COME TO THE THRONE OF GRACE AND MERCY
A wonderful & blessed Sunday to you. Do you find yourself sometimes struggling with life’s challenges & problems? How can the Word of God this Sunday give you hope, clarity & direction? Let us explore …
On the Scriptures today, we see Jesus, the Suffering Servant of God. Our 1st Reading from Isaiah 53:10-11 tells us that the suffering servant bore the faults of all people on himself by sacrificing his life & thus justified them (made them righteous with God). In fact, in the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, there are altogether 4 songs of the Suffering Servant (Isaiah 42:1-7, 49.1-6, 50:4-9 & 52:13-53:12) that point us to Our Lord Jesus. They tell us poignantly about how much the Lord Jesus had to suffer – pierced for our faults, crushed for our sins, led to the slaughter-house like a meek lamb, struck down in death (cf Isaiah 53:5,7 & 8) & shed his innocent blood to save us all.
In our Gospel today, we hear Jesus admonish his disciples not to exalt themselves & seek places of honour & prestige, but instead, to follow his example of humility & sacrifice & to be humble & a slave to all, just like He, “who did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45).
In the Old Testament, on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur – just celebrated last week 11 to 12 Oct; see Leviticus 23:27-28), the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies (inner sanctum of the Temple) burn the incense, sprinkle the blood of the sacrificial lamb on the Ark of the Covenant that holds the 10 Commandments tablets) & the mercy seat (the cover or lid of the Ark) to make atonement & ask forgiveness of the people’s sins. Our 2nd Reading in Hebrews 4:14-16 references this & states that Jesus is the supreme high priest who pleads for forgiveness on our behalf. Hebrews 4 then invites us all to approach with confidence Jesus & His throne of grace & mercy (cf Hebrews 4:16). The blood of Jesus, the innocent Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (cf John 1:29) cleanses us from sin, saves us & restores us to friendship with God.
Friends, today Jesus is inviting you to draw near to him with confidence in His saving love and mercy. Come, with a humbled & contrite spirit (cf Psalm 51:12). Come, approach the throne of grace, so that you can find mercy and grace when you need divine help, as Hebrews 4:16 says. Do you feel you have sinned miserably & have fallen away from God? Jesus is inviting you to conversion & repentance. Are you facing innumerable problems & difficulties? Jesus says lovingly to you that He alone will come and save you (cf Isaiah 35:4). Are you bearing the burden of ill health & disease? Jesus says ‘I am the God that heals you” (cf Exodus 15:26) & that by his wounds you are healed (cf Isaiah 53:5).
As we end, let the response to the psalm today in Psalm 33:22 “May your love be upon us, O Lord, as we place all our hope in you” be our prayer to Jesus in this coming week.
Here’s a great song called “Mercy Seat”. Listen, pray & draw near to the Heart of Jesus, the Throne of Divine Mercy. God bless you.
https://youtu.be/Fu_EhKG3_B8?si=yZSG6jKYxmnoTtHP
Article by Damian Boon, HFC Blog Team Lead