One week ago, we celebrated an event that rivals the creation of the entire universe. For just as the infinite vastness we know as creation grew from tiniest speck, just as all of the forms of matter and energy came into being from nothing…. Just as all of the physical, chemical, and biological elements had their beginning in the mind of God, and in that moment of creation; so too began our spiritual evolution. For God began to reveal to us God’s very essence – and that essence is Love. Love so strong, so big, that in a blink of God’s eye a universe was created for us to exist in, and as we evolved spiritually we became ever more able to sense that there is a greater meaning to our lives, that there is a greater purpose in our existence, that there is a greater hand guiding creation.
God revealed to us God’s very essence at the incarnation. Thats why we celebrate Christmas. Yet as profound as that revelation was, God blows away our small and petty understandings about God, and about life itself, in the resurrection. There can be no clearer sign of God’s revelation of love, and of the transcendent nature of creation, than in that moment. It is why every Sunday, we celebrate the resurrection.
Yet, the Resurrection and the events that flowed from it reveal something even more spiritually profound. Because out of the awesome mystery that is God, God reveals to us one of the God’s names. That name? Mercy That name? רחמים rachamim. Rachamim – love that is tender, responsive, compassionate, like a parent responding in love to the sufferings of their child. It comes from a root word rechem, which means a mother’s womb. Thus, there is a special intimacy and responsiveness about this kind of love, and a special concern for the sufferings of others. For if God revealed to us God’s essence as Love, then we live out that love through mercy. We make that love present to the world through being merciful.
It’s not like we don’t have an idea of how to do that. We just came through Lent, and I am sure that you knew about all the Works of Mercy that are part of Lenten preparation. Things like feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, visit the sick. You know the list. Or you can google it.
But mercy is not just something you choose to DO during Lent. It is something you are called to BE as a Christian, as a child of God – not just in Lent, but everyday. Every one of us is called not just to DO what Jesus did, but to BE what Jesus was in today’s world. To BE mercy to those we encounter. As Pope Francis said it early in his pontificate, “above all, we are called to be ministers of mercy“.
So, how to we become Mercy? Well, it is said that adults learn best by doing, and so the way to become merciful is through our acts of Mercy. Take some time this week to reflect on those works of mercy, and choose one that resonates with you.
For example, feed the hungry. There is more than enough food produced in the world to feed everyone on the planet. Yet, about 700 million people worldwide go to bed hungry each night. Worldwide, an estimated 14 million children under the age of five suffer from severe acute malnutrition. Tragic. But we also Iive in a world where hunger is not just for food. For once we have nourished the body, we can nourish the mind. The heart. The spirit. And particularly in North America, there is a particular spiritual malnutrition. often caused by the excesses in other areas of our life.
To clothe the naked is to provide the supports and protections that will help our brothers and sisters feel less vulnerable to the whims of others, less exposed to risks in their living each day.
To shelter the homeless is to recognize that homelessness is not just about those who live on the streets. It as about sheltering anyone who has been displaced in life, providing support, direction, and the tools to build resilience.
A visit to the sick, a connection, a smile, an ear to listen….. all of these small actions can make a huge difference. But the sick are not just in hospitals or in group settings. Those same actions bring healing to those who suffer in silence, who had held secret their struggles, and who maybe sitting unknown next to you, right now.
Choose just one of the acts of Mercy and put it into practise. Really put it in practice. Let it be like a tune that keeps running through your mind. Let it make itself known each and every day. Then take time to ask God what God is revealing to you in the experience. Mercy is not something we do on the 2nd Sunday of Easter. For we are on the receiving end of God’s mercy, God’s רחמים rachamim, every moment of our lives. Perhaps it is time that we make being merciful part of who we are every moment of our lives, too.