could justify it being good in the practice teaching of jesus.

12:27 am April 28/08

Leave a dinner plate for thy enemy?
my practice tries to intale leave a dinner plate for thy enemy and love thy enemy about slaying
them i basically dismerber the pain my enemy uses against me and use truth as my sword of
justice

about numbers all i know is i have a chapter called numbers in my pitaful bible this is all i require

while practising this i have drank poison had a hells angel as a room mate in a schy ward been
threatened with verbal abuse bodily harm death threats not a very appealing path never the less
i understand fogiveness to great faith among providing my enemy with swords of destruction
never quite used appropriately though i found great respect along the way from my enemy
withstanding a fork toungue.