May 26, 2019 [6th
Sunday Easter] ● Acts 15:1-2,
22-29 ● Psalm 67
● ● Revelation 21:10-14, 22-23 ● + John 14:23-29 ●
Title:
The Practice of Mercy.
[_01_] I am
practicing with this microphone.
“Practice” is something we are called to
do, including the practice of MERCY.
Jesus preaches and practices MERCY
toward this disciples, toward us.
In ancient Israel, King David was the
successor to the throne of Israel. David was anointed the king-to-be of Israel.
By the time that David – or King David –
actually became King and sat on the throne in Jerusalem, he and the previous
king – King Saul – were serious rivals.
The older and apparently less-good-looking Saul had become very jealous
of the younger and more popular David.
The very young and apparently inexperienced
David, as you will recall, is our pre-eminent
biblical and cultural “underdog”
having defeated the mighty Goliath with only a
slingshot. Meanwhile, King Saul and the professional soldiers watched
from the sidelines. As time passed,
David got a lot more “likes” than Saul…but Saul was still the king.
If People
magazine or other tabloids had been around, they surely would have written
articles to ignite fires of discontent between these 2 royal rivals … sort of
like a row between Queen Elizabeth and the Prince of Wales or between Prince
William and Prince Harry. Do they all get along? We’re not really sure.
[_02_] At one point, David has the opportunity to
take Saul’s life.
David knew very well of Saul’s
jealousy. Meanwhile, David had his own
soldiers and army separate from Saul.
David
could have fought Saul in battle but did not, out of respect for the king who
preceded him and who was also chosen by God. Once,
David came upon Saul’s tent in the camp and found Saul sleeping. He quietly
took Saul’s spear and water jug to prove to Saul how close he had been. After
walking a long distance away, David called to Saul and told him that he could
have killed taken his life but chose to show mercy. David preaches (shouts) and
actually practices mercy. Mercy is
showing kindness even though we have the power or opportunity to hurt someone.
Mercy is also not meant to be our last
resort. Sometimes, we decide on “mercy” and forgiveness after other strategies –
such as making another person conform to our wishes – does not work.
Mercy is meant to be our first choice.
[_03_] This Sunday is Memorial Day Weekend and we
certainly recall the bravery and defensive measures taken by our sisters and
brothers in the military.
Can the battlefield be a place of
mercy?
In 2016, a Hollywood movie portrayed the
real-life true sacrifice of a WW2 battlefield hero in HACKSAW RIDGE.
The true-life historical film is
about Desmond Doss, of the U.S. Army in the Battle of Okinawa in 1945, near the
end of WW2.
Desmond is a medic, a military-level
EMT on the battlefield, responsible for first aid and frontline trauma care for
injured soldiers.
Desmond is a medic or army-EMT both because of his interest in
medicine and because of his
faith in God as a Seventh Day Adventist Christian. He refuses to carry a rifle.
Desmond preaches and practices mercy.
At first, young Desmond seems very naïve – about how the Army will
treat his faith and principles. Desmond expected to be treated with dignity and
respect for his values, but this does not always happen. They do not know what to expect of him in the
battle.
In the battle, many were wounded,
and Desmond himself really could have escaped himself… but Desmond is extremely
daring in his ability to rescue – with absolutely
no help 75 soldiers by himself in enemy territory. He receives medals
for his service, including the Bronze Star and Medal of Honor.
For Desmond Doss, every person was
valuable – he seeks out every possible angle and method to save others.
At one point, he prays – in the
movie – Lord, help me get one more, help me save one more, “1 more, 1 more, 1
more … = 75”, saved not simply out of patriotism but out of love. In fact, he
even rescues some wounded Japanese and sent them to U.S. Army hospitals.
[_04_] The
movie – Hacksaw Ridge – is an example of unconditional love and the desire to
recognize the inherent value of a person, whether he is wounded, whether he or
is your enemy, whether or not the person believes you can do something.
At times, Desmond’s patriotism and
sanity are questioned because he refuses to carry a rifle. He does not object
to the use of rifles or the value of self-defense, he just will not touch a
rifle.
This is not an apparent luxury, it
Desmond’s – it is also God’s abundant love to save life, to protect life
whenever possible. Desmond practices mercy.
Desmond Doss of WW2 and David manifest
similar values.
And, they live out what Christ taught us that
we are called to a dwelling of love and peace.
But, what does it mean to dwell or live in
peace?
In Proverbs we read, “rejoice not
when your enemy falls and when he stumbles let not your heart exult.“ (Proverbs 24:17)
It is our Gospel value – but sometimes our
struggle to believe that it is not “hatred” that drives out more hatred. Rather, love drives out hatred.
[_05_] Two
weeks ago, we recalled one of our American saints and heroes, one who was also
on in American battle, though without rifles or cannons.
In 1864, a missionary priest –
Father Damien – arrived in Hawaii to serve a community on the island of
Molokai. And, Molokai was a resort, in a
way. But, it was not a holiday resort, but rather the “last resort”.
Molokai in the 1800’s had become a
leper colony, for people suffering from leprosy.
Everyone on Molokai had been sent there
because they had leprosy and for leprosy there was no real cure until the mid
20th century.
By the time Damien arrived, it
seemed that the battle had been lost against not only against leprosy but also
a battle against any form of community or life or peace or happiness. The
people were miserable.
The religious superiors gave advice
to Damien that would be quite different from what, for example, Mother Teresa
would say … As you recall, Mother Teresa and her sisters picked up the sick and
they dying. And, Damien did this as
well, though his superiors told him, “Do not touch them. Do not allow them to
touch you. Do not eat with them.”
But Damien decided to visit them,
treat them and inquire of their needs.
In an article on the Word on Fire
blog, I read this that Damien realized early on that he in order to show people
that their lives had meaning, he also had to show them that their deaths had
meaning.
St. Paul touches on this – “in life
and in death, we are the Lord’s, whether we live or die, we belong to God.” (Bibl-Ref ___)
On
Memorial Day, we do the same to say that not only the lives – but also the
deaths of those in military service have meaning.
What did Damien do on the island of Molokai?
“So he built a fence around the
local cemetery, which pigs and dogs regularly scavenged. He also constructed
coffins and dug graves, committing that each leper, even if marginalized
throughout his life, would receive a decent burial upon death. This had a
remarkably uplifting effect on the community.” (Brandon Vogt, Word on
Fire, Damien of Molokai and Solidarity,
May 10, 2016)
We
profess our faith in God’s mercy which is also lifts us up in this life and in
the next. [_fin_]
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