Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Karma is not a clearly defined teaching of Jesus. Yet there are hints of it in the Gospels.
For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:14-15 NIV
And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9 NIV
God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. Hebrews 6:10 NIV
We don’t help others and be a good person for the reward. We do it because it is the right thing to do. It is righteous. Yet, there is the promise of blessing, mercy for us as well.
I have been on the receiving end of mercy many times. I would not say this was in any way a reward. It was the love of God shown to me through the kindness of others. As in the movie Pay It Forward, I do my best to do the same. It is likely those who have been merciful to me were also paying it forward.
I have never been very good at managing money. Years ago in the 90s I had more debt than my ability to keep up with the payments. A parishioner and mentor offered to help. Don knew money well and immediately knew I was over my head and drowning fast. He mercifully let me use the line of credit he had attached to his lake house and pay it off at a rate I could afford.
Thus as I have moved on in life I do my best to also be generous and merciful.
My late wife, Lily, used to be merciful through small acts of kindness. Often it would be just a word or two. “My that is a pretty dress!” “Oh, your children are so well behaved.” Other times a small gesture. “Let me get that for you.”
There is a pithy saying I enjoy. Judgement is when you get what you deserve. Mercy is when you don’t. That is the salvation message in a nutshell. From the cross Jesus said “Father forgive them. They know not what they do.” Stephen as he was being stoned said the same. Mercy is when we don’t punish or don’t get even. St. Paul encouraged mercy this way.
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:21 NIV
This is a more difficult form of mercy Yet, if we will follow The Way of Jesus we will receive His mercy and also share it.
At this stage of our spiritual journey to the Kingdom of God we are less negatively affected by our environment, our family of origin with all its inevitable dysfunctions, our history of triumphs and failures and our strengths and weaknesses.
We become aware of others needs and want to help them. We are more able to help in realistic ways without Codependency. As we experience God’s love we make friends with healthier people who can be emotionally present and helpful to us and we to them. We are more able to recognize the forgiveness and mercy of God in our lives. Our inner being, our souls are healed. Our hearts are purified and we move on to the next Beatitude.
Questions for reflection and/or discussion
- How have you received mercy in your life?
- What are some examples of mercy you have seen?
- What is a time when you have been able to share mercy?
- Have you struggled with Codependency and mixed motives?
- How might you serve others who could use some mercy?
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