Homily, 2-26-24; Monday of the 2nd Week in Lent:
“For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.” When Jenni and I go out to eat, our beverage of choice is usually a glass of wine. The official serving size for wine is five ounces. But five ounces in a big wine glass doesn’t look like much. And so, we are always pleased when we get a “good pour”, when the waitress gives us a little bit extra from the box. And the good measure she gives us is returned with a better tip.
We can reflect on how we act with God and with our neighbor. Do we give only the required amount of our service and attention? Or do we do and give extra, a measure overflowing?
Last Monday in our readings, we heard: “To me you shall be holy; for I, the LORD, am holy” Today we heard: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” The Father’s mercy is infinite, and so that is a tough challenge. It’s up to us choose the measure we will use to measure our mercy unto others. That will define the portion of God’s mercy we can expect to receive when we face our judgement.
Again last week we had the final judgement when God will separate the sheep and the goats. And that separation was based on how we show mercy to others. God didn’t judge based on how many rosaries were said or how many daily Masses were attended. These are not ends in themselves. They are aids for us to grow in holiness and give us the graces so that we can follow God’s will, so that we can love God and love our neighbor. We should leave Mass more properly disposed to be merciful, more disposed to give an overflowing measure of mercy to those we meet when we pass through the doors out into the mission field.
Celebrate the good pour when you receive it, and be willing to give a good pour of your mercy to others.