18th Sunday in Ordinary Time
(Sunday 31st July 2016)
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy’– (Luke 12: 13 – 21)
It could be very easy to go straight to the parable of the rich man in this week’s Gospel but we could miss out on an important point in the opening paragraph. When Jesus makes the point about being the man’s judge or arbitrator, St Luke is showing how Jesus is not to be seen in these times as a judge for civil or religious issues. Jesus is here now to help show us what is essential for each of in our lives – whether we have a little or a lot.
Greed is one of the seven deadly sins and the rich man in the parable also suffers from selfishness as every point he says or thinks is about himself – about what he has and what he will do – there is no consideration for God or for others around him. He could very easily sell some of his crop and use the money for good projects that will help his family, friends or even those around him who have less or nothing at all. When any of us can only see the riches that are around us and to be used only for our own benefit then this greed robs us of our faith and the real treasures that God has in store for us.
After all, when we can use whatever we have for those around us then we are carrying out an act of mercy and this connects nicely with the theme of WYD 2016 – ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.’ This promises to be a great time for all of those in Poland or travelling there and in this very special Jubilee of Mercy Pope Francis has highlighted how important acts of mercy are. These acts can only come about when we have experienced first-hand the mercy of God. These experiences of mercy can be small or large and from friends or strangers and through them we become, as Pope Francis says: instruments of God’s mercy. Pope Francis goes one step further in the closing of his message for WYD when he calls us ‘apostles of mercy.’ (If you get a chance to look this message up, you will also see a beautiful prayer of St Faustina on how to be an instrument of mercy. It comes from her diary – paragraph 163) Not only then are we to be instruments but we are to be sent out so that the mercy of God reaches further and to more people. In this way we will truly be making ourselves rich in the sight of God.
Rev. Charles Lafferty S.A.C.