Pastor's Pen - January 3, 2015

mer·cy noun: mercy; plural noun: mercies compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm ( from google search definition)

The old testament Hebrew word that is often translated to mercy is hesed which is God’s covenant “loving-kindness”/ God’s covenantal love. (http://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/mercy)

A good way to understand the meaning of mercy is to see how it relates to grace:
1. Mercy--not getting what you do deserve/withheld punishment
2. Grace--getting what you don't deserve / unmerited favor
Mercy is like a judge finding you guilty, but then withholding any punishment. Grace is getting something you could never have imagined. An inexplicable gift. It's like the same judge awarding you $10,000,000.00, after finding you guilty
(http://www.acts17-11.com/mercy.html)

In this Jubilee Year of Mercy, we are called to live out this mercy in particular ways. In doing so, we bring “hesed” to people we encounter and in turn incarnate the Kingdom of Heaven here and now. This month we are focusing on the Corporal Work of Mercy of Sheltering the Homeless.

Reflection: For some, to be homeless is to be deprived of a secure and acceptable dwelling, to lack the basic human rights of shelter and safety. For others, to be homeless is to live without meaningful connections – to self, to family, to community, to God. How can we both ensure that all have a safe place to sleep and live as well as to make meaningful connections to people who live in any kind of isolation.
(http://www.archmil.org/Our-Faith/Year-of-Mercy/ ReflectingCorporalMercy.htm)

This month is a time especially to keep our eyes and hearts open to opportunities to help others and to be especially grateful to the gifts of shelter that we have been given by God.

Fr. Chuck