HAVE MERCY ON ME—A SINNER

LORD JESUS CHRIST, SON OF GOD SAVIOR,
HAVE MERCY ON ME—A SINNER

Last week we looked at the historic origin and scriptural references for the first part of the Jesus Prayer, “LORD JESUS CHRIST, SON OF GOD SAVIOR.” You recall that the first half has multiple references in Holy Scripture and is also an acrostic formed by ICTHYS--fish, and used as a clandestine Christian greeting.  Today we will finish with the second half: “HAVE MERCY ON ME—A SINNER.”

You will recall I characterized HAVE MERCY ON ME—A SINNER, as a “somewhat offensive sentence” and, “an honest proclamation of self-awareness in the light of divine love.” Allow me to explain. Many times in the past, people have shared with me their displeasure with Scripture as “doom and gloom,” depressing, or as oppressive when it referenced human sinfulness and our need for forgiveness. Many times, I have heard comments that the Jesus Prayer was unfavored due to its accusatory second half and discarded for that reason.

I will be the first to say that it brings me no pleasure when any of my many faults are pointed out to me, let alone when I am forced to confront my own sin. The reason for my displeasure, though, is not because I disagree with the assessment; rather, it is that I am being brought back to face the truth of who I am. The faults I have are simply the outward expression of the sin that propelled them. The sin that formed the fault is simply the sin that interacts with the world; another sin lies behind that sin and it is there where I (we) must go. Embracing the truth of this prayer (as we do liturgically in Lent) we are drawn up into the light —the Light of the Gospel! —liberated from falsehood and offered forgiveness and freedom.

Perhaps the most powerful witness to this section of the prayer found in Scripture is in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 18, where Jesus told this parable:

10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
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14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” 18:10-14

Sin, once discerned, is an unavoidable reality of our lives. Gone is the presumption to claim, “I am alright.” We are able, then, to reflect that it is not the sins of the flesh or the momentary flashes of anger that really keep us from God. We know these are wrong. No, the sins that keep us from the Lord's mercy are the sins that abide deep inside and are formative in all that we do: inordinate pride in our accomplishments; judgmentalism and condemnation without regard to divine presence; secret envy in the success of others, ambition for more power and more influence; at the root of all of these lies a distancing from God that makes these sins possible. I am a sinner who has separated myself from the vision of God by not considering God first before my own self and desire.

The proclamation, HAVE MERCY ON ME—A SINNER, once embraced honestly, opens the core of my heart and spirit to the Sacrifice of the Cross. We are made aware that we stand in the shadow of Christ’s sacrifice and, in the place of sin, cry prayers of thankfulness and praise to God for our salvation. The salvation to eternal life is also the salvation from self-destruction and condemnation. The mercy we cry for, we are invited to accept as already given and Christ ascends from the darkness of our past to light the life we live in every new Holy, blessed moment.

Holiness, for the Christian, is not an event and does not consist in living an upright moral life. Holiness, for the Christian, resides in the sure and certain hope that our sins can be forgiven—are forgiven, and that we can obtain true amendment of life.

Jesus tells this simple yet powerful parable to show the stark contrast between a worldly view and a heavenly view of life: we are explicitly called to the latter, “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” So well is this understood that the Scriptures abound with this teaching as implicit in the witness of our Savior:

2 Peter 3:9 ESV
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

1 John 1:9 ESV
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Titus 3:5 ESV
He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,

Acts 2:38 ESV  
And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Hebrews 4:16 ESV
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Romans 5:8 ESV  
But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

1 John 1:8 ESV
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

1 Peter 1:3 ESV
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

Luke 13:3 ESV
No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.

The second half of the Jesus Prayer is nothing less than a proclamation of self-awareness and a recognition of Divine Love. Through it we are united to the witness of Christ for our salvation and by it we are remade as children of the light! (Thess. 5:5)
 
LORD JESUS CHRIST, SON OF GOD SAVIOR,
HAVE MERCY ON ME—A SINNER
Fr. Bill+