Psalm 51:3
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
You may have heard people say, "The church is full of hypocrites. They think they are better than everyone else." The fact is this is true. We are all sinners. The vast majority of us go to church, not because we are doing well, but that we are all sick with sin. Like a sickness we see the symptoms but sometimes have trouble identifying the cause of the sin. Or we are so caught up in our selfish arrogance, not even realize our sin. The Church is a hospital for sinners. Frankly the hospital should be bursting at the seams. Everyone should be there. Like a doctor, we should make regular visits, but unlike a doctor, it should be weekly instead of yearly. This weekly spiritual "check-up" helps us recognize our faults, and ask for God's help and mercy to heal us of those spiritual ailments that cause physical and emotional anguish.
Pope Francis has implored us to show mercy to one another. We pray for forgiveness and mercy each week at Mass, for the sins, "in my thoughts and in my words; in what I have done and what I have failed to do." This year has been proclaimed by the Church as the Year of Mercy. We should cry out for mercy and compassion. Our society cries out for it. We are called to show mercy and compassion to our friends and neighbors, but even more importantly, to those that are marginalized, different or underappreciated due to skin color, nationality, economic status, and sexual orientation. This is the hard part. When we cannot find ourselves to show mercy and compassion, we need God's help. Are you willing to ask for it?
