9 October 2013 - when mercy gets real

9 October 2013 - when mercy gets real

I knew that you are a gracious and merciful God,
slow to anger, rich in clemency, loathe to punish.
And now, LORD, please take my life from me;
for it is better for me to die than to live.”
But the LORD asked, “Have you reason to be angry?”

OK, so Jonah is a little melodramatic.  He knows that the LORD is gracious and merciful but he isn't happy about it.  There are deep barriers between Jonah and the Ninevites even though the LORD made them both. 

We imagine ourselves to be different from Jonah.  We think that we want him to give his mercy to everyone.  But the logical consequence of Nineveh not being destroyed is that Jonah has to continue to share the world with Ninevites.  He has to continue to interact with them.  He understands all to well that God's mercy is concrete and not abstract.  It breaks down barriers.  It moves toward unity. 

I'm guessing that there are many people with whom we want nothing to do.  We think, 'Sure, God, be merciful to them.  Just don't make me deal with them.'  We think this has to do with preference and not holiness.  That isn't the case.  If we really manifest the patience and love that God displays for Nineveh and for Jonah we will be able to welcome all people with open arms.  We are clearly excluding abusive situations from our consideration.  But the LORD's mercy isn't content to leave the people alienated by sin isolated from one another.  We are his family and he can't stand seeing his family broken.

Father, hallowed be your name,

His mercy changes the hearts of those who were formerly strangers.  That is why it is called the unity of the Spirit (cf. Eph. 4:3).  If God does not unite us with his supernatural power then we can never look forward to the time when:

All the nations you have made shall come
and worship you, O Lord,
and glorify your name.

This is why the prayer Jesus teaches us does not just ask for individual mercy.  It insists that we be merciful as well.

and forgive us our sins
for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us,

He gives us the daily bread which makes all of this possible.  Without the supernatural life we receive from Jesus in the Eucharist this remains beyond us.  But he makes his mercy present within us.  He makes our hearts like his own.

For you are great, and you do wondrous deeds;
you alone are God.