God’s Merciful Compassion
There will be times when we will be tempted to use and abuse compassion. And if we do so, we end up harming the least of these. It does not give life; it does not feed the soul. But we also harm ourselves. We embolden self-will. We attempt to subvert God’s will. The result of the use and abuse of compassion are not life-giving; they are life-taking because, at its core, compassion is about mercy.
Wheat & Weeds
God has planted within you His love, His kindness, His abilities, all of the fruits, all of the gifts––God lives within you…and since [He] lives within you, there will be weeds cast in your life. Remove them, for there is a judgment coming; you do not want to keep living in the weeds.
How You Read It
“The point of ‘love your neighbor as yourself’ is to focus on becoming a person who treats everyone you encounter with love and compassion.” ––Fr. Wes Gristy
It’s Not Fair
How can it be that some of the Israelites received Jesus as their Messiah and others didn’t? This is the question that St. Paul wrestles with in Romans 9. That God chooses some and not others is a difficult concept to grasp, especially when we understand him to be just and loving. This week, Fr. Ben Williams continues our series through St. Paul’s epistle to the Romans. Join us as we join Paul in asking, “Is there injustice on God’s part?”
The Roof: Missional Mercy
When Jesus was approached by a lawyer who wished to test him, he asked, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus’ reply was the parable of the Good Samaritan. The Samaritan was a neighbor to a man beaten, stripped, and left for dead because he showed him mercy. As we continue our series on our core values, Missional Mercy serves as the roof of the house we’ve been constructing. It is because God has shown such great mercy to us that we are freed to show mercy to others. This is our calling, our mission, our work, and our vision.