Mercy

Moses said to the people: "If only you would heed the voice of the LORD, your God, and keep his commandments and statutes that are written in this book of the law, when you return to the LORD, your God, with all your heart and all your soul.

"For this command that I enjoin on you today is not too mysterious and remote for you. It is not up in the sky, that you should say, 'Who will go up in the sky to get it for us and tell us of it, that we may carry it out?' Nor is it across the sea, that you should say, 'Who will cross the sea to get it for us and tell us of it, that we may carry it out?' No, it is something very near to you, already in your mouths and in your hearts; you have only to carry it out." (Deuteronomy 30:10-14)

Christ Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things were created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he himself might be preeminent. 

For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile all things for him, making peace by the blood of his cross through him, whether those on earth or those in heaven. (Colossians 1:15-20)

There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test Jesus and said, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus said to him, "What is written in the law? How do you read it?"

He said in reply, "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself." He replied to him, "You have answered correctly; do this and you will live."

But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" Jesus replied, "A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead. A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. 

But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight. He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn, and cared for him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, 'Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.' Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers' victim?" He answered, "The one who treated him with mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise." (Luke 10:25-37)

Our first reading from Deuteronomy gives us a not-so-subtle hint about how to heed the voice of the LORD, our God – how to keep his commandments and statutes.  We should look no further than what is already in our mouths and in our hearts. – or what should be there. We have only to carry them out – to voice them and keep them – and be guided by our second reading telling us that Christ Jesus is the image of the invisible God.  

How do we mirror that image?  The Gospel tells us using the story of the robber, victim, priest, Levite, and Samaritan traveler.  Jesus asked the scholar of the law: "Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers' victim?" He answered, "The one who treated him with mercy." Jesus then said to him, "Go and do likewise." 

When we do likewise, we also are the image of our invisible God.  When we treat others with mercy, our mouths and our hearts are like those belonging to Jesus. This makes sense because we are the Body of Christ, so we must act that way.  Otherwise, we have not loved the Lord, our God, with all our hearts, with all you being, with all our strength, with all our minds, and our neighbors as ourselves.

Are we moved with compassion at the sight of victims from any cause? Do we pour oil and wine over their wounds and bandaged them?  Do we take care of them? That is what Jesus instructs us to do – to show mercy, to be merciful.  Our mouths and hearts will reveal our answers.  

Deacon David Pierce