Monday 2 March 2026 - II Week in Lent
Mass
Readings: Dan 9:4-10 Ps
79 Lk 6:36-38
Key
Verse to remember: Be merciful, just as your Father is
merciful (Lk 6:36).
The Lenten Season: A Call
to Mercy
The Lenten season is a time
that reminds us of the mercy of God. We are called to show mercy to others,
just as our Heavenly Father is merciful toward us. Through today’s Gospel,
Jesus once again calls us to imitate the Heavenly Father by being merciful.
From our human experience, we all understand well the importance and greatness
of mercy.
The First Reading
Today’s first reading from
the prophet Daniel presents the prayer he offered on behalf of the people,
openly acknowledging their failure to obey the voice of the Lord while seeking
His forgiveness and mercy:
“Open shame, O LORD, falls on us, our kings, our officials, and our
ancestors, because we have sinned against you. To the Lord our God belong mercy
and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him and have not obeyed the voice
of the LORD our God by following his laws, which he set before us by his
servants the prophets” (Dan 9:8–10).
Daniel humbly recognizes the sinfulness of the people and entrusts them
to God’s boundless mercy.
The Gospel Reading
Today’s Gospel once again
touches upon one of the central themes of Lent—compassion. Jesus calls us to
imitate the Heavenly Father: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”
This teaching on mercy and
compassion echoes God’s earlier call to Israel through Moses—a call to
holiness: “You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy” (Lev
19:2).
This also resonates with
the teaching of St. James, who encourages believers to become “mature and
complete, lacking in nothing” (Jas 1:4).
Thus, the Old Testament
command to holiness finds its fulfillment in the New Testament call to
compassion: just as God is compassionate, His people too must be compassionate
on earth. We are called to love even our enemies—not merely by human strength,
but as disciples of Jesus.
In the Septuagint (LXX),
the Greek word for compassion, oiktirmon, meaning “sympathetic” or
“merciful,” is used predominantly for God and only rarely for human beings.
Humanly speaking, loving one’s enemies may seem difficult and demanding. Yet
Jesus insists that we must become compassionate like God the Father Himself.
Among God’s
attributes—holiness and compassion—the evangelist Luke particularly emphasizes
compassion as the quality that most vividly reveals God, as seen especially in
the parable of the lost sheep (Lk 15:4–7).
Mercy Is Reciprocal
Jesus reminds us that there is a direct relationship between the mercy
we show others and the mercy we receive from God. He speaks about the “measure”
we use in loving others: “A good measure, pressed down, shaken together,
running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the
measure you get back” (Lk 6:38).
Human beings often calculate and measure carefully. But Jesus invites us
to give without measure. He clearly teaches: “If you do not forgive others,
neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Mt 6:15).
This truth is illustrated in the parable of the wicked servant who,
despite receiving great forgiveness, refused mercy to his fellow servant. Jesus
warns: “So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do
not forgive your brother or sister from your heart” (Mt 18:35).
Even when Peter asked whether forgiving seven times was sufficient,
Jesus replied: “Not seven times, but seventy-seven times” (Mt 18:22).
- Do not judge, and you will not be
judged.
- Do not condemn,
and you will not be condemned.
- Forgive, and you will be
forgiven.
- Give, and it will be given
to you (Lk 6:37–38).
Four Ways to Show Mercy
Jesus
presents four practical ways of living mercy.
First, do not judge. During this Lent, let us consciously decide not to judge
others. Let us fast from quick and spontaneous judgments expressed in words or
thoughts. Even when responsible for others, we must never judge their
intentions, for only God knows the depths of the human heart.
Second, do not condemn. Condemnation implies passing a final judgment on
another person. Let us avoid harsh words and gestures that wound others.
Third, forgive. We are called to release others from their debts, to excuse
and to pardon generously. When we forgive, we ourselves receive the Father’s
forgiveness.
Fourth, give generously. Love must be offered freely and without calculation.
In this way, the Kingdom of God becomes a reality—“on earth as it is in
heaven.”
Points for Personal
Reflection
Mercy, forgiveness, and non-judgment are the watchwords of today’s
Gospel.
- How
do I practice mercy in my daily life?
- Am I
willing to forgive those who may not deserve it?
- Can
I take to heart Christ’s simple teachings: Be merciful… Do not judge…
Forgive?
God’s mercy and forgiveness are experienced in the same measure in which
we share mercy and forgiveness with others.
God’s mercy knows no limits; it is always available to everyone. But
have I truly experienced God’s forgiveness and His abundant mercy in my life?
Can I refrain from judging and condemning others? Can I forgive and love more
deeply during this Lenten season?
