Pastoral Reflection for the 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
God’s mercy is at the heart of the gospel message. Too often, we are tempted to fall back in our thinking to a paganism that understands faith as the need to appease an angry god. However, the message from the earliest times has been that God is kind and merciful, “slow to anger and abounding in kindness,” as the Psalmist says. In the first reading from 1 Samuel, young David has the opportunity to kill King Saul. Recall that King Saul was jealous of David and had been hunting David to kill him. Yet David, instead of taking advantage of the moment to avenge himself, shows mercy. In the gospel reading, Jesus wants his followers to go beyond the natural bonds of mercy with our families and friends and to show mercy even to those who have harmed us, or even those whom we don’t know! This is why the gospel message often seems foolish in the eyes of the world. The world still wants an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
Call to Action
This is the Holy Year of Hope. Mercy for those in spiritual and material need is the foundation upon which hope can be built. As Lent approaches on March 5th, emphasize God’s great and loving mercy toward your parishioners and even strangers!
- Plan special times for the Sacrament of Penance (Reconciliation) and healing services.
- Utilize the Anointing of the Sick for those with physical, mental, or spiritual needs.
- Use your GC Smart Text and Email to reach out to your parishioners and encourage them to receive God’s grace by attending these events.
- If you haven’t done a GC Smart Give campaign since Christmas, the beginning of Lent is a great time to do it! If you’re unsure how to do this, go to your GiveCentral dashboard and look in the Knowledge Center. If you have questions, contact Teresa Meyer at teresa@givecentral.org. A GC Smart Give campaign offers the opportunity to parishioners, old and new, to sign up for electronic giving, update their information, and engage with you more easily.
Pastoral Action Points
- Does your staff need training in using the GiveCentral Platform? You can check out our training sessions and sign up here: GiveCentral Training.– The more comfortable your staff is with the GiveCentral Platform, the more they will be able to help you use our tools effectively to achieve your mission and engage with your parishioners.
- Have you updated your Pew Engagement Cards for Lent? Now is the time to do it! Your Communications Portal contains free Lenten Templates you can adapt for your parish.– Pew Engagement Cards allow visitors and new parishioners to connect with the parish easily and for you to engage with them quickly!
Last modified: February 20, 2025
