Sunday, February 24, 2019

God is exceedingly merciful, we must follow His example (readings for Feb. 24, 2019 annotated) 

Key
What these scriptures tell us about God
What these scriptures tell us to do
What these scriptures tell us not to do
Commentary

In those days, Saul went down to the desert of Ziph with three thousand picked men of Israel, to search for David in the desert of Ziph.  So David and Abishai went among Saul’s soldiers by night and found Saul lying asleep within the barricade, with his spear thrust into the ground at his head and Abner and his men sleeping around him.

Abishai whispered to David: “God has delivered your enemy into your grasp this day. Let me nail him to the ground with one thrust of the spear; I will not need a second thrust!”

But David said to Abishai, “Do not harm him, for who can lay hands on the LORD’s anointed and remain unpunished?” So David took the spear and the water jug from their place at Saul’s head, and they got away without anyone’s seeing or knowing or awakening. All remained asleep, because the LORD had put them into a deep slumber.

Going across to an opposite slope, David stood on a remote hilltop at a great distance from Abner, son of Ner, and the troops. He said: “Here is the king’s spear. Let an attendant come over to get it. The LORD will reward each man for his justice and faithfulness.Today, though the LORD delivered you into my grasp, I would not harm the LORD’s anointed.”

Responsorial Psalm PS 103:1-2, 3-4, 8, 10, 12-13
R. (8a) The Lord is kind and merciful.Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all my being, bless his holy name.Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
He pardons all your iniquities, heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destructioncrowns you with kindness and compassion.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
Merciful and gracious is the LORDslow to anger and abounding in kindness.
Not according to our sins does he deal with usnor does he requite us according to our crimes.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
As far as the east is from the west, so far has he put our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion onthose who fear him.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.

Reading 2 1 COR 15:45-49
It is written, the first man, Adam, became a living being, the last Adam a life-giving spirit. But the spiritual was not first; rather the natural and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, earthly; the second man, from heaven. As was the earthly one, so also are the earthly, and as is the heavenly one, so also are the heavenly. Just as we have borne the image of the earthly one, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly one.
Alleluia JN 13:34
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I give you a new commandment, says the Lord: 
love one another as I have loved you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 6:27-38
Jesus said to his disciples:
“To you who hear I say, 
love your enemiesdo good to those who hate you,bless those who curse youpray for those who mistreat youTo the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one as well, and from the person who takes your cloak, do not withhold even your tunicGive to everyone who asks of you, and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back.
Do to others as you would have them do to you.

For if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you,
what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, and get back the same amount. But rather, 
love your enemies and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wickedBe merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Stop judging and you will not be judgedStop condemning and you will not be condemned.Forgive and you will be forgiven.Give, and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.” 
What these scriptures tell us about God:
The LORD will reward each man for his justice and faithfulness.
The Lord is kind and merciful.
The Lord is kind and merciful.
He pardons all your iniquities, heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction
crowns you with kindness and compassion.
The Lord is kind and merciful.
Merciful and gracious is the LORD
slow to anger
abounding in kindness.
Not according to our sins does he deal with us
nor does he requite us according to our crimes.
The Lord is kind and merciful.
As far as the east is from the west, so far has he put our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion onthose who fear him.
The Lord is kind and merciful
I have loved you
love your enemies and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. 
Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
Stop judging and you will not be judged
Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.
Forgive and you will be forgiven.
Give, and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. 
For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.

How can you follow God’s example in these things? 
How can you get help doing that? Check out Hebrews 4:14-16Hebrews 12:2-3Philippians 4:6-7, and 1 Peter 5:6-7.    


What these scriptures tell us to do:
Bless the LORD
all my being, bless his holy name.Bless the LORD, O my soul
love one another as I have loved you.
love your enemies
do good to those who hate you
bless those who curse you
pray for those who mistreat you
To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one as well
from the person who takes your cloak, do not withhold even your tunic
Give to everyone who asks of you
from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back
Do to others as you would have them do to you
love your enemies and do good to them
lend expecting nothing back
Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
Stop judging 
Stop condemning 
Forgive 
Give

In what areas of your life are these things most needed? 
Who is God brining to your mind as you read this?

What these scriptures tell us not to do
Do not harm

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