PERFECTION IN MERCY

We all sin.

We survive on the mercy of God.

Do not take mercy for granted.

Divine mercy will not come to our rescue when we stop giving mercy to others

NOTES taken @ homily given by Rev Fr Bobby Emprayil
14 March 2023 (Tue), Church of The Holy Family

Gospel Matthew 18:21-35 - To be forgiven, you must forgive

In today's Gospel, this man's servant was owing him 100 Dinaris.  This is equivalent to 100 day's work (1 Dinari = 1 day's wages.)

In comparison, this man was owing the Lord 10,000 talents. This is equivalent to over 60,000 Dinaries.  (1 talent = more than 15 years of wages.) 

The Lord has forgiven this man and cancelled his debt worth over 60,000 Dinaries.  But this man did not offer forgiveness to his servant who owed him 100 Dinaries.  Because of his lack of mercy, t\he cancellation of the debt is revoked.

Divine mercy will not come to our rescue when we stop giving mercy to others

• "And that is how my heavenly Father will deal with you unless you each forgive your brother from your heart."  Matthew 18:35  
• So many of our sufferings, afflictions, punishments are because we are not releasing forgiveness to others.   
• Why so much of our sinful past is haunting us, and our sins is finding us out.   
• Sirach 27:27 If a person does evil, it will roll back upon him, and he will not know where it came from. 
• One of the most important thing the Scripture is reminding us is to be merciful.

Our debts are cancelled by the blood of Christ

• Col 2:13-14 And when you were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive together with him, when he forgave us all our trespasses, erasing the record that stood against us with its legal demands. He set this aside, nailing it to the cross.
  
• In the death of Jesus, He cancelled all our debts, He paid the price on our behalf, and our debts are cleared.
  
• This is why we are still alive.
• It is because of the Mercy of God.
• The Mercy of God is revealed to us in Jesus. His name is Mercy.

Do not take mercy for granted

• "And that is how my heavenly Father will deal with you unless you each forgive your brother from your heart."  Matthew 18:35 
  
• Our father is a loving father, a mercy God, but Jesus says, do not take the Mercy of God for granted.
• Without any doubt, we know our Father will deal with us if we do not forgive.
• We should know we are surviving because of the Mercy of God.
• Do not take mercy for granted.

 

 What is written in Scripture holds true

• Proverbs 30:5 Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. 
• Psalm 119:89 The Lord exists forever; your word is firmly fixed in heaven.
  
• In scripture, those things that are written holds true

 

 

When we utter careless words

• Mat 12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
• This word is standing against us when we speak careless words.
• How many times we have been using careless words
• How much we are supposed to pay, how much we are in debt
• Jesus has cancelled our debt, that's why we are still alive.  It is because of the Mercy of God.that we are alive. Do not take the mercy of God for granted.

When we live impure lives

• Prov 6:32 But he who commits adultery has no sense; he who does it destroys himself.
• Prov 6:27-29 Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned? So he that goes in to his neighbour's wife; whosoever touches her shall not be innocent."
• Every impurity brings punishment.
• By his shedding blood, He paid for our sins.
• He cancelled our debt, that's why we are still alive
• Jesus has cancelled our debt, that's why we are still alive.  It is because of the Mercy of God.that we are alive. Do not take the mercy of God for granted. 

When we cheat and make unjust gains

• Prov 1:19 Such are the ways of everyone who makes unjust gain; It takes away the life of its possessors.
• Scripture clearly says - sinful money brings death.
• Sinful money, sinful gains, money from cheating - destroys us 
• Jesus has cancelled our debt, that's why we are still alive.  It is because of the Mercy of God.that we are alive. Do not take the mercy of God for granted.

When we scoff at others

• Proverbs 9:12 If you are wise, you are wise for yourself, And if you scoff, you alone will suffer from it.
• How many times have we scoffed and still we have survived.
• Every scoffing will hurt us.
• And even after scoffing many years, we are still alive, we are not punished
• Jesus has cancelled our debt, that's why we are still alive.  It is because of the Mercy of God.that we are alive. Do not take the mercy of God for granted.

When we reject our father and mother

• Prov 30:17 As for the eye that ridicules a father and despises obedience to a mother, may ravens of the valley pluck it out and young vultures eat it.
• How many times have we done this? 
• Anyone who rejects father and grieves mother will be stoned to death.
• Jesus has cancelled our debt, that's why we are still alive.  It is because of the Mercy of God.that we are alive. Do not take the mercy of God for granted.

When we fall into activism

• Sirach 11:10 ...if you multiply your activities, you will not be held blameless.
• When we multiple our activities, so much work, full of stress, we will not go unpunished.
• In spite of this, we are not punished because of the Mercy of God. He has cancelled our debt by the shed blood of Jesus. Don't take this for granted.

When we lust with wine and women

• Sirach 19:2-3 Wine and women make the heart lustful, and the companion of prostitutes becomes reckless. Rottenness and worms will possess him, and the reckless will be snatched away.
• Wine and women can bring decay into our lives.
• Jesus has cancelled our debt, that's why we are still alive.  It is because of the Mercy of God.that we are alive. Do not take the mercy of God for granted.

When we lie, grumble or speak calumny

• Wisdom 1:11 Therefore guard against profitless grumbling, and from calumny withhold your tongues; For a stealthy utterance will not go unpunished, and a lying mouth destroys the soul.
• Lying mouths destroys the soul but we are still alive, because of the Mercy of God.
• Jesus Christ, by shedding his blood, sowed Mercy for us.
• Jesus has cancelled our debt, that's why we are still alive.  It is because of the Mercy of God.that we are alive. Do not take the mercy of God for granted.
  

When we are not steadfast in fear of the Lord

• Sirach 27:3 If a person is not steadfast in the fear of the Lord, his house will be quickly overthrown.
• Any one who is not zealous and steadfast in the fear of the Lord, his house will be overthrown, families would have been ruined.
• We should have been dead and gone, but still, we are alive, because He has cancelled our debt  
• Jesus has cancelled our debt, that's why we are still alive.  It is because of the Mercy of God.that we are alive. Do not take the mercy of God for granted

When we engage in mockery and abusive words

• Sirach 27:28-29 Mockery and abuse issue from the proud, but vengeance lies in wait for them like a lion. Those who rejoice in the fall of the godly will be caught in a snare, and pain will consume them before their death.
• Mockery and abusive words will bring us death, but we are still alive
• Anyone who rejoices in the fall of the righteous, scripture says, pain will consume them before their death
• Jesus has cancelled our debt, that's why we are still alive.  It is because of the Mercy of God.that we are alive. Do not take the mercy of God for granted.

When we are jealous and angry

• Sirach 30:24  Jealousy and anger shorten a person's life, and anxiety brings old age before its time. 
• We have repeatedly been jealous and angry, yet we are still alive
• Jesus has cancelled our debt, that's why we are still alive.  It is because of the Mercy of God.that we are alive. Do not take the mercy of God for granted.

 

 

We are surviving on the Mercy of God.  

• Even though we love God, even though we know Scriptures, as long as we are here on earth, we somehow make mistakes, especially often through our words.
• We are protected if we are merciful.
  
• Do not take it for granted.  
• The Mercy of God is meant to lead us to repentance, to compassion, to forgiveness. 

Mercy changes the world

• Pope Francis constantly reminds us and teaches us the importance of being compassionate, even to the point of not judging those who are in grave sin.  
• Mercy is the Lord's powerful message.  
• Mercy changes the world.  Mercy changes everything.   
• Every situation can be changed when we are merciful.  
• Our mercy will surely win every soul.  
• Mercy will change every situation.  

When we stand in proxy, others will receive mercy.

• Matthew 5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
  
• When we are merciful, when we offer compassion, forgiving unconditionally, accepting and patiently bearing the sinfulness of others - because of our mercy, others will too receive mercy. 
• Their sins will be cancelled, no matter how sinful they are.  
• Mercy changes every situation.
  

Love our enemies

• Luke 10:25 Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  
• Luke 10:37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do l
  likewise.” 
• The Lord is teaching us to go and show mercy. Be good Samaritans. Be merciful.  Love your enemy.  
• If we love only those who love us, what merit is there? 
  

Perfection in mercy

• Perfection in mercy is described by Jesus in Luke 6:27-28 “But I say to you who are listening: Love your enemies; do good to those who hate you; 28 bless those who curse you; pray for those who mistreat you.
• 4 steps to perfect in mercy
  
• Love your enemy
• Do good to those who hate you
• Bless those who curse you
• Pray for those who abuse you 

Jesus forgave us even though we do not deserve it

• When someone is falling at our feet, forgiving and giving mercy is easy.  
• Look at Jesus, we crucified Him.  Having received the blessings and good things from Him, we cry out crucify Him. But he did not threaten us, he did not curse us, he did not allow any bad words coming out of his mouth.  Instead He prayed 'Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing. ' (Luke 23:34)

Love our enemies

• John 13:14 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
• Luke 6:29 To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either.
  
• If we do good to those who do good to us, what merit is there?  
• If we lend to those from whom we hope to receive back, what good is there?  
• Even sinners are doing that. 
• But love your enemies, do good who hate you, lend expecting nothing in return, you will be great, you will be children of the most high.   
• Be merciful just as our Heavenly Father is merciful. Luke 6:36
  

Do not forget what we owe to the Lord

• When someone is cursing you, abuses you, hates you - remember how much we owe to the Lord and how He has cancelled our debt.
• Remember how big our responsibility is on us.  
• We are supposed to give.  
• We have received the millions from Him freely - and from the people who are against us, they are asking a little of us, the hundreds of "dinaris".   
• Remember the millions we have received, the magnitiude of our debts that have been cancelled.  
• If we are not merciful, all that are cancelled and revoked.  
• When we fail to show mercy to others, divine mercy stops operating when we stop communicating mercy.

There is a short cut

• It is difficult to forgive.  
• There is a short cut Jesus proclaimed from the cross:  for they do not know what they are dong.  They are blinded.  
• We need to realise that w\e are not fighting against these people.  
• They are doing this because they are blinded by someone else.  Behind them someone else is working.  The people are not the enemy.  
• Scripture says, we are not fighting human with flesh and blood. 
• Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

We are fighting against the principalities of the evil forces.  

• They are our real enemies. 
• When sin enslaves a person, for eg when someone is enslaved by jealousy, they may be always speaking bad about us - remember that person is not our enemy, he doesnt know what he is doing. someone has blinded him. 
• The spirit of jealousy has blinded him. That person is not our enemy, don't hate that person. 
• When we do that the spirit of jealousy will be glorified more and more.  
• Because sin is glorified when we are angry with that person.

The designs of the devil

• We know the designs of the devil, where the devil is working.  
• We do not simply look at people in their wolrdly standing and hate them. 
• We know the designs of the devil.  
• St Paul says 1 Cor 9:26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 
  

Do not be outwitten by Satan

• 2 Cor 2:11 And we do this so that we may not be outwitted by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his designs.  
• Don't  be ignorant of the design of the devil - he makes us think these people are against us. But it is the devil behind this.   
• It is the spirit of anger speaking, the spirit of jealousy controlling someone, the spirit of pride speaking, the spirit of sloth making someone like they are.  
• Don't hate them, don't shout at them.
• The more we hate, the more we anger, the unclean spirit in them will be stronger and stronger.  
• Forgive and the unclean spirit that controls them will be loosen. 
• The more we show mercy, the more we are merciful, the power of the evil one will be loosen.  
  

The way to perfection

• It is impossible to be perfect by trying to follow the Commandments. 
• It is impossible as long as we are flesh and blood. 
• But we can be perfect as our Father is perfect by showing mercy and compassion.
• Matthew 5:48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Jesus teaches that compassion and mercy can make us perfect.  

• We may be imperfect in many ways, but we can be perfect if we are never judging others.  
• Forgive them, they do not know what they are doing.  
• When we are merciful to others, the blood of Jesus shed for our sins will operate.  
• The way to perfection is this:  Love our enemies; do good to those who hate us bless those who curse us,  pray for those who mistreat us.

Mercy is the only tool given to us to defeat evil

• If our enemy is hungry feed him, if our enemy is thirsty, give him drink. 
• For by doing so, the unclean spirit will be unsettle.  
• Do not be defeated by evil.  Defeat evil with good.    
• Mercy is the only tool given to us to defeat evil
• The tools are compassion and forgiveness. 
• And if we don't do this, what can come against us is that all that was cancelled, the cancellation of our debts, can be revoked.  
• The divine mercy that is operating in us can stop operating.

Be merciful just as the heavenly father is merciful to us.  

Father, forgive them they do not know what they are doing.

 

Day 1
Video: https://youtu.be/LGRh7r9rlBY
Notes: https://gratitude-thanksgiving.blogspot.com/2023/03/notes-taken-homily-given-by-rev-fr.html

Day 2
Video: https://youtu.be/hc9CfnAZvOM
Notes: https://gratitude-thanksgiving.blogspot.com/2023/03/notes-taken-homily-given-by-rev-fr_15.html

Day 3
Video: https://youtu.be/jHRMZGKYvwM
Part 1 Notes: https://gratitude-thanksgiving.blogspot.com/2023/03/the-word-of-god.html
Part 2 Notes: https://gratitude-thanksgiving.blogspot.com/2023/03/overcoming-evil-by-word-of-god.html