Bible on the Road – Day 7

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Matthew 25:31-46 has been on my heart for a time.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+25%3A31-46&version=NRSVCE

My wife and I pray a continuous Novena of Divine Mercy and every 9 days day 7 repeats.

Today bring to Me the souls who especially venerate and glorify My Mercy, and immerse them in My mercy…These souls are a living Gospel; their hands are full of deeds of mercy, and their hearts, overflowing with joy, sing a canticle of mercy to You, O Most High! I beg You O God” Novena of Divine Mercy – Day 7 excerpt.

“Their hands are full of deeds of mercy, and their hearts, overflowing with joy”

I reflect on this prayer and Matthew’s writing on the ‘Judgement of the Nations’ and can’t help but be taken back some. I’m sure from their reactions, there are a lot of people on the left side of the room who thought they ‘did enough.’

What can one do but strive to live with “Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus.” And, trust. All as we strive to show mercy in what we do.

A good start may be to listen o what the Lord says in this Gospel account. “for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” v. 35-36

And to look to the corporal works of mercy – To feed the hungry; To give drink to the thirsty; To clothe the naked; To harbour the harbourless; To visit the sick; To ransom the captive; To bury the dead. 

And the spiritual works of mercy: To instruct the ignorant; To counsel the doubtful; To admonish sinners; To bear wrongs patiently; To forgive offences willingly;  To comfort the afflicted; To pray for the living and the dead.

Maybe start as well by asking God to give to you His mind and heart. Let you see through His eyes where you should act. Then, get off the recliner and do something. It doesn’t have to be earth-shaking. Some of the greatest acts of kindness can be the smallest – a smile, holding a door, a kind word, a hug or shoulder. A prayer.

To live mercy.

“Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about[b] these things” Philippians 4:8