A Thousand Years of Mercy

​A Reflection on the Psalm for Sunday, December 14th, 2025:
Third Sunday of Advent

---

Psalm 146

R. Lord, come and save us.

It is the Lord who keeps faith forever, who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets the prisoners free.

R. Lord, come and save us.

The Lord opens the eyes of the blind and lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous and watches over the strangers.

R. Lord, come and save us.

The Lord upholds the orphan and the widow, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin. The Lord will reign forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations.

​R. Lord, come and save us.

​Pause. Pray. Reflect.

The psalmist makes a bold promise to us today: the Lord will execute justice and mercy for all eternity. He will protect the most vulnerable and those in need and lovingly look over those who love and obey Him.

In this season of joyful anticipation, we often see an upsurge in generosity. Wish cards are plucked from mall trees and presents purchased for families. Money is deposited into big water jugs and food bank boxes fill up at grocery stores. It is likely that you have contributed to Christmas boxes to be delivered to people in your local community. Perhaps you have invited someone without family or newly moved here to join the dinner table. You likely don’t hesitate to contribute to a kettle while carrying out your Christmas errands. And the world is a happier place for a few weeks. People are fed; children have toys; strangers become friends.

For some, this carries on after Advent. I often find myself generous throughout Advent and then January arrives. We revisit our budget, make resolutions to buckle down and try to recover financially from this generosity over the Advent and Christmas seasons. 

In 2 Peter 3:8 we hear: “But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day.” In my case, I think I try to cram a thousand years of generosity into a few short days. But the Lord is saying that, no matter how long it takes, He is promising justice and mercy forever. Long after my last Advent, He will continue to ensure that those who are oppressed … or blind … or alone … will feel His comfort, love and generosity. Time is meaningless to Him; His love endures forever.  We may not understand how people are still struggling notwithstanding our ministries and service but, for those of us who believe, we can rest on the promise that if we continue to act, His mercy will flood the world. We may not see it during our mortal lives, but our days of righteousness and obedience will have contributed to His plan.

Let us pray: May the spirit of mercy and generosity that I experience every Advent soak through me and remain in my daily actions long after Advent. Let the truth of Gaudete Sunday permeate my soul and guide me to share the deep joy that I receive knowing that Jesus Christ is coming to save the world. Amen.



Sandy Graves

---