This is the fifth in our
Summer Series
We are exploring how to
FOLLOW THROUGH
on living out
The Sermon
on living out
The Sermon
On The Mount
******
Dear All of Us,
"Give me a break!"
We've all felt and said that
more than many times.
And more than many people
have given us a break.
That break broke a bind or bond.
It helped us get up when we were down.
It meant a release from lock and limit.
It saved a grade, a job, a marriage.
It was someone pushing our refresh tab.
It cancelled a hold on our future.
Someone had mercy on us.
Mercy makes life work.
It frees to growth, goodness, grace.
Without it the gears of society lock up.
Without it we do too.
Mercy is a blessing, given and received.
Mercy means the one on top
releases the one on the bottom,
the one with advantage shares it
with the one disadvantaged.
That can be emotionally, economically,
socially, educationally, relationally -
a whole host of deficits
and dependencies lifted.
It's an attitude of forbearance
that refrains from demanding
the owed pound of flesh.
It's compassion graduating to action.
Mercy is an indispensable approach,
an essential attitude for our very being,
truly a
BE ATTITUDE
"BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL,
FOR THEY WILL RECEIVE MERCY."
Matthew 5:7
Blessed indeed are the merciful.
Their opening to another
opens them so completely
that they, too, are opened
to receive mercy
when they are in such need.
Mercy is indeed twice blessed -
the giver and the receiver
are both opened in a communion,
unbarred to give and to receive.
Mercy is like a revolving door.
What goes round comes round.
"As you sew, so shall you reap."
Galatians 6:7
"The measure you give will be
the measure you get back."
Matthew 7:2
Like all the Be Attitudes,
mercy is rooted in God
and God's Love.
It takes a lot of GodGood,
to be merciful.
It takes a lot of Love,
GodLove, to be merciful.
Mercy opens us
to an inpouring of God Love.
That energy flows through us,
opening us to another in mercy.
Mercy involves helping, giving,
forgiving, serving, understanding.
There's a lot of protein to it.
"In everything, do unto others
as you would have them
do to you."
Matthew 7:12
"Be merciful,
even as your Father is merciful.
Judge not,
and you will not be judged;
condemn not,
and you will not be condemned;
forgive,
and you will be forgiven;
give,
and it will be given to you."
Luke 6:36-38
"...how often should I forgive?
As many as as seven times?
Not seven times, but,
I tell you seventy-seven times."
Matthew 18:21-22
"Truly I tell you, just as you did it
to one of the least of these
who are members of my family,
you did it to me."
Matthew 25:40
So, how does all this play out spiritually
here on the street of everyday living?
Well, we need to be prepared for answers
that are just plain counter cultural.
Those answer-actions
are culture corrective,
and they cost!
They mean taking sharp issue
with our society.
Mercy lays claim on us
in the face of suffering and need.
It asks us to actually live
as simply as we can
so that others may simply live.
That frees up means and energies
to mercifully relieve pain and need.
PLEASE FEEL
WHAT WE READ HERE
PLEASE
This very day there are
condemn not,
and you will not be condemned;
forgive,
and you will be forgiven;
give,
and it will be given to you."
Luke 6:36-38
"...how often should I forgive?
As many as as seven times?
Not seven times, but,
I tell you seventy-seven times."
Matthew 18:21-22
"Truly I tell you, just as you did it
to one of the least of these
who are members of my family,
you did it to me."
Matthew 25:40
So, how does all this play out spiritually
here on the street of everyday living?
Well, we need to be prepared for answers
that are just plain counter cultural.
Those answer-actions
are culture corrective,
and they cost!
They mean taking sharp issue
with our society.
Mercy lays claim on us
in the face of suffering and need.
It asks us to actually live
as simply as we can
so that others may simply live.
That frees up means and energies
to mercifully relieve pain and need.
PLEASE FEEL
WHAT WE READ HERE
PLEASE
This very day there are
here in our world
270 MILLION PEOPLE
ON THE BRINK OF STARVATION.
These are not the millions
who go to bed hungry every night.
These are those
WHO WILL DIE
in the next few months
if we do not get food to them.
If all those people were
in the United States,
every man, woman and child
- everyone -
- in every state -
from the East Coast across the country
to the six western most states,
would live in squalor,
suffer intensely
and drop dead
between now and the new year. (!)
Mercy lays claim on us
in the face of suffering and need.
It actually asks us to live
as simply as we can
so that others may simply live.
That frees up funds and energies
to mercifully relieve pain and need.
This would be a good place to stop and pray.
A church nearby here in Washington
just completed "30 " -
30 days
to raise $30,000
to cover costs for 30 families
to live for 30 days
at a local residence
for homeless families.
I know an older couple
who use Instacart for their weekly
food shopping and delivery
during this Pandemic.
Each week they add in a $25 tip
for the shopper, most always
a strapped ethnic minority person.
A small business owner
is struggling to keep his staff
salaried and insured
during our current
health and financial upheaval.
Of course, mercy costs
in more than financial ways.
A growing cadre of black, brown
and white people
are paying a huge
emotional/psychic/social price
working together
to understand, address and correct
America's racial/ethnic flaw.
A lot of mercy to give and get.
People, more than sentimentally merciful,
are facing how violent so much
of our sports, entertainments and politics are.
They are choosing and supporting otherwise.
An elderly woman suffered a cruel marriage
for way too many years
before being abandoned.
After many years her former husband
was destitute and dying.
She took him in and cared for him.
He died peacefully and in dignity.
During online teaching,
a second grade teacher calls
each of her students once a week
just to stay in touch,
and love on them.
She reads them a little story as well.
Long ago a Russian poet and reformer
responder to a beggar:
"Do not be angry with me brother;
I have nothing with me,"
The beggar answered:
"But you called me brother -
that was a great gift."
Jesus on the cross:
"Father, forgive them
for they know not
what they do."
Luke 23:34
Jesus helps us give each other
a break that breaks both ways:
"BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL,
FOR THEY WILL RECEIVE MERCY."
Thanks for your good company!
Holding us all in
God's Great Mercy
John Frank
******
(1) See PBS Evening News
July21, 2020
David Beasley, Director,
World Food Program
270 MILLION PEOPLE
ON THE BRINK OF STARVATION.
These are not the millions
who go to bed hungry every night.
These are those
WHO WILL DIE
in the next few months
if we do not get food to them.
If all those people were
in the United States,
every man, woman and child
- everyone -
- in every state -
from the East Coast across the country
to the six western most states,
would live in squalor,
suffer intensely
and drop dead
between now and the new year. (!)
Mercy lays claim on us
in the face of suffering and need.
It actually asks us to live
as simply as we can
so that others may simply live.
That frees up funds and energies
to mercifully relieve pain and need.
This would be a good place to stop and pray.
A church nearby here in Washington
just completed "30 " -
30 days
to raise $30,000
to cover costs for 30 families
to live for 30 days
at a local residence
for homeless families.
I know an older couple
who use Instacart for their weekly
food shopping and delivery
during this Pandemic.
Each week they add in a $25 tip
for the shopper, most always
a strapped ethnic minority person.
A small business owner
is struggling to keep his staff
salaried and insured
during our current
health and financial upheaval.
Of course, mercy costs
in more than financial ways.
A growing cadre of black, brown
and white people
are paying a huge
emotional/psychic/social price
working together
to understand, address and correct
America's racial/ethnic flaw.
A lot of mercy to give and get.
People, more than sentimentally merciful,
are facing how violent so much
of our sports, entertainments and politics are.
They are choosing and supporting otherwise.
An elderly woman suffered a cruel marriage
for way too many years
before being abandoned.
After many years her former husband
was destitute and dying.
She took him in and cared for him.
He died peacefully and in dignity.
During online teaching,
a second grade teacher calls
each of her students once a week
just to stay in touch,
and love on them.
She reads them a little story as well.
Long ago a Russian poet and reformer
responder to a beggar:
"Do not be angry with me brother;
I have nothing with me,"
The beggar answered:
"But you called me brother -
that was a great gift."
Jesus on the cross:
"Father, forgive them
for they know not
what they do."
Luke 23:34
Jesus helps us give each other
a break that breaks both ways:
"BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL,
FOR THEY WILL RECEIVE MERCY."
Thanks for your good company!
Holding us all in
God's Great Mercy
John Frank
******
(1) See PBS Evening News
July21, 2020
David Beasley, Director,
World Food Program
******
PRAY AND PONDER
This coming week we are invited
to marinate in Mercy.
Each day let's reread
PRAY AND PONDER
This coming week we are invited
to marinate in Mercy.
Each day let's reread
a section of the above.
Pray and Ponder over it.
We move beyond seeing it
Pray and Ponder over it.
We move beyond seeing it
with our eyes
to hearing it in
the sacred chamber of our Spirit.
What does THE SPIRIT
What does THE SPIRIT
utter to our Spirit there?
How can we accept this call?
What are the openings to open?
Let's give particular attention
to each of the Sacred Scriptures
in this week's sharing.
What do they reveal about how
we can be merciful
in an honest and thorough way?
Lastly, let's be soul seasoned and softened
by Shakespeare's wisdom words in
The Merchant of Venice:
The quality of mercy is not strained;
It droppeth as gentle rain from heaven
How can we accept this call?
What are the openings to open?
Let's give particular attention
to each of the Sacred Scriptures
in this week's sharing.
What do they reveal about how
we can be merciful
in an honest and thorough way?
Lastly, let's be soul seasoned and softened
by Shakespeare's wisdom words in
The Merchant of Venice:
The quality of mercy is not strained;
It droppeth as gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest;
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:
T'is mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown:
His scepter shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:
T'is mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown:
His scepter shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this sceptered sway;
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth then show likest God's
When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew,
Though justice be thy plea, consider this,
That, in the course of justice, none of us
Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy;
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy. I have spoke thus much
To mitigate the justice of thy plea;
Which if thou follow, this strict court of Venice
Must needs give sentence 'gainst the merchant there.
When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew,
Though justice be thy plea, consider this,
That, in the course of justice, none of us
Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy;
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy. I have spoke thus much
To mitigate the justice of thy plea;
Which if thou follow, this strict court of Venice
Must needs give sentence 'gainst the merchant there.
******
