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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2021

 BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL (MATTHEW 9:10-13)

Jesus teaches the Pharisees to be merciful to sinners and not condemn them. 

REFLECTION 

Blessed are the merciful is the theme for our reflection. Mercy means compassion or forgiveness shown towards someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm. The theme stresses being merciful as a virtue that pleases God for which God blesses anyone who is merciful, The Pharisees in their own estimation and misconception believed that they were more righteous than others through the strict observance of the Mosaic law and traditions of Judaism. For them, it is a taboo to even associate with a certain class of people called sinners! It for this reason that they were shocked to see Jesus associating himself with tax collectors and others they classify as sinners. Certainly, tax collectors were seen at the time as corrupt and part of the extortionist Roman regime. It is for this reason when  “… Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples.  And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” (Matthew 9:10-11)

The only reason for which Jesus came to earth is captured in John 3:16-17 which says that “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3:16-17). My dear friend, it is clear that Jesus came to show mercy and not to condemn although we ought to be condemned because of our sins. Christians must follow the example of Christ by being merciful to everyone we come across for we are channels of hope to the wretched souls who need salvation.  

We are to be merciful because we are first and foremost products of the mercy and grace of God. Apostle Paul was the product of Jesus’ mercy and grace. (Galatians 1:11-17) Many of us do not deserve to be alive today, we do not deserve to be in good health, we do deserve to be successful and above all, we do not deserve Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross which has brought us salvation but in all these, Jesus understood our spiritual predicament and knew that we were lost and spiritually sick therefore  He said “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.  Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Matthew 9:12-13). 

My dear friend if you think you are righteous and without any sin then you do need Jesus’ salvation, in fact, you do not need to go to church again because the Church is Jesus’ hospital for sinners or those who are spiritually sick. After sober reflection and self retrospection, we will realise that we are not righteous after all and it is for this reason Paul reminds us in Roman 3:23-24 that “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. If  Jesus has shown us mercy by giving us His priceless salvation when we were sinners then let us always be merciful to others by not condemning them as sinners. Let us not be dismissive and judgemental but be merciful through the sharing of the Gospel with others and praying for them to be saved. We must show the unconditional love of Christ to all and sundry at church, workplace, home and in our communities for Jesus assures us in His words in Matthew 5:7 that “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy” Shalom. 

PRAYER