For this Sunday’s Gospel on the Beatitudes, I want to give importance on the 5th: “Blessed are the merciful, for they be shown mercy.”The ‘MERCIFUL’ means two things: 1) one who forgives the offense of others and 2) one who is compassionate. Those who show mercy and compassion will have mercy and compassion shown to them by God. An Australian missionary and his two sons were brutally murdered in Orissa, India. Graham Gaines had lived in India for 34 years, and had been serving the lepers, certainly among the poorest of the poor. But the jeep in which he and his two sons were sleeping was torched apparently by Indian fanatics. The missionaries tried to escape but were pushed back and burned beyond recognition.
The incident caused an uproar both in India and abroad. There were the usual condemnations and cries for justice. But his wife Gladys, when interviewed on national television, showed no bitterness or desire for revenge. She appealed for forgiveness and expressed the hope that the death of her loved ones would strengthen them. In so doing she showed herself to be a true Christian.
Mercy and justice are not in opposition. Mercy perfects justice. We need justice in the world. But we need mercy even more. “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” if duly observed will leave us blind and toothless. Our Lord, to save the world, went beyond that and asked us to love our enemies and to do well to those who hate us. (Mt .5: 44; Lk.6:27) I would be terrified if I were to be told that God would deal with me according to justice. I need His mercy. And if I want to obtain it, the surest way is to show mercy to others myself. An Indian priest working in Abu Dhabi, told a story on mercy and forgiveness. One day he was called for a sick call to help an immigrant worker who was suspected to be possessed by an evil spirit. When he came to her, she was being held by strong four men. All he could say was, “Lord, forgive her! Lord, forgive her! Forgive me! Forgive us all! (In a loud voice). To his surprise, the woman collapsed and returned to normalcy. The problem was solved by an appeal of mercy.
Many more problems in our society and country will be solved if we seek God’s mercy and show mercy to one another. We will be at peace with God, with ourselves and with one another. If this is implemented in the Middle East countries, they will have their PEACE. The Disciples’ Vocation: This purpose is individual vocation.“ Only in the unfolding of the history of our lives and its events,” says Pope St. John Paul II“ is the eternal plan of God revealed to each of us. (Christifidelis Laici, no.58) Every human life, every personal vocation is unique. And yet the vocations of all Christians do have elements in common. One of these is the call to be a disciple. In fact, we say that to be disciples –to follow Christ and try to live his life as our own –is the common vocation of Christians; discipleship in this sense is Christian life.
This Sunday, Catholic Schools Week begins. We pray for parents who can afford, send and enroll their children in Catholic schools in their neighborhood. On the 31st, the memorial of St. John Bosco, the Patron Saint of the Youth, is celebrated. On February 2, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord is celebrated in all Churches and the blessings of candles is also done. The blessing of throats is also done, commemorating the martyrdom of St. Blaise, the following day. This is also the first week of the month, hence we have the First Friday and the First Saturday devotion Masses to be celebrated. This is all for now, watch the next bulletin.
Your Priest – Servant and Parochial Administrator,
Fr. Reggie