At first glance, it is easy to hear today’s Gospel reading and come away with the understanding that Jesus is giving us an “either/or” situation; i.e., mercy or sacrifice. But we know the faith handed down to us by the Apostles is very rarely “either/or”. Rather, it is almost always “both/and”. The glass is always both half full and half empty.
In that vein, Jesus is not teaching mercy to the exclusion of sacrifice. In reality, He is giving us an order of importance. He is simply saying mercy should always go before sacrifice, and our sacrifices should never put a limit on mercy.
There is a story of Saint Francis of Assisi during a time that he and his followers were staying at a place called Rico Torto (or twisting river).
During this time, they were practicing the traditional Advent Fast. Bear in mind the fasting disciplines of the Middle Ages were far more stringent than the fasting disciplines we have in the Church today.
As the story goes, one night Saint Francis awoke to the sound of a brother screaming, “I am dying! I am dying! Help me”!
Saint Francis approached him and asked, “What is it, brother? Tell me.”
The brother suddenly became overcome with shame and embarrassment. He answered, “Forgive me Father Francis, but I am dying from hunger.”
Saint Francis had pity on the suffering brother. He ordered all the brothers to light torches and to go out into the night to gather whatever herbs and vegetables they could find. Together they would prepare and enjoy a good, nutritious midnight supper. Saint Francis humbly spared this one brother the humiliation of breaking his fast and eating alone.
After the brothers had finished supper, Saint Francis said to them, “You must avoid excessive mortification in the same way that you avoid excessive eating and drinking. For it is not the food that is sinful or the lack of food that is virtuous. Rather it is the excess that leads to sin and the moderation that enables you to persevere in penance, and it is true self-knowledge that enables you to know what is excessive and what is prudent in your own particular case.”
Ultimately, Saint Francis reminds us to not define our faith by our sacrifices, but rather allow our faith be defined by our mercy, which happens to be strengthened by our sacrifices.
Jesus once said to Saint Faustina, “My daughter, speak to the world about My mercy; let all mankind recognize My unfathomable mercy. It is a sign for the end times; after it will come the day of justice. While there is still time, let them have recourse to the fount of My mercy; let them profit from the Blood and Water which gushed forth for them.”
When we offer up our meek sacrifices through the once and for all sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross…the once and for all sacrifice of Jesus Christ that we profoundly participate in at every Mass, Jesus sacramentally takes our sacrifices as His own. Then, we have the opportunity to truly profit from the merciful grace of the Blood and Water which gushes forth through the Eucharist and the sacramental life of the Church. The merciful grace that we can then spread out into the world around us.
With mercy and meekness, let us take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord.
Thanks be to God!
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