In today's first reading, Jonah 4: 1-11, we learn that God, indeed, had mercy upon the Ninevites and, because they repented, did not carry out the threat that the city would be destroyed in 40 days. Jonah says to God: "I beseech you, Lord, is not this what I said while I was still in my own country? This is why I fled at first to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger, rich in clemency, loathe to punish". God did other things about which Jonah also got angry, "angry enough to die," Jonah says to God.
God is no different in how he deals with us today! God is "slow to anger, rich in clemency, loathe to punish" and so we wonder where God is as evil seems to triumph! God, I believe, is giving people time to repent. He is in no hurry to punish! He will wait as long as he desires for us to turn from sinful ways and come back to Him to follow the Spirit's lead and accept His merciful love.
It is very obvious as we read and reflect upon Jonah 4: 1-11, that God is in charge of every detail of Jonah's life! God's control is obvious in the shade tree that sprung up to protect Jonah from the beating heat of the sun and, also, in the tree's demise, leaving Jonah to battle the sun's heat. It was God who responded mercifully to the Ninevites, opposite what Jonah wanted God to do.
As with Jonah, God also takes control of every detail of our lives, using us as instruments in executing His plans, providing shade and protection for us when we need it, correcting us when we fail to understand that God's ways are not our ways and His thoughts not our thoughts! Yes, God is at work even when things do not go the way we want them to go!
Lord, I ask forgiveness for the times, like Jonah, I got angry when you did not do things my way and challenged me to know that You are God and I am not! Forgive me, Lord, when I dictate to You, telling You what to do, rather than seeking Your will! May I have a change of heart and mind to conform to Your ways, Your thoughts and Your will. I ask this in Jesus' name. Amen!
Showing posts with label A forgiving God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label A forgiving God. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 9, 2019
Sunday, March 31, 2019
A God with Arms Always Open to Embrace Us
In today's Gospel, Luke 14: 1-3, 11-32, Jesus tells the story of the loving father, the prodigal son and the elder brother. Who am I in that story? the prodigal son who squanders the inheritance God has given me, living promiscuously, deceptively, corruptly, slovenly; the elder brother who lives by the letter of the law, does everything right, feels justified, superior to others and gets extremely angry when someone who turns from sin and evil is celebrated? Do I secretively rejoice at another's misfortune or poor choices saying, when things go wrong for this person, that he or she is getting what is deserved? Do I withdraw and sulk when such a person turns from evil to do good and a party is thrown in his or her honor? Or am I the father/ the person eagerly waiting for the return of the "prodigal" person, running to greet him/her with open arms--no questions asked but, instead, arranging for a big celebration!
The father, in this parable, of course, is God! We are both of the children! When you and I go astray, make poor choices that create a famine in our lives on all fronts--emotionally, socially, physically, financially, psychologically, spiritually--, as did both sons, God waits and waits and waits. God will wait hourly, weekly, monthly, yearly for our return. No matter how long we separate ourselves from God--from Love, Forgiveness, Intimacy, Reconciliation--God waits to embrace us with open, caring, loving arms, showing us compassion, restoring good fortunes to us, and lavishing us with gifts. The inheritance God has for us is intact!
Lord, open my eyes to Your love, Your compassion, Your generosity, Your longing to embrace me! Whenever I fall or wander off to places where I will encounter famine spiritually, socially, psychologically, emotionally, may I have the humility to come back to you, as did the prodigal son in this parable. Forgive me, Lord, when I stay away and give up, saying something like: "What use is it for me to make any changes in my life; it is too late. Anyway, I'm lost. I'm no good. What I have done is unforgivable!" Please, Lord, don't let me stay stuck in those poisonous attitudes and in humility return to you! I ask this in Jesus' name! Amen!
The father, in this parable, of course, is God! We are both of the children! When you and I go astray, make poor choices that create a famine in our lives on all fronts--emotionally, socially, physically, financially, psychologically, spiritually--, as did both sons, God waits and waits and waits. God will wait hourly, weekly, monthly, yearly for our return. No matter how long we separate ourselves from God--from Love, Forgiveness, Intimacy, Reconciliation--God waits to embrace us with open, caring, loving arms, showing us compassion, restoring good fortunes to us, and lavishing us with gifts. The inheritance God has for us is intact!
Lord, open my eyes to Your love, Your compassion, Your generosity, Your longing to embrace me! Whenever I fall or wander off to places where I will encounter famine spiritually, socially, psychologically, emotionally, may I have the humility to come back to you, as did the prodigal son in this parable. Forgive me, Lord, when I stay away and give up, saying something like: "What use is it for me to make any changes in my life; it is too late. Anyway, I'm lost. I'm no good. What I have done is unforgivable!" Please, Lord, don't let me stay stuck in those poisonous attitudes and in humility return to you! I ask this in Jesus' name! Amen!
Monday, March 18, 2019
Be Compassionate as God is Compassionate
In today's Gospel, Luke 6: 36-38, Jesus says to us: "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will e pour into your lap. for the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you."
"Just as your Father is merciful!" God models mercy and reveals his merciful self in Jesus! Jesus challenges the sinner but does not condemn. In fact, in his own words, Jesus tells us that he came, not to condemn, but to save us, showing us how to love others as ourselves, how to be compassionate as God is compassionate, how, in short, to forgive ourselves and others.
Jesus reveals that His Father, and He himself, is merciful and compassionate, slow to anger and quick to forgive. He does so on the cross when the good thief turns to him and says: "Remember me in your kingdom" and Jesus replies: This very day you will be with me in my kingdom. When a woman caught in adultery is dragged before him and her accusers are ready to stone her according to the law of the nation of Israel, Jesus admonishes them, asking: Which of you is without sin, cast the first stone. No one stoned her! When a deaf man was brought to him for healing, and Jesus was asked "who sinned, the person or his parents", Jesus states clearly that no one sinned. He indicated that misfortunes are not the result of our sinful behaviors. Jesus shows mercy and heals the deaf person.
God is about mercy, wholeness, and healing. He takes no pleasure in people suffering in any way. That is not God's thinking but ours!
What attitudes do I need to change within myself? Am I quick to condemn, to judge, to find fault with another when misfortunes occur, when illness same to take possession of another, of myself? How caring am I? How loving am I? How forgiving am I? Does compassion direct my thoughts?
"Just as your Father is merciful!" God models mercy and reveals his merciful self in Jesus! Jesus challenges the sinner but does not condemn. In fact, in his own words, Jesus tells us that he came, not to condemn, but to save us, showing us how to love others as ourselves, how to be compassionate as God is compassionate, how, in short, to forgive ourselves and others.
Jesus reveals that His Father, and He himself, is merciful and compassionate, slow to anger and quick to forgive. He does so on the cross when the good thief turns to him and says: "Remember me in your kingdom" and Jesus replies: This very day you will be with me in my kingdom. When a woman caught in adultery is dragged before him and her accusers are ready to stone her according to the law of the nation of Israel, Jesus admonishes them, asking: Which of you is without sin, cast the first stone. No one stoned her! When a deaf man was brought to him for healing, and Jesus was asked "who sinned, the person or his parents", Jesus states clearly that no one sinned. He indicated that misfortunes are not the result of our sinful behaviors. Jesus shows mercy and heals the deaf person.
God is about mercy, wholeness, and healing. He takes no pleasure in people suffering in any way. That is not God's thinking but ours!
What attitudes do I need to change within myself? Am I quick to condemn, to judge, to find fault with another when misfortunes occur, when illness same to take possession of another, of myself? How caring am I? How loving am I? How forgiving am I? Does compassion direct my thoughts?
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