Are you a person who wants God to be merciful toward sinners, or enforce justice on those who oppose him?

I’m going to hazard a guess that for most of us, the most honest answer is… it depends.

If we are talking about your brother who hasn’t attended Mass in 47 years or your best friend who now claims to be agnostic, you are putting all your chips on “merciful.”

But if we are talking about that ex who deserves what is coming to her, or the young man who hurt your daughter, mercy isn’t even a consideration.

Let me tell you a fictional tale…

It’s Friday night and a married couple are settling in on the couch to watch a movie. She popped popcorn for herself. He grabbed a package of Oreo cookies (his favorite).

Just then, their oldest daughter get home from band practice and sees the Oreos (her favorite, too). “Dad?” She gives him her best puppy eyes, “Ya wanna share those Oreos with me?”

According to my desk calendar, September 10th is Grandparents Day—so to all you grandparents, enjoy your day!

I was recently watching a miniseries on “Blue Zones” (populations with the highest concentrations of people living longer lives) when I heard a pretty brutal fable told in Okinawa (one of the zones). In this fable, when elderly became too much of a burden, their sons would lead them to the top of a high cliff and push them off. One son would not do it after leading him to the precipice, and hid his father instead. Over the following years, the man grew wealthy and successful. No one knew it was a result of the wisdom and counsel he was receiving from his (still very much alive) father!

How important is your relationship with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit? How vital do you consider your interaction with His Church? Do you prioritize God above everything else, holding nothing back?

This Sunday’s readings reveal how strongly we should be answering these questions.

The first reading tells of a prophet’s struggle. How he places God above all other things and cannot keep his mouth shut when it comes to his faith.