A Spot of Mercy

We may not always understand each other, we may not always be "holy" and act like it. But we are all called to be merciful. It's what we can do if we choose.

Sometimes it seems that there's never a moment of pause or rest, just ongoing (internal) suffering. But then someone does an act if mercy.. I call that a spot of mercy. Or a moment of mercy. It feels like when just for a moment, you get some shade from the hot sun before the cloud moves on. Or just for a moment, you can rest your feet and enjoy the relaxation before you are called to run again. It's only for a moment, but those moments are the best.

A kind word here, or a moment of understanding (or just acceptance) there. Those are my spots of mercy. I need those spots in my life. I know others need them. Why do we deprive each other from these spots of mercy? Why do we prefer to accuse rather than understand? Even when someone is a jerk to us, why don't we search deeper? What made them so angry, so hurt, to want to hurt back??

A lack of mercy. A lack of relief. Constant pain from one another.

I had a spot of mercy this morning from someone. I was hurting about something very deep and the worst part was that I couldn't talk about it (and still can't.) It is one of those things that people won't understand; one of those things you can talk about only in Confession. It's a burden to suffer like that, to not be able to unburden yourself to someone, to have to carry it on your own.

But then this person called me to see how I was doing. I told her that I wasn't doing very well. She didn't really understand or why I felt so angry inside. I couldn't explain it to her because I didn't understand it myself. But the fact that she cared enough to call, to the fact that she wanted to understand. It was a moment of mercy, where, just for a moment, the burden was lifted. Just for a moment, the burden was shared. It reminded me of how important it is to be kind and merciful to one another. Just to love one another. It's the only thing we've been called to do. One task, and yet, we won't do it.

I love my little book of Secret to Happiness. This man was so imperfect and so good at allowing others to see it. What if he tried to hide it all? We would never be inspired to be good.

From Pope John XXIII

"Since we are called to do good rather than to destroy evil, to build up rather than tear down, I seem to find myself in the right place to continue always seeking the good without looking for different ways of understanding or judging life. Ah, the saints, the saints....How they were practical, fervent and good--above all good!"

Let us be good too--strive to find good in everyone, even in their worst moments. To love them when they are unloveable. To wait for them when they push us away. To forgive them even when they don't say they're sorry. This is love--true love! We have to suffer in this life, but if we loved one another the way we're called to, think of all the spots of mercy we would enjoy!