“Mercy and Compassion, not Snakes” by Beth
DeCristofaro
And I will have compassion on them, as a man
has compassion on his son who serves him. Then you will again see the
distinction between the just and the wicked; Between the one who serves God and
the one who does not serve him. (Malachi 3:17-18)
What father among you would hand his son a
snake when he asks for a fish? Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? If
you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how
much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him? (Luke
11:11-13)
Piety
Almighty ever-living God, who in the
abundance of your kindness surpass the merits and desires of those who entreat
you, pour out your mercy upon us to pardon what conscience dreads and to give
what prayer does not dare to ask. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, you Son, who
lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and
ever.[i]
Study
Who among us hasn’t “handed our son a snake
when he asked for a fish”…metaphorically speaking? My daughter pulled a stupid
stunt with friends, and I grounded her without listening to her side of the
story. A third-party incident was related to me, and I immediately took offense
and passed on gossip about a person who thought I was her friend. I yelled at
my mother in frustration and impatience. If I am willing to face my truth, no
wonder I have difficulty completely believing that God is ready – even in my
those moments – to open the door to me if I but knock. I can’t always open my
door of compassion for those I love the most. And, of course, life often hands
scorpions to us as well. Are those scorpions deserved, we wonder? No wonder we
aren’t confident that we deserve God’s door to open for us.
Jesus assures us that he is with God, and
stands with us as our brother in our weakness should we rely on him. He offers
us the chance again and again to knock. He revealed to his disciples that God
was with them in his person and will be with them and us in the Spirit. We
knock, and God answers, “surpassing our merits and our desires.”
This passage reminds me of Fr. Thomas
Keating’s gentle explanation as I was beginning to practice centering prayer.
When our active and distracted brain attends away from God’s presence, I can
take it as an opportunity to focus again on God. Instead of chastising myself
for not paying attention, I can be grateful to seek God’s face again. I can
offer the distraction for God’s glory. If I can stop my self-centeredness and
focus on Jesus’ way of loving my neighbor, then it is another chance to stand
with Jesus and knock on God’s door despite myself. It takes, among other
things, faith, trust, humility, forgiveness, courage, “yes” and accepting
grace. That’s all — a tall order for anyone but God. And God will have
compassion on me.
Action
Taking stock, as in the Examen, of the moments that I
handed a snake to someone rather than a requested fish, gives me the opening to
pray for God’s mercy. I also implore God to enlighten me the next time I have
barred my door of compassion. Is there the need to ask forgiveness of my
brother or sister? Knock and seek it.
[i] From
the Collect, Mass for the day.
Illustration: https://www.ignatianspirituality.com/examen-prayer-card/
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