Low Sunday 11.4.21 Seeking mercy
St Peter preaches to the crowd on Pentecost morning that they should be sorry for what they have done, and many repented that day (Acts 2,37)
It is not always so easy to achieve large scale repentance. We find it hard enough to convert even one person at a time.
Yet that story proves people have an ability to be moved when confronted by guilt; and conversely when they realize the goodness of God, and how desirable it is to be one with Him.
Fortunately for us, God is very patient and generally gives people a lot of time to get themselves in order.
This is because He wants to save people, even if they do not want it, or even believe in it.
Consider the crucifix. He hangs on the Cross absorbing the malice and frivolity of the crowd.
He is passive and silent, while they can say whatever they
like, mocking and jeering, thinking themselves to have the upper hand.
We know Our Lord could have silenced the crowd by any act of divine power, but He let them have their brief triumph.
God's apparent silence seems to goad some people into extra confidence in opposing Him. If He does not act immediately they assume He is incapable of acting. Very foolish.
He is giving them another chance to reconsider. It is comforting to reflect that some of the people gathered in mockery on Good Friday would have been in repentance on Pentecost morning.
The same possibilities still occur in our time, as people ignore and disobey God while He maintains silence.
It is Good Friday all over again. God is holding off, offering mercy, hoping people will look for that mercy, while the ‘crowd’ (much of the human race) has only contempt or indifference for Him.
God will not change His purpose. He will call a halt on human history at some point, but will never lose His desire to save as many as possible.
People may or may not change. It depends on a thousand factors which way they will go.
For our part, we deepen our own response, accepting fully God's wisdom and forbearance, and cooperating with His will, rather than opposing it.
It is one thing to believe in the resurrection as a physical miracle. St Thomas leads us in that direction.
It is a bigger thing again to believe in the infinite patience of God as He holds out mercy in the face of such provocation.
We believe that anyone can be saved, with sufficient contrition and amendment of life. We want this as God wants it.
We might say we are behaving ourselves and therefore have nothing to be ashamed about as we contemplate the Cross.
We still commit sins, very likely, so we are ashamed of that.
But there is another obligation on existing disciples. We must desire mercy for others as God Himself desires it.
He wants us to pray for those who need His mercy, as we do in every Mass, Rosary, chaplet, novena etc. This attitude of mercy pervades all our coming and going.
Prayer for mercy will help us remember why Christ came, and what He is still trying to achieve. It will also give us a gentler disposition, and make us less harsh and critical.
We cannot have angry vengeful disciples giving a completely different message than that of their Master. Father , forgive them they know not what they do. (Lk23,34).
We see that everyone needs to change from previous attitudes. The wicked must repent; the ‘good’ must work on their attitude, so that they are totally free of malice and desire for revenge, having instead a pure desire for the good of all. Lord, have mercy!
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