Matthew 9:13 “Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.” This episode talks about what it means when Jesus says he desires mercy and not sacrifice. It talks about how Jesus wants us to care about others and about relationships. Next, it talks about the Corporal works of mercy and the Spiritual works of mercy. Music:"Adding the Sun" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
I Desire Mercy, not Sacrifice
Matthew 9:13 “Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.”
To put this verse into context for you, I will read the few verses before this verse. Matthew 9:9-12 “ As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard this, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.” Then this is when Jesus said, “Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.”
I was unsure what this verse meant, so I looked it up. I found a good article that explained what is happening here. The article is called “Mercy Not Sacrifice,” and it is on the webpage of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Pennsylvania. CLICK HERE for article. Let’s start with the definition of mercy. According to the article I read, Jesus “was quoting the prophet Hosea, who, centuries earlier, had condemned the Jews for attempting to excuse their idolatry and their oppression of the poor by offering the prescribed animal sacrifices.
What Jesus is saying in this verse is that it is not all about the laws and what we can do or what we can give up so that we can look holy or we can look religious. The Pharisees looked around Matthew’s house, and they saw a bunch of nameless sinners and tax collectors. Jesus wants us to know people's names. Jesus wants us to get involved with our hearts and not just our heads. The article gave the example of someone who joins a service project to help out around someone’s house. When she is done working, she talks with the owner and finds out the owner is very lonely. Now this woman has a choice to make. Does she head home so she can get the long list of errands done that day? Or does she accept the invitation for a cup of coffee and visit with this person?
The woman in the article goes in and has a cup of coffee. They have a great conversation, and they talk each week when they see each other at mass. The woman even stops by occasionally to see how the owner is doing. She prays for him in her personal prayer time. They have formed a relationship. The article says, “When we view what we do in Jesus’s name as simply nameless, faceless sacrifices, we have missed the whole concept of “love as I have loved you.” It’s all personal with Jesus. It is all about relationships.
Since we are talking about mercy in this verse, I think this is a good time to address why Catholics feel like we are required to do works of mercy. Let me preface this by saying I am not an expert in this area. I am learning just as you are. If you have questions you want me to answer or if you think I have gotten something wrong, feel free to email me at catherine@findingtruenorthcoaching.com and let me know. The works of mercy are a chance for us to give witness to Christ. Jesus entrusted his followers with the responsibility of caring for others. He identified himself as the one whom his disciples would love and care for: “Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me” Matthew 25:40. Jesus asks us to see him in every person we meet, especially in those who are suffering in need. He asks us to care for each person in a spirit of loving service, knowing that we are really loving and caring for Christ, who, through the Holy Spirit, lives on in every person.
There are two different types of works of mercy. The Corporal Works of Mercy are acts of love that address the physical and material needs of others. The Corporal Works of Mercy are: Feed the hungry, Give drink to the thirsty, Clothe the naked, Visit the imprisoned, Shelter the homeless, Visit the sick, and Bury the dead. Then there are the Spiritual Works of Mercy, which address the needs of peoples’ minds, hearts, and souls. The Spiritual Works of Mercy are Admonish, the sinner. (Give correction to those who need it.) Instruct the ignorant. (Share our knowledge with others.) Counsel the doubtful. (Give advice to those who need it.) Comfort the sorrowful. (Comfort those who suffer.) Bear wrongs patiently. (Be patient with others.) Forgive all injuries. (Forgive those who hurt us.) Pray for the living and the dead.
The works of mercy are practical ways to live out our Catholic faith. Even just one work of mercy can make an impact on the world. Performing Works of Mercy also prepares disciples for the Last Judgement, when Jesus Christ will come at the end of time to judge all people on how merciful they have been and how well they have treated those who are poor or in need. Jesus invites his followers: “Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave me food, I was thirsty, and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me” (Matthew 25:31-32)
Jesus is asking us to take care of the hungry, the thirsty, the lonely, the naked, and those in prison. There are other places where Jesus asks us to take care of the orphans and the widows. Jesus does not want us going through this world being concerned only with ourselves and with our salvation. We might be fasting and praying and doing all we can to get ourselves into heaven, and yet if we are not taking care of others as well, we are not doing what he is asking us to do. We are told to see Christ in each person. Think about how you treat people. Do you treat each person you meet throughout the day as if they were Jesus? Jesus’ spirit is inside each one of us. Would Jesus be proud of the way you are treating the people that you meet? How could you change this?
Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless all those listening to this episode today. Lord, let your words sink into our hearts. Show us how you want us to help those in need. Show us what needs to change in our lives. Show us where we can make changes to live more in alignment with how you want us to live. We love you, Lord, you are amazing. We want to love others like you love us. Show us how. Help us to see you in everyone we meet. Remind us that you are calling us to do that. We ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus’ holy name, Amen!
Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus. Reminder the retreat registration closes in a few days. If you have been procrastinating, hurry, you won’t want to miss out! I look forward to seeing you again tomorrow. Remember, Jesus loves you, and so do I! Have a blessed day!