"Lord Jesus, Son of God, Have Mercy on Me, a Sinner!"

 

Those who are parents might remember the life of toddlers in your home. They really do what they want! They are so curious because everything around them is so interesting. I remember reading how to toddler proof your home! Knives, electrical cords have to be put away so kids may not get hurt while exploring their world. It is fascinating to me to notice similarities between the dynamics of parent/child relationship with our relationship with God. In Genesis we were given the world to explore and enjoy, to have authority over everything, but there were boundaries for our own safety. Just like toddlers we have often gone rogue. You know something is wrong when everything is too quiet, the parent frantically starts looking for the child’s whereabout. All of a sudden, you find your toddler with layers of Vaseline on the face and the hair full of baby powder! I may or may not be speaking out of experience! We also have messed up, time and time again, and God knows how goofy we really look like. Things don’t get any easier when deep inside, we don’t acknowledge honestly where we are at and what we have done so we can ask forgiveness. Our Gospel lesson offers a path for us: We are justified if we recognize our unworthiness and humble ourselves before God. We need to sort of jump into the pool of God’s grace and mercy for the health of our spiritual journey.

The subject of introspection or self-observation is among the most uncomfortable to deal with. It forces us to face the ugly side of us inside. Jesus gave us a hint in his parable that, most often we think that by accomplishing tasks on our checklist, we are okay! We are now holy! But we couldn’t be further from the truth! The pharisee thought he got it! But the Tax collector thought he didn’t have it! Jesus is saying it’s rather the other way around. You think you got it? No, you don’t! We all sin in more subtle ways. We haven’t got it. Our sins may not appear to us to be the worst, but we can still sin our hearts! We all need to come before God’s presence with a heart that says: “Lord Have Mercy on Me a Sinner!” Allow yourself to be bathed in God’s grace and mercy!

What is most intriguing is that the more we think we have progressed in holiness, the more we realize we still have a long way to go! Jesus recommends the role of the Tax C. But for sure we have played the Pharisee’s role: “I am not like them, they haven’t got it”. But this is completely missing the point! The more you search God, the more unworthy you realize you are. Isaiah cried: “Woe to me a man of unclean lips, my eyes have seen the King the Lord Almighty!” He thought he was going to die just by being in God’s presence, knowing that he is a sinner! We need to have Isaiah’s attitude of seeking God’s grace and mercy. Will you seek it in Jesus presence today?

When the war was going on, there was a lot of blame that was going around. None wanted to acknowledge their own contribution in the hostilities. Everyone focused on their own pain, they did things their own way as long as they won, and forgot Jesus in the process. However, there are those who came forward and repented bitterly, and others to this day, have not faced the inside of their hearts, and let Jesus come in, and calm the storms. It can take years to heal from wounds of war. In my own life I have always found God’s pool of Grace and Mercy in communities of faith like this one. People started praying for me, laying their holy hands on me. I began the journey to healing. Here at St Andrew’s after the service, 2 or 3 gathers here to pray for each other, join in anytime!

Today I want to encourage us to take a new step forward: A step towards Jesus! When you come to receive Holy Communion; Do speak to God about your life, Say the Jesus Prayer: Lord Jesus, Son of God, Have Mercy on me a sinner!” Amen.