‘Do not judge, and you will not be judged yourselves.’

“Be merciful as your Father is merciful,” captures the essence of our relationship with others and with God. The “measuring stick” of our mercy is how we treat each other. This is a bold statement that characterizes the way that we exercise mercy, forgiveness and compassion to others is a faint image of how God showers us with mercy and forgiveness. During Lent we make ourselves aware of the evil in which we are immersed, and look to Jesus to lead us back into loving union with the Father. We are all part of the reality of sin, until we face Jesus. Being with us in the midst of evil, he delivers us from evil. He bridges the gap that has estranged us from the Father. Our Father wants to give us supernatural love, joy, peace, and much more in “good measure pressed down, shaken together, running over”. We indicate our willingness to accept the lavish outpouring of God’s love by giving, especially by giving forgiveness. We give forgiveness by resisting the temptations to condemn others and by accepting the grace to be compassionate as our Father is compassionate, especially to our enemies.

But how difficult it can be for our wounded hearts to let go of past hurts! We may find the courage to forgive those who apologize, since we feel that justice has been served. But what about those who don’t apologize? What about those who won’t acknowledge their actions? What if they are so self-absorbed that they’re not even aware of the hurt they have caused? Are we supposed to forgive even those? Yes. Mercy is meant to be a free gift you give to someone who may not deserve it—a gift given out of loving kindness, not because the recipient earns it. That’s how Jesus wants us to think about His command to forgive: Mercy should come from a generous heart without waiting for certain criteria to be met.
How can we possibly love those who cause us harm, ill-will, and grief? With God all things are possible. He gives power and grace to those who know His love and who ask for the gift and help of the Holy Spirit. Paul the Apostle reminds us that “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us”. God’s love conquers all, even our hurts, fears, prejudices and grief. When we do the natural thing and hate our enemies, we confine ourselves to a merely natural life and deprive ourselves of the glory of the supernatural life in Christ. By loving our enemies, we open the doors to the superabundant life of the risen Christ. Let us prepare for the superabundant, supernatural glories of Easter.

What makes Christians different and what makes Christianity distinct from any other religion? It is grace – treating others, not as they deserve, but as God wishes them to be treated – with loving-kindness and mercy. God is good to the unjust as well as the just. His love embraces saint and sinner alike. God seeks our highest good and teaches us to seek the greatest good of others, even those who hate and abuse us. To forgive someone who has wronged you is one of the great-est gifts you could give Jesus this Lent. It’s also a powerful sign of God’s kingdom on earth. So ask the Holy Spirit to help make you merciful. Some things take time to work through, and God knows how badly you’ve been hurt. But at the same time, don’t wait for the perfect moment or hold out for an apology that may never come. You can begin to speak words of forgiveness even now, even if you don’t fully mean it. With the Spirit’s help, you can come to the point of forgiving so genuinely that you’ll be able to smile at the mention of the person’s name. Now that’s being merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful!