Homily Delivered by Rev. Fr. Jordan Orbe, SJ March 21, 2023
Trusting in Mercy
As a priest, I have long realized that making space for the pain of people is part of the calling. But to be honest, there are times when I too struggle with how to respond to people who have been suffering for a long time. And immediately exhorting them to trust, to let go and let God, can sound hollow and dismissive. In our Gospel reading, we encounter a man who had been paralyzed for 38 years, lying by the pool of Bethesda, a Hebrew word that means house of mercy or house of grace. The pool is said to be miraculous, and when it is supposedly stirred by the angel, the person who goes into the pool will be healed. We can almost hear the despair and hopelessness in the man’s voice when he answers Jesus. Being crippled, there is no way that he could bring himself to the pool. It is possible that he may have questioned God’s mercy and doubted whether he would ever be healed. Likewise, in our own lives, when we experience great pain, it can be challenging to trust in God's mercy. God’s grace may seem so out of reach. We may question why God would allow us to experience such pain or we may feel abandoned by God when we need him the most. In those moments, it is important to remember that even when we cannot see or understand God's plan, we are still in his house of grace, and his mercy is still present and available to us.
In the vision of Ezekiel, we see an image of a river flowing out from the temple, bringing life and healing to everything it touches. The river starts as a trickle, ankle-deep, but as it flows out, it grows deeper and wider until it becomes a mighty river, impossible to cross. It is a vision of God’s power and mercy that is not limited or constrained, but rather overflows in abundance, healing and restoring all that is broken. However, we must realize that the healing and restoring that it offers may be different from what we have in our minds. Many times, what blocks us from seeing or recognizing God’s mercy in action is our expectation of how God should be. The pharisees in the Gospel today were blinded by their own concept of holiness and godliness, confining it to the limit of the law. In so doing, they miss out on the very real experience of God’s mercy in their midst.
Perhaps it is good to reflect on what blocks us today from fully seeing and trusting in God’s mercy in our lives. It could be our expectations that God should make all our pain disappear like magic. Sometimes, that is how it goes. Many times, it is not. God’s promise of mercy does not guarantee exemption from pain. What he does assure us is that he will be with us through our pain, to sustain us. Sometimes, we are blinded by our sense of unworthiness. Our readings remind us that no matter how great our suffering, God's mercy is greater. We may feel overwhelmed and broken by the challenges we face in life, but God's healing power is more powerful than any pain or guilt we might experience. We can trust that God's mercy is always available to us, no matter how unworthy or hopeless we may feel.
As we continue our Lenten journey, let us not be afraid to bring our doubts and questions to God. Let us be honest about our struggles to trust in his mercy and ask him to help us see his presence amid our pain. Let us also remember to be channels of comfort and healing to those around us who may be struggling to trust in God's mercy amidst their own suffering. May God's overflowing mercy fill our hearts and give us the strength to trust in him, even in the midst of our pain and suffering. Amen.
Radyo Katipunan 87.9 FM
Homily Delivered by Rev. Fr. Jordan Orbe, SJ
March 21, 2023
Trusting in Mercy
As a priest, I have long realized that making space for the pain of people is part of the calling. But to be honest, there are times when I too struggle with how to respond to people who have been suffering for a long time. And immediately exhorting them to trust, to let go and let God, can sound hollow and dismissive. In our Gospel reading, we encounter a man who had been paralyzed for 38 years, lying by the pool of Bethesda, a Hebrew word that means house of mercy or house of grace. The pool is said to be miraculous, and when it is supposedly stirred by the angel, the person who goes into the pool will be healed. We can almost hear the despair and hopelessness in the man’s voice when he answers Jesus. Being crippled, there is no way that he could bring himself to the pool. It is possible that he may have questioned God’s mercy and doubted whether he would ever be healed. Likewise, in our own lives, when we experience great pain, it can be challenging to trust in God's mercy. God’s grace may seem so out of reach. We may question why God would allow us to experience such pain or we may feel abandoned by God when we need him the most. In those moments, it is important to remember that even when we cannot see or understand God's plan, we are still in his house of grace, and his mercy is still present and available to us.
In the vision of Ezekiel, we see an image of a river flowing out from the temple, bringing life and healing to everything it touches. The river starts as a trickle, ankle-deep, but as it flows out, it grows deeper and wider until it becomes a mighty river, impossible to cross. It is a vision of God’s power and mercy that is not limited or constrained, but rather overflows in abundance, healing and restoring all that is broken. However, we must realize that the healing and restoring that it offers may be different from what we have in our minds. Many times, what blocks us from seeing or recognizing God’s mercy in action is our expectation of how God should be. The pharisees in the Gospel today were blinded by their own concept of holiness and godliness, confining it to the limit of the law. In so doing, they miss out on the very real experience of God’s mercy in their midst.
Perhaps it is good to reflect on what blocks us today from fully seeing and trusting in God’s mercy in our lives. It could be our expectations that God should make all our pain disappear like magic. Sometimes, that is how it goes. Many times, it is not. God’s promise of mercy does not guarantee exemption from pain. What he does assure us is that he will be with us through our pain, to sustain us. Sometimes, we are blinded by our sense of unworthiness. Our readings remind us that no matter how great our suffering, God's mercy is greater. We may feel overwhelmed and broken by the challenges we face in life, but God's healing power is more powerful than any pain or guilt we might experience. We can trust that God's mercy is always available to us, no matter how unworthy or hopeless we may feel.
As we continue our Lenten journey, let us not be afraid to bring our doubts and questions to God. Let us be honest about our struggles to trust in his mercy and ask him to help us see his presence amid our pain. Let us also remember to be channels of comfort and healing to those around us who may be struggling to trust in God's mercy amidst their own suffering. May God's overflowing mercy fill our hearts and give us the strength to trust in him, even in the midst of our pain and suffering. Amen.
#KeepTheFaith #DailyMass #Jesuits #KTFHomilies
2 years ago | [YT] | 13