Mercy within Mercy

Jesus does not see his task as gathering an elite of the “saved,” but founding a general hospital for the throwaways….

Jesus is looking for : risk-takers over security freaks….

It is not that Jesus is a liberal one who thinks boundaries don’t matter.  No, he has met the God who is “mercy, within mercy, within mercy” (In Thomas Merton’s words)….

We would probably say a loving person will forgive, but Jesus says a forgiven person will know how to love”  (Luke 7)

                                                                                                                Richard Rohr

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they are everywhere

those who are out

who are really really “out”

excluded

judged

but mostly unforgiven

the lie on the sidewalks of cities

hands outstretched

they slump in chairs in therapists offices

defeated

worthless in their own eyes

and in the eyes of many around them

they are in our families

the father who knew not how to parent

the mother who judged

the child who walked down a path

into addiction

or violence

they are outside looking in

welcome but not welcome

in our fellowships of faith

(why I heard he  is gay)

(she has a drinking problem)

yet there is the God

who is

mercy

within mercy

within mercy

loving them is a risk

love is always a risk

we may be rejected

we may be hurt again

the despised one

the unclean one who dares not approach God

may not change

and yet

the God who is mercy within mercy within mercy

approaches them

and forgives

and forgives

and forgives

planting in forgiveness the seed of love

of such is the kingdom

and as those who would follow the way

we too

must forgive and forgive and forgive

finding our capacity to forgive

and love

in our own forgiveness