Love and Mercy

It's been awhile since my last entry and the reality is I am having a difficult time truly acknowledging all the things the Lord is asking of me...Turns out love and mercy is what is being asked of me. These two gifts have been freely given, yet i do not offer it freely to those around me. I have experienced suffering in such a way that I hesitate to open myself up to love and mercy. Both in giving it and receiving it.

I realize that I can no longer be selfish by withholding these gifts from others. I also have come to acknowledge the fact that the Lord doesn't just want us to suffer, but that we are actually meant to be joyful in the things we do.Many times we do things out of obligation, but don't actually enjoy it. There is a certain degree that it is necessary to do things that make us uncomfortable, but there is another where we are just stubborn and are not open to what the Lord is trying to show us.

How does focusing on how things should be help anyone when all it does is makes us angry, frustrated or annoyed? Instead we should humble ourselves because our ways are not the Lord's way, so when we think things are completely wrong we could actually just be missing what God is trying to show us. We need to stop thinking we know what's best and just be open to the Lord's gifts.

This can look very different in each of our lives, but we must be honest with ourselves and truly be open to what the Lord has in store even when it comes in a disguise that we don't like. That person that annoys you is in your life for a reason. But if all you can think about is how much they annoy you then you will never see Christ in them and what He is bringing to you at that moment.

Lets begin with mercy. why do we think we are worth forgiving and others are not? Or even why do we refuse the Lord's mercy and not forgive ourselves? How prideful are we? God freely gave His life for us to love and redeem us. How can we be prideful to reject it or selfish enough to now share it? How do we expect to grow if we just continually avoid the things that cause us growing pains? Love hurts because it causes both parties to change. The person loving has to learn to be selfless in giving (in the way that is best for the other person) and the person receiving needs to learn to be open to receive (even when it is not easy to let other in) and vice-versa.

Surrender is the most active thing we can do when it come to the Lords love and mercy. He hangs on that cross full of love and mercy for each one of us. He awaits patiently for us to receive it.

Why are we afraid to receive it? We don't feel we are worthy. How dare you reject the Lords love that way. Its already yours. There is nothing you can do to make it more or less. He loves you just because you are.
We do things, like sin, to separate ourselves from Him, but He still loves us. However, we must ask for forgiveness. Even though mercy is free and ours it needs to be chosen and accepted. He gives us love and mercy freely. He doesn't force it on us.

How come we are selfish with the Love and mercy that is freely given to us?
Why cant we give love and mercy to those around us?
Here is the clincher. God gives you mercy and love, but the thing you must do is past it on because if you don't how do you expect to continually be forgiven if you cannot forgive?

The lie of superiority in our society is ruining us. Why do we think some people are better and worth more than others? Why do you think you are any better than the person next to you? This lie destroys our sense of community it is why we see some people as less then human. Because we think we are better than that person over there.  At times you even breathe a sigh of relief and say at least i am not like that or at least I am not doing that, but the reality is it doesn't matter what other people are like because God knows everything in the depths of your own heart. Holiness is not lived out the same for everyone. If you are not growing in virtue and being purified then you are living a lie. Judging others worth does not help us grow in holiness. It distracts us from how we need to change instead it gives us comfort and peace. If all you are seeking is comfort and how to have a "happy, painless life" then you are not looking at the world through the correct lens.

You have been put on this earth for a purpose, a mission and its not for your own selfishness. We may not all be called to be missionaries on the streets, but we are all called to love and to be merciful. To love as the Lord loves us, without conditions. To forgive as much as the Lord forgives us. Endless amounts of times.

For example: many times it is easier to just say well that person is just going to drink and beg for money so they are choosing homelessness so i don't have to feel bad for not helping them because if i do i will just be enabling. However, why do we put ourselves in the judge position. We are not called to see what members of society are worth or not worth investing in, but we are called to love ALL. We are all EQUAL. Ain't that some craziness.

You are no better than the homeless person on that street corner that you avoid making eye contact with because you don't want to feel guilty. Instead you take away their dignity by doing that. The least you can do is look them in the eyes and see your own reflection. You might not be poor in material things but you too are poor in some way.

They at least humble themselves to ask for it. You think they enjoy standing on street corners being rejected and ignored time and time again? You say why don't they just go find a job instead of standing there, but it is so easy for us to judge, why cant it be that easy to love?

We are NEVER going to end poverty and homelessness or pain and suffering, but what are we going to tell Jesus when He asks us how did we love those around us?

oh sorry man, i didn't think they were self-motivated enough to get themselves out of poverty, so i just ignored them because it was lost cause. Or how about I thought they just wanted to be homeless, so i didn't think they wanted me to love them.  Or how about they got themselves into that mess they should work hard to get out of it.

It is a really good thing that God's ways are not our way's because otherwise none us would make it to heaven. This however is not an excuse to just say well I cant do as good as job as God so I am just not going to try. On the contrary, God needs you to give it your all and try in order for His graces to be poured out.

He needs you to give the little bit of loaves and fish you have in order to feed the thousands. He needs your hands to do the work. He needs your heart to love. He needs you to do His will in order for others to experience the same love and mercy He gives you.

Please don't be so quick to judge those around you. You are NO better. When God created you He didn't say oh every one else is eh okay, but this one is very good. No! He said we were all equally good created in His image and likeness.

Sometimes we are too blinded by the way we think things should be that we miss entirely what is actually in front of us. Instead of thinking how that person should just get a job and off the streets look again and see Christ being rejected....are you going to reject Him too and just pretend you didn't see Him.  Or that you didn't have enough time...

God gives us the poor for our own salvation. He allows suffering (not because He enjoys to see us sufffer) to occur for our own purification and growth. If everything was comfortable and easy how would we grow in virtue? We need them as much as they need us. If we don't take care of the poor who will? If the poor don't shake us out of our comfort who will?

We don't even realize how much we are lacking because we have it all materially, but when you encounter the poor you get to see how much you are truly lacking. We think we need to "do" all the time, but we are humanBEINGS not human doers.We forget that.

We are also meant to live in the present and remember we are just passing through in this world. Instead we save tons of money and food in order to prepare for the future, but there are so many people that need that NOW, but we are selfish and want it just in case for ourselves for later. Even though that later may never come. We also fail to allow God's providence to work because we do it all ourselves, but we weren't created for ourselves. We were created to be in a loving relationship with God our creator. Instead, we use Him only for emergencies.

Regardless, He remains faithful to us and still gives, but we sadly don't allow ourselves to be open to receive because we are too busy planning for what might happen instead of acknowledging what is happening in the here and now.

Look I am not trying to make you feel bad about what the Lord has blessed you with, but I am calling you to do something. Look at your life. It has been a gift from the beginning, so share it. Give in the ways that you can. If its not money, then give of your talents and time. Every little bit helps. The other thing it isn't about you and what you do or give, but its about being open to what the Lord wants you to learn and experience.

It is good to pray for others, but there comes a time when we must act. We must actually do something. Love is prayer in action. That action may be as simple as "just being there" with someone in need. We need to learn to be like Mary and John at the foot of the cross. They didn't do anything except BE with the Lord and love Him.

Lets us Be open to the Lord's will. Let us Be the Love God created us to Be and share the gifts He has blessed us with.

Decide

The Lord has given us freewill to choose how we are to live our lives, but this does not mean that there isn't a way of life that is actually more fulfilling to who we are as human beings because their actually is a right and a wrong path. This truth hurts especially in our society where people don't want to hurt another feelings or just want to avoid difficult conversations for their own sake, but the reality is that everything our world has to offer isn't always beneficial for growth in virtue and if we don't grow in virtue then you are not fulfilling your own humanity.

Life is hard and we are constantly faced with difficult decisions, but the beauty is we don't have to do it alone and there are many who have gone before us and have been able to make the right decisions.
Our commitment to live life for Christ is a radical one. If we think its going to be a walk in the park; we are wrong. It is actually going to be a walk up to Calvary for our own crucifixion. I know this might sound really intense and possibly too much, but what else are we on this earth for?

We are pilgrims on a journey to Heaven. God will definitely give you the grace to be able to live for Him, but He needs everything you have. He needs  your 100% commitment that you will do everything in your power to choose Him. This might mean something different for everyone. We are not all called to be missionaries to the homeless in a third world country, but we are Christians on a mission and we need to figure what that looks life for our own unique lives.

The same way God called us into being, which was uniquely different for each one of us the same way God calls us to serve Him on this earth. The biggest thing we must remember is we were created to love and be loved. What are you doing to better love and receive love from the people you encounter each day?

I truly believe that aspect of privacy and comfort are the 2 big lies that our world sells us that we have all bought into. We want our own space, we don't want people to know what going on in our lives, but yet at the same time we desire people to be with us. Therefore, we have a screening process for people to see if they are worthy of being let in and loving them. Can you image if Jesus did that? If when someone approached Him He would have have said okay after three months I will evaluate whether you are worth loving. I understand the argument when people say that we are not Jesus, but the reality is that is a lie.

We were created in the image and likeness of God. We were created to be Christ's to each other to love one another as He has loved us. We can only love others because we were loved first by God. so why do we have more reservations to love those around us? is it because we are afraid of being hurt? What if loving that person next to you the way God loves you would change their lives? Is a little bit of hurt a small price to pay for the greater glory of God? Is the walk up to Calvary a small price to pay in order to be united in the Resurrection?

We are called to live in this world while having our eyes set on the Kingdom. We have been giving the ability to choose. He is not going to force us into one thing or the other, but as God is trying to lead us on the right path at the same time the evils of this world are trying to evangelize us too. Except everything they sell seems great, but always falls short.

We have to put our hand in Jesus' hand and walk ahead because if we look back we will want to go back. (Mother Teresa I believe...) The things of this world which are empty, seem appealing and we desire them because essentially the world is good because it is God's creation, but it has been corrupted by sin and now only appears good. Also, the reality is that sometimes we are called to leave things which are good for the sake of our own salvation. for example: family. Family will always be something that holds us back, but God comes before everything including family. You think Jesus wanted to leave Mama Mary? No, but He knew that for the greater good of man He had to do what He was put on earth to do. Only He could fulfill that mission. The same is with us. We all have a mission that is unique to us and no one else can fulfill it, so we must say Yes and live out that commitment no matter how hard it gets. Remember it will hurt, but it will not harm you.

The passage that renews this commitment to me is Luke 9: 57-62:

As Jesus and his disciples were proceeding
on their journey, someone said to him,
"I will follow you wherever you go."
Jesus answered him,
"Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests,
but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head."
And to another he said, "Follow me."
But he replied, "Lord, let me go first and bury my father."
But he answered him, "Let the dead bury their dead.
But you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God."
And another said, "I will follow you, Lord,
but first let me say farewell to my family at home."
Jesus answered him, "No one who sets a hand to the plow
and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God."

Let us have the courage to say Yes to the Lord and actually do what we say we will do. He doesn't disappoint and everything we give up on this earth for the sake of the Kingdom will be re payed in Heaven. He will give us the grace we need in order to do His will, but we must ask for that. May we be open to the road that God has for us to walk on in this life no matter how difficult and uncomfortable it may be.

As a dear housemate always says how long is it going to take for us to finally be uncomfortable with being comfortable.