Messengers of Mercy!

Monday, March 2, 2026

Dan 9:4b-10; Lk 6: 36-38

Today’s Gospel highlights mercy as the defining Christian virtue. 

In his preaching, Jesus emphasizes the practice of mercy because it is the very defining attribute of God. If we claim to imitate God, such imitation is possible only by inheriting God’s mercy and practicing it in our lives. For this reason, a person who is merciful participates in God’s nature.

When Jesus instructs his disciples not to judge others, he also warns them of the danger of self-righteousness. Moreover, a judgmental attitude becomes a hindrance to practicing mercy. This is why Jesus puts it strongly, ‘Stop judging.’ We avoid judgment when we do not judge others. For Jesus, judgement belongs to God, who is just.

Further, Jesus employs the marketplace imagery – ‘good measure, packed together, shaken down, and poured into your lap’ – to persuade his disciples to practice relational reciprocity because we get what we send out. When our lives are ruled by a relational affinity, we become generous in our attitude and can overcome the temptations to be hostile.

In sum, Jesus insists that the true measure of Christian life is overflowing mercy because it reflects the character of God. Hence, mercy is constitutive of Christian discipleship and not something optional. 

Let us pray that we may worthily imitate God by becoming the messengers of mercy.

Fr. Dhinakaran Savariyar