The story goes that a Syrian refugee didn鈥檛 want to come to Saskatchewan. Asked why not, he replied that here people worship the Roughriders even though they can鈥檛 win a game.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The fun in this opening line is in the incongruity between this story and real life.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Life devoid of spirituality leaves us in the darkness that Paul Simon sang about in The Sounds of Silence. People talking without speaking, hearing without listening. The words of the prophet are written on the subway walls and tenement halls, and whispered in the sounds of silence.
And in Everyday, Rod Stewart sings about 鈥渄rinkin鈥� wine, feelin鈥� fine,鈥� waiting for a sign. 鈥淩ight now is where you are / In a broken dream鈥� (Songwriter: David Bentley). Loneliness seems to be a common condition in the life described in both songs.
Stewart鈥檚 song alludes to some theme of hope: 鈥淒id someone bow their head? / Did someone break the bread?鈥�
The miracle of Christmas is that Christ came to us and He stayed. He is still present in the 鈥淏read of Life.鈥�
鈥淭he Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty Saviour鈥� 鈥� (Zephaniah 3:17).
On December 8, Pope Francis proclaimed a Holy Year of mercy that is being celebrated by 1.2 billion Catholics in the world. In Matthew 9:13, Jesus says, 鈥淕o and learn the meaning of the words: What I want is mercy, not sacrifice.鈥�
We have been freed from the practice of Old Testament sacrifice. The Body of Christ has replaced the lamb or bull on the altar. We are bought and paid for with the blood of Christ and we belong to God.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Mercy is so important that God sent his Son to give His life for us. When I worry about God鈥檚 wrath, I remember God鈥檚 mercy or love. Another key word is compassion.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Some bible translations say, 鈥淏e perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.鈥� Luke鈥檚 Gospel says, 鈥淏e compassionate, as your heavenly Father is compassionate鈥� (6:36). Love makes us perfect; mercy makes us perfect, and compassion makes us perfect. These are the qualities of Christ that are in us 鈥� and Christ is perfect.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Of course we are still imperfect sinners 鈥� we can鈥檛 even get that right!
But God loves us and fills us with hope because of his mercy. We often feel that we are such foolish sinners that God cannot possibly forgive us again and again. This keeps some away from God鈥檚 mercy and from the church.
Jesus tells us to 鈥渇orgive 70 times seven鈥� (Matthew 18:21-23). In other words, a number suggesting infinity. God will forgive us that often.
In an agony of guilt, Claudius (in Hamlet) says, 鈥淎ll may be well.鈥� All is well! God gave us His mercy when we were yet sinners. God grants us mercy no matter what we have done in life. We abide in His mercy at all times.
As the Year of Our Lord 2016 unfolds, let us be awake to God鈥檚 mercy, to God鈥檚 love. That will fill us with gratitude! 鈥淭hose who are awake live in a constant state of amazement,鈥� 鈥� Jack Kornfield.
