Then

The First Reading of today's Fifth Sunday of the Ordinary Time Year A speaks to me with incredible clarity and force: "Thus says the LORD:Share your bread with the hungry, shelter the oppressed and the homeless; clothe the naked when you see them, and do not turn your back on your own. Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your wound shall quickly be healed; your vindication shall go before you, and the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer, you shall cry for help, and he will say: Here I am!" (Is 58:7-9a)


It strikes me particularly the connection between deeds of mercy and the merciful answer of God Himself when in prayer... "THEN you shall call and the LORD will answer, you shall cry for help, and He will say - Here I am!"

The measure I use for others will be used for me as well by God. The deeds of mercy, the attitude of mercy, the culture of mercy, the imagination of mercy (as put by the Servant of God John Paul II) is conditio sine qua non to get into merciful and fruitful relationship with God Himself who IS MERCY itself!

So, the message I received in the first reading speaks about the intrinsic connection, relation, symbiosis between my deeds, attitude, culture, imagination of mercy towards others and my own wellbeing, health, respect, dignity and safety; it speaks about the outcome of my transformation into merciful being for other people resulting in positive connection with God who is Mercy itself, as I tune myself into the waves of Divine Mercy in my life thus being able to communicate with God in a bilateral mode - speaking to Him as a merciful being and being answered positively by Him who is Mercy itself, Incarnated in the Person of Jesus Christ for us.

The Living Word of God - the Living Word of Mercy. The Eucharist - Incarnated Mercy of God - whom I receive and become one with in the Holy Communion.

How can I possibly NOT be merciful and fail to live out fully the Divine Mercy in my life?

Jesus' Call to Mercy

"I demand from you deeds of mercy, which are to arise out of love for Me. You are to show mercy to your neighbors always and everywhere. You must not shrink from this or try to excuse or absolve yourself from it.

I am giving you three ways of exercising mercy toward your neighbor:
the first — by deed, the second — by word, the third — by prayer. In these three degrees is contained the fullness of mercy, and it is an unquestionable proof of love for Me. By this means a soul glorifies and pays reverence to My mercy.

Many souls ... are often worried because they do not have the material means with which to carry out an act of mercy. Yet spiritual mercy, which requires neither permissions nor storehouses, is much more meritorious and is within the grasp of every soul.

If a soul does not exercise mercy somehow or other, it will not obtain My mercy on the day of judgment. Oh, if only souls knew how to gather eternal treasure for themselves, they would not be judged, for they would forestall My judgment with their mercy" (Diary of Sr. Faustina, 1317).

The Catechism of the Catholic Church lists traditional seven corporal works of mercy and seven spiritual works of mercy. Though we all know well that these are just highlights of the whole attitude and culture of mercy we must strive to obtain in our lives.

Corporal Works

 Feed the hungry
 Give drink to the thirsty
 Clothe the naked
 Shelter the homeless
 Comfort the prisoners
 Visit the sick
 Bury the dead

Spiritual Works

 Teach the ignorant
 Pray for the living & dead
 Correct sinners
 Counsel those in doubt
 Console the sorrowful
 Bear wrongs patiently
 Forgive wrongs willingly

Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer, you shall cry for help, and he will say: Here I am!