“THE MERCY OF JESUS”
Saint Luke 6: 36-42
4th Sunday after Trinity: 24 June Anno Domini 2018
Father Jay Watson SSP
Jesus talks to you about mercy because you are not merciful. He is merciful, but even more, He is Mercy itself. Mercy, love, charity, sacrificial action, Holy Absolution is the constitutive essence of The Lord!
You’re not merciful. Not merciful by your old fallen nature. You are merciful as new women and new men “In Christ.” But, like The Apostle the mercy you want to do, you do not; and, the vengeance and grudges and pay-backs that you do not want to do, you find yourselves doing.
Jesus speaks in your ears and tells you that His Heavenly Father, your Father, for do you not call Him Abba, as you will shortly in The Lord’s Prayer, is also merciful. The Heavenly Father is so merciful that He sent His only begotten Son into the flesh, into the world, into obedience, suffering, and death to give you mercy.
You need not lust to judge, to condemn your fellow sinners to hell. Yes, of course, when someone sins against you, your love for them, for all your neighbors, may well move you sooner, rather than later (situations vary) to confront them with The Law, to tell them how they’ve sinned against you. That action flowing from Christ’s love through you is meant to elicit repentance on their part and full and free remission of their wrong on your part when you forgive them.
The judging of sin of course was done by God The Father when He judged His Beloved Son, Christ Jesus, guilty of all of your hatred, treason, stealing, sloth, adultery, etc. on the Holy Crucifix, on the Holy mountain, in the Holy Body and Holy Blood of The God/Man! Christ’s guilt is your acquittal.
Forgiving freely those who have harmed you, like as Jesus instructed Peter to do—when they repent—is Jesus Himself forgiving you and your trespasser with His universal and free Grace. You are swept up, and in the love and forgiveness of Christ. The mercy and peace and restoration of Jesus is unlimited and is given you in good measure. Always more. Absolution for confession: Done. Absolution in your Holy + Washing and daily remembrance: Done. Absolution in the consolation of the Saints remitting one another for their failings: Done. Absolution in The Eucharist: Done. Oh yes “good measure, pressed down and shaken together., and running over, shall men give into your bosom” for you are doing the same to and for them. All done because Jesus Himself gave His good measure, His God measure in His passive and active obedience. He allowed Himself to be pressed down on wood, with iron. He allowed Himself to be shaken violently in the bitter pains of an agonizing death—buffeted by the hellish winds of the devil’s howls and the righteous Wrath of The Father’s Divine Rain of Justice. He allowed Himself to be “The” “running over” as His precious Blood covers the world and all of you. It isn’t “men” who truly give “into your bosom” but Jesus Who gives you His bosom, His heart, His Blood in The very Supper of Mercy.
You are given the perfect vision of faith because Jesus became blind in death for you. And, though now, that vision is indeed through a “glass darkly,” that is only in comparison to the true beatific vision you will have of The Trinity at The Resurrection of all flesh. Then you will see with your eyes, what now, your eyes, that is your “spiritual ears” only hear: “Mercy to you, Peace to you, Forgiveness to you.”
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of The Holy Ghost
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