Be Merciful as the Father is Merciful

In this era of selfishness, grees and wickedness and an era where even one time vocations like medicine we see the plunder of unsuspecting patients.

Jesus Christ in the all important Sermon on the Mount says, "Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect." Some translations refer to it as, "Be holy." What does it mean to be perfect or holy as our heavenly Father is holy? Different people or scholars may give different interpretations but often the correct one comes from Jesus Christ Himself.

He says; "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbour and hate your enemy'. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you only love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Matthew 5: 43 - 48).

St. Luke in his Gospel puts it more precisely. He says, "Be merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful" (Luke 6 : 36). It is mercy that is the measure of our perfection or holiness.

To err is human, to forgive divine. That is why the Lord Jesus told St. Peter that he must be ready to forgive not just seven times a day but even 70 times seven. Every time we forgive we become more like God. Therefore when we forgive 70 times seven we are transformed that much to the image and likeness of God.

Jesus Christ also tells us that even in situations of evil and injustice, when we are merciful and forgiving God takes control of that situation and brings about justice according to His will and for the common good of all.

The Bible also assures us, "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness" (Lamentations 3 : 22 - 23).

As we experience the amazing grace, unconditional love and the infinite mercy of God we need to seek the power of the Holy Spirit to give this love, forgiveness and mercy to others in an unlimited ways. Then we will be transformed to be more in the image and the likeness of God. Others also will be transformed, beginning in the family and neighbourhood, the church and the workplace and elsewhere. So let us be merciful as our heavenly Father is merciful.

Jesus also brings to fulfillment the Old Testament writer's interpretation on retributive justice and transforms it into God's restorative justice. One of the latest and best examples of this was South Africa's Truth Commission inspired by the legendary Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. In one of the most inspiring and powerful cases before the truth commission we heard the amazing story of a black mother whose husband and only son were killed by a white supremacist soldier.

When the case came up the soldier confessed and the commission asked the heart-broken mother whether she was ready to forgive. The mother said yes but with two conditions. One was that the soldier should show her where her husband and only son were dumped so that she could take the bodies and give them a descent burial. The second condition amazing. She said she would like to be the foster mother of the soldier who had killed her son. The soldier was stunned and fainted in the dock. Amid pin drop silence the people in the court, responded by singing, 'amazing grace'.

Indeed it was an amazing moment of God's love and mercy working through a grieving mother. This is the perfection and holiness that God calls us to. When we cooperate with God, miracles, signs and wonders will take place.