"You cannot conceive of a true Christian who is not merciful, just as you cannot conceive of God without his mercy. Mercy is the key word of the Gospel...We should not be afraid. We should allow ourselves to be embraced by the mercy of God, who waits for us and forgives everything."
Pope Francis
We are just beginning Day Three of the Jubilee Year of Mercy! What does it look like, exactly? I've been asking myself this since the pope first announced it was coming. I want it to have real legs to it, but I must pray about how I can GIVE legs to it. I listened to an excellent podcast (from AMERICA magazine) last night which really helped me discern what the Year of Mercy can look like in my own little life. I want to share some of what I learned. First, this Year of Mercy means that we both give and receive mercy. Both are critical...we show mercy to others, but we also realize that God's mercy extends to us, too. We share what we have been given. So, mercy is a give AND receive deal. Second, we can begin showing mercy to the people right in front of us, those in our circle of influence. We don't have to travel to a third world country to do some powerful mercifying! Jesus healed those in front of him or the relatives of those in front of him. He started right there. Who is in your life today you may need to forgive? Who, in your life today, do you need to ask for forgiveness? Thanks be to God, this Year of Mercy has an extra day (Leap Year), so we can enjoy it as long as possible. And then, may it turn into a lifetime of mercy! Let's not waste one single moment of it! Let's start with those right in front of us, by asking for and extending mercy, today! Love, heidi
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