Gracious and Merciful

Homily for Tuesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time

The passage that we read from the Book of Exodus today contains a remarkable statement in which God’s nature is revealed to Moses. Whenever Moses enters the meeting tent, the glory of God descends upon the tent and appears as a cloud at its entrance. Moses has a unique intimacy with God in spite of Israel’s disobedience. God’s self-revelation is one of the most frequently repeated statements throughout the Hebrew Scriptures. In verses six and seven we read, “The LORD, the LORD, a God gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in love and fidelity, continuing his love for a thousand generations, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin.” This formulation of God’s nature is a brief Creed that identifies the various characteristics. God’s self-revelation is expressed through God’s relationship with Israel. These exact words are repeated in the Book of Numbers, Psalm 103 and Psalm 145, in the Book of Joel, and in the Book of the Prophet Jonah. Jonah uses these exact words as the reason for his attempt to escape the mission which God imposed upon him. Jonah prays: “O LORD, is this not what I said while I was still in my own country? This is why I fled at first toward Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger, abounding in kindness, repenting of punishment.” In other words, Jonah tells God that he knew that God had no intention of destroying the Ninevites.

Throughout the Exodus, the Israelites whine, disobey, and grumble; and time and again God forgives. Over and over again, God reminds the children of Israel that he is their God and that they are his people.

Today’s Gospel reading, in which Jesus explains a parable to his disciples, is another portrayal of our relationship with God. Jesus tells his disciples that the weeds in the field represent evildoers and those who cause others to sin. Jesus explains that at the end of time, the evildoers will be thrown into the fiery furnace where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. However, Jesus also explains that God is faithful and will never give up on us. There is always the opportunity for evildoers to repent.

Today the Scriptures invite us to reflect on where we are in our relationship with God today and where we hope to be at the end of time. In our Eucharist today, let us be thankful for God’s never-ending mercy.