If we’re judging, we’re not loving. That’s just as true for the Pharisee as it is for the sinful woman, who could have judged herself unworthy and kept a distance from Jesus. She does not hide her sinfulness or minimize it. She does not rationalize her choices or point to the sins of others. Rather, she draws near to Jesus, treats him with tenderness, and encounters his mercy. She claims her sinfulness not to wallow in it, but to seek forgiveness for it. Today’s Gospel reminds us that God wants mercy for us and from us.
What keeps us from drawing near to Jesus with tenderness, to encounter his mercy? Is it shame? Regret? Rationalization? Deception? Distraction? Whatever has kept us at a distance, this can be a moment to drop any hesitation. Pope Francis insists, “God never tires of forgiving us. It is we who get tired of asking for forgiveness.”
Take a moment to be with Jesus, to experience his tender love. How can it bring you healing?
Take a moment to think of someone you know who needs tenderness. How can you be a source of mercy for them today?
—Marcus Mescher is associate professor of Christian ethics at Xavier University in Cincinnati, a graduate of Marquette University High School, Marquette University, and Boston College; he is also the author of The Ethics of Encounter: Christian Neighbor Love as a Practice of Solidarity (Orbis, 2020).
God of Mercy,
I am sorry for the ways I have fallen short of loving as I should,
or spending my time judging others
or comparing myself to others,
rather than looking for your love at work in my life
and cooperating in sharing that love with others.
Help me to see with tenderness, hear with tenderness, think with tenderness, feel with tenderness,
speak with tenderness, and act with tenderness.
Remind me that when I fall short, you never tire of forgiving me.
Help me to forgive as readily as you forgive me,
so that I can be your tenderness in the world today.
Amen.
—Marcus Mescher
Please share the Good Word with your friends!
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Ignatian spirituality reminds us that God pursues us in the routines of our home and work life, and in the hopes and fears of life's challenges. The founder of the Jesuits, Saint Ignatius of Loyola, created the Spiritual Exercises to deepen our relationship with Christ and to move our contemplation into service. May this prayer site anchor your day and strengthen your resolve to remember what truly matters.
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