Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little (Luke 7:47).
When I was growing up, the Sacrament of Confession frequently seemed unfair to me. A person is good for a long time, makes a single mistake and then must go to Confession. Someone else does a lot of really bad things, goes to Confession and becomes the same, in God’s eyes, as the first individual. As time passed, I realized the reason for Confession was not to judge people but remind them of God’s mercy.
In this passage from Luke, Jesus teaches
Simon the Pharisee the sign a woman who has committed many sins was forgiven is
the love she shows others. By doing so, he highlights the power of God’s mercy
on the lives of people.
Within the Hebrew Scriptures/Old
Testament mercy was the Divine characteristic which tempered God’s punishing wrath
and fearful judgment. It was experienced in how God reacted to the
needs of petitioners and human suffering. Mercy was not directed towards
some future time but the relief of distress in the present. In the Second
Book of Samuel, David is confronted about his sin of Adultery
with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah the Hittite. God’s
initial response was to inflict violence upon the family of David. However, when
David confessed his guilt and expressed contrition for his sins, God’s mercy
was shown: his life will be spared. While David’s life was threatened by
the rebellion led by his son Absalom, he remained king until his
natural death. God’s mercy insured the promise made to David that Israel would
be ruled by his House was not lost because of his sin. It relieved
David’s apprehension and gave Israel Political stability.
Luke’s account of Christ’s
conversation with Simon the Pharisee highlighted the impact of God’s mercy on
the lives of sinners. Simon likely saw himself as someone who was righteous
most of the time but occasionally committed sin. For this reason, his need for
God’s mercy was diminished. Since Jesus preached a great deal about the need
for God’s mercy, Simon’s reception of him at the dinner was unresponsive. By
contrast, the woman who bathed Christ’s feet with her tears and anointed
them with ointment was a known sinner. She knew her need for God’s mercy was
great and must have heard from Jesus how God extended it to her. Although the
others at the dinner probably disapproved of her presence, she came
to express her thanks anyway. Those who perceived how common sin was in
ordinary life and their inability to overcome it appreciated the power of God’s
mercy and made it the source of their joy.
Christ’s instruction about mercy
conflicts with certain attitudes found within our Society. Whenever a terrible
crime happens, public opinion demands the offender be caught and punished
severely. Fear and shock frequently overpower how people view the
situation. These feelings are intensified when the perpetrator is
dehumanized in the media. Yet, there are innocent individuals
who are wounded by such attitudes. The family or friends of the
offender may have done nothing
wrong but are usually subjected to an intense
scrutiny of the faults in their private life. Although Justice must
be done, the manner in which it is achieved is also important. Mercy requires
people to remember no one loses their Human dignity because it comes from God.
It may be difficult to show mercy at times like that but it has always taken a
strong faith to be a Catholic. Each person is a sinner and in need of God’s
mercy. This fact is the great leveler of human beings. Those who grasp this
truth do not begrudge it when God’s mercy is shown to others and might be better
able to show compassion to those who hurt them when the opportunity happens.
Among the ways Catholics can better
grasp the role of mercy in their Spiritual lives is to engage in the Corporal Works
of Mercy (feed the hungry; shelter the homeless; clothe the naked; visit the
sick and imprisoned as well as bury the dead). Many individuals see these
acts of charity as valuable because they ease the suffering of
others. Yet, their ability to cause those doing them to become more
aware of the need to show mercy is equally crucial. Christ’s dying on the Cross
is the ultimate sign of God’s mercy towards us. For this reason, his Disciples
are called to extend mercy towards others in their daily lives. Human
comparisons of sinfulness are meaningless. The Corporal Works of Mercy
remind Catholics of the practical ways in which they live out this part of
their Spiritual lives. Let our involvement in the Corporal Works of Mercy show
we understand the impact of God’s mercy on our own lives.
As I recognized growing up, everyone
is equal in God’s eyes in their need for his mercy. Although each of us should
strive to avoid sin and live a holy life, the number and gravity of sins one
commits does not influence God’s desire to be merciful. It is the greatest sign
of his love for us.
June 12, 2016
