Psalm Reflection: Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle C)

“The Lord is kind and merciful.” - Psalm 103

I know that God is kind and merciful, at least in my own life, but maybe that is a struggle for you because of difficulties you are going through or have experienced in the past. However, whenever I see God being described in Scripture I first ask myself to look inward, because I am made in the image and likeness of God. So if God is kind and merciful, I am made in the image and likeness of kindness and mercy. Is that true for you when you honestly look at yourself? When you look at your own life, would you describe yourself or your actions as kind and merciful? It is easy to look at these words and come up with easier versions of them, like being nice and to have pity for others. The real question is, when I am being “nice”, is it because I have love and kindness in my heart for this other person, or is it just because I know I am supposed to? When I am looking on someone with pity, is it because I am having a heart of compassion and mercy toward them, or am I saving face but still harboring contempt or unforgiveness toward that person. In Hebrew culture, the Jewish people would go directly to God in prayer or sacrifice for the sins they committed against Him. But if they sinned against someone else, they would go directly to that person and ask for forgiveness. There was a sense of responsibility to one another that they could not escape or take the easy way out from. In fact, if you went to your neighbor three times and they still did not forgive you, you were considered free of your duty to them and your neighbor now bore the transgression of unforgiveness. Mother Teresa once said, “If we do not have peace it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.” and in a world that is very self focused with our SELFies on our I-phones that we post to show everyone how great our life is ever since MYspace, it is easy to forget to look to our left and to our right and to be the face of Christ to others in our lives who desperately need a kind word or desire reconciliation in their relationships. This week, I want to encourage you to smile as much as possible, especially to people you pass by, and try and do one small act of kindness each day without any expectation of gratitude or recognition; you never know how a small, honest gesture can impact a soul that is aching for God’s love to be shown to them. We are praying for you this week!

See you in the Eucharist!