7 November 2013
Thursday in the Thirty-first Week of Ordinary Time
Very often, we hear about talk of mercy. We might even exercise some of it, from time to time. But do we really think that there is great rejoicing when we are forgiven? To put it another way, are we excited to go to Confession because of all the rejoicing that will occur as a result, or do we think that it will just be us in the “hot seat” for a few minutes? The mercy that is spoken of in today’s parable is an absurd one. No shepherd worth his salt would abandon his flock to go after one sheep. It is what Graham Greene called “the appalling strangeness of the mercy of God.” It only makes sense if there is a personal love involved. If God goes after us, not because of a cost-benefit analysis, but because we ourselves are lovable to Him, things become clearer.
Even so, we are often uncomfortable at the idea. “Compassion” and “mercy” are viewed as “softness” or “weakness.” The reality, though, is that holding a grudge is far easier. I can remember why a person made me angry, and cut that person out of my life—abandon that one sheep—without much difficulty. To be willing to trust another person who has messed up before and now wants forgiveness is far more difficult. But God finds this person lovable. And this person will surely find God lovable. Rather than gritting our teeth at the prospect of someone being reconciled to God, our attitude should really be more akin to setting up two friends on a date who would be perfect for each other. Then we could truly rejoice when we see another person reconciled to God. And if we can see why it is so wonderful when another person is reconciled to God, even after multiple failures, perhaps it becomes easier to understand why God keeps rejoicing at our own reconciliations as well.