A Taste of Mercy

Delectable Johnny-Jump-Ups: Taste and See 

Mercy has a humble way of being. It is as natural as these little Johnny-jump-ups that showed themselves to me last Saturday. My friend Winnie and I went out for a breath of fresh air. As we walked in the enclosed courtyard at Mont Marie Health Center, we looked in the planters where seeds of last year's flowers lay sleeping through the winter.
"Surprise! We jump up and show ourselves to let you know Spring is on the way." 
I was surprised to discover that these little beauties are edible. Such is mercy as well. She offers herself to be enjoyed, tasted and nourishing.

With gratitude I thank three more of my Sisters who offer a bit(e) of what mercy means for them. Taste and See.

Sister Mary Kate sees mercy as God's justice.

 

Sister Simone treasures her experience of God's  mercy

 

Sister Carol expresses the interchange of mercy.

New Life is Coming

Beneath winter's darkness, new life emerges!

Hope does spring eternal!

As we enter into Holy Week, may we recognize God waiting for us in the new life springing forth.

May we hear God's whisper in all that is coming up new.

ARISE!

 

Embracing Mercy

 As I continue to ask people to share what Mercy means to them, I am blessed over and over again. Hearing these  insights during National Sisters' Week opens for me a deep appreciation for the way the grace of our vocation connects us with God's Mercy in so many dimensions.

 

Today we hear from Edie, Carol and Melinda.

 

Sister Edie recognizes Mercy as one of  God's names. .

 

 

Carol Wren experiences Mercy as the core of our deepest humanity.

 

Sister Melinda finds mercy in her ministry of listening.

Shooting for Mercy

 

 

With camera in hand I roamed the offices at 577 Carew Street asking my sisters to share what mercy means to them. The individual responses give us all points to ponder.

 

Sister Roberta experiences Mercy as a call to profound love.

 

 

Sister Lillian reflects on the gift and the virtue of Mercy in her life.

Sister Betsy recognizes the grace that comes through Mercy.

EspeciallyThose Most in Need of Your Mercy

 
For National Sisters Week we invited members of the Community of Joseph to share a reflection on Mercy.

Denise Granger in her simple office

Denise Granger,ssj, coordinates the Office of Justice and Peace for the Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield. She shares with us her reflection on Mercy.

Some things in life are exquisitely simple – love is better than hate, sharing is better than hoarding, generosity is better than selfishness, kindness is better than meanness – you can fill in a lot more.  Yet, we complicate even these seemingly simple things, often to justify behavior we know is not worthy of us.  Hanging on to small (or big) hurts, letting our insecurities get the best of us, allowing our “we’re number one,” materialistic, consumer driven culture entice us to satisfy our every little whim clouds our judgment and impedes the day when “all will be one.”

Living our lives believing that there is a God who knows us and loves us allows us to reveal God’s face and heart to the people we share life with and all of our brothers and sisters whose lives are affected by every decision we make. Living from a grounded set of beliefs gives us a frame of reference to live by. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” comes to mind - and is this not “mercy?”

Everyone guided by mercy and even a few of its synonyms – compassion, charity, tenderness, forgiveness – cannot but help to make life better all around – and isn’t that why we are here?

In this year of mercy, let us, like God, hear the cry of the poor.  We pray to be alert, eyes and ears open, sleeves rolled up, to the encounter with Jesus offered to us every day in the disguise of those most in need of mercy.