Mercy
Mercy
When We Catholics speak of mercy; what is mercy; we can turn to both the corporal acts of mercy and the spiritual acts of mercy. Forgiveness falls into the spiritual acts of mercy. Kindness, helping the less fortunate falls into the corporal acts of mercy. Jesus instructs his disciples, instructs us, to live by these spiritual and corporal acts of mercy.
“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful,” Jesus tells us.
That sounds tidy enough, easy enough. Right?
Truth be told, it seems that this can seem like an impossible task at times; especially in today’s world; be merciful as Your Father is? I mean, how’s that even possible? I go home and turn on the TV the past months and see atrocities, war, and so on. It can seem like the world is burning down both literally and figuratively. I’m not seeing much mercy. And I’m not feeling very merciful.
Then I learn of the fires in Hawaii this past week; the devastation is incomprehensible. But then a story comes on about these people in Kihei Hawaii loading supplies on a boat to bring to West Mahi for the victims staying at one of the shelters.
Another story comes on of a nurse from San Francisco; seeing the destruction jumped on a plane. For the past week she’s been at a shelter taking care of the injured. She said, I just knew I had to help.
There’s the veterinarian who showed up at another shelter treating survivors’ dogs and cats.
And there’s a church who is allowing displaced families to camp on their property and supplying food and other necessities.
A father with his wife and young son who lost everything was asked by a reporter, “What is the one thing you need?” With tears streaming down his face he replied, “We love you; we love you all for your support, we just need love.”
Be merciful. Give and gifts will be given to you.
All these people, and more, loving their neighbor, being merciful just as our father is merciful. Despite all the terrible surroundings and hurt, pain, even death around them, these people being interviewed seemed…so present, so human, so alive; so hopeful.
And I was reminded to just what the mercy of God is:
It’s unconditional—it’s always there, and it underlines everything.
Mercy already exists in you and me; that’s how God made us; that’s why we are so drawn to it; just as I was drawn to those stories of mercy coming out of Hawaii. At the end of the day, we are made by God to forgive and to give our gifts to those around us who are hurting; its who we truly are. Why? Because then comes hope.
I didn’t see much happiness in those folks helping in Hawaii, but I saw strength, I saw mercy; I saw hope.
Peace be with You.
Deacon David