God offers us mercy and asks mercy of us. Jesus says to the Pharisees, “Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’”

Jesus says to Matthew, “Follow Me.” He has to walk away from his income and his connections. He has to make a sacrifice.

We are called to deny ourselves. That feels like a sacrifice. The disciples left their families and homes to wander around after Jesus. That was a sacrifice.

But we don’t earn our salvation. It’s not the act of sacrifice that grants us heaven. We give up our life to take on His life.

If we just give up our own life with some martyrdom complex, then we earn nothing eternal. But, if we give up our life to take on His life, we gain the Kingdom.

We give up our life. We take on His life.

We don’t fast to earn points with heaven. We don’t earn salvation. We fast in a reminder to deny self, to give up our life, to not demand any rights. We fast to remember that self is dead, crucified and buried with Christ.

We are crucified and buried with Christ in baptism. Then His life resurrects in our mortal flesh by the Spirit.

It’s a life that shows mercy because we know what an undeserving worm we are that has received mercy from God.

Jesus shows mercy when touched by an unclean woman. She was sinning against Him. Anything she touched became unclean by the law. But Jesus was the fulfillment of the law! He spread life not death. They were both clean when she touched Him.

Jesus shows mercy when the ruler is afraid at the news of his daughter’s death. Jesus goes with the man anyway. Jesus shows mercy and the girl is brought back to life.

Jesus spread life through showing mercy. Go and do likewise.