Thursday 10 September 2026 - Be merciful

0:00Today is Thursday the 10th of September, in the 23rd week of ordinary time. Slow down as you enter into prayer today. John Gera will guide us into today's scripture with the song Love Your Enemies. Draw to mind the ways in which God has loved you throughout your life so far. And during those moments you perhaps didn't feel like you deserved it.

1:09Give to everyone who asks of you, be good to everybody no matter, to them as you would have them do to you. Love Your Enemies. No greater love is there than this. I live down my life now and do it again. If it's you, so give it to them, love Your Enemies. Love Love Love Love Love Your Enemies and be children of your father in heaven. Children of your father in heaven. Turn the other cheek, put down your fists.

2:20Give up your coat if someone asks for it. What have you got that you are not given, give everything. And when the sun sets on your labor, turning the tide's but not in your favor. Love is a rescue and it will save you for love. Love Your Enemies and be children of your father in heaven. Children of your father in heaven. If you love those who love you, what good is it? What good is it? If you hate those who hate you, what good is it? At least no good, no good at all.

3:22If you love those who love you, what good is it? What good is it? What good is it? If you gain the whole world, what is your soul? What is no good, no good at all? It's no good, no good at all. Oh, love Love Love Love Your Enemies and be children of your father in heaven. Children of your father, children of your father in heaven. Today's reading is from the Gospel of Luke. But I say to you that listen, love your enemies.

4:23Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also. And from anyone who takes away your coat, do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you. And if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? What credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you?

5:29Even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much again. But love your enemies. Do good. And lend expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great and you will be children of the most high. For he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your father is merciful. Do not judge and you will not be judged. Do not condemn and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and it will be given to you. A good measure pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put in your lap. For the measure you give will be the measure you get back.

6:41This is among the hardest teachings in the Gospels. Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Lend expecting nothing back. It asks for a freedom from calculation that does not come naturally to any of us. Who is the enemy or the difficult person who comes to mind as you hear this today? What would loving them without expecting anything in return look like practically this week?

8:07Jesus grounds this teaching not in willpower but in likeness. Be merciful just as your father is merciful. We are not asked to generate mercy out of nothing but to let flow towards others something of the mercy we have already received. Can you remember a time when you were shown a mercy that you had not earned? How did that change what you were able to give to someone else?

9:56Listen again, I notice which line feels most impossible and which feels most like an invitation. What happens when you stay with both? But I say to you that listen, love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also. And from anyone who takes away your coat, do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you. And if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you.

11:00If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much again. But love your enemies. Do good. And lend expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great and you will be children of the most high. For he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful just as your father is merciful.

12:00Do not judge and you will not be judged. Do not condemn and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and it will be given to you. A good measure pressed down, shaken together, running over will be put in your lap. For the measure you give will be the measure you get back. Speak honestly to God about where this teaching feels beyond you.

13:03And ask for the grace to be made capable of it, little by little rather than all at once. For the measure you give will be given to you. And ask for the grace to be made capable of it. And ask for the grace to be made capable of it. And ask for the grace to be made capable of it. For the measure you give will be given to you.

14:20For the measure you give will be given to you. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. Word of the Father and Amen. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. Word of the Father and Amen.