It is not just about giving mercy, but also receiving mercy

By Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor

A reflection on the daily readings, for Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent, by Father Perry.

+ The scriptures always seem to be about teaching and inspiring.

But every once in a while, we get a teaching of such excellence that it could be sent to be the “crème de la crème.”

And it is not only about God and us, but also us and us.

Today focuses on mercy and forgiveness, which always seem to go hand in hand.

And it is not just about giving mercy, but also receiving mercy.

Now in the case of the selection from Deuteronomy, an evaluation is placed upon the act of repentance and humility and contriteness.

Azariah was a prophet who clearly understood the connection between a contrite and humble heart and sought to convince God that contritely asking God for his mercy was more profitable than “burnt offerings of rams and bullocks, or thousands of fat lambs.”

He was convinced that this would please God and win the so-needed mercy of God.

Jesus goes a step further in teaching one of his central and foundational teachings: that of mercy and forgiveness between us — that is, forgiving one another.

And Peter becomes the center of and the occasion for such a teaching as he asks Jesus a question, then answers the question himself in what would seem to have been an airtight response.

Having, no doubt, heard Jesus speak about forgiveness numerous times, Peter asked an open question, then pinned down the answer with a numerical value — but not just any number.

No! But the number seven.

“How many times must we forgive?”

“Seven times”?

To which Jesus, almost without blinking, responds: “Not seven times, but 77 times.”

Or to put it another way, seven — the perfect number — times 10, a lesser but another perfect number — equalling 70 times

The perfect number once again.

Or once again, as if spinning around in an unending spiral of eternal continuance.

And this ain’t ever never going to stop. Always!

And Jesus adds yet another evaluative stroke, as he seems to say: “If you don’t show mercy and forgiveness, you won’t ever know or receive mercy and forgiveness. For not giving and living it, how would you ever really see or hear or know it?”

This lesson of Jesus is a really, really big one, and he spoke it and lived it all the way to and on the cross.

And when the psalmist says: “Guide me in your ways and teach me” — without any doubt, this is one of the most important and powerful and life giving ways of the Lord.

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Father Perry D. Leiker is the 13th pastor of St. Bernard Catholic Church. Reach him at (323) 255-6142. Email Father Perry at pleiker@stbernard-church.com. Follow Father Perry on Twitter: @MrDeano76.