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.

 

 

Mercy Droppeth as Gentle Rain

Mercy droppeth as gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath.

The quality of mercy is not strained...It droppeth as gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath….  It is twice blest ….. It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.                 Shakespeare                  The Merchant of Venice

In his wisdom, Pope Francis invites every one of us to take a good long loving look at the quality of mercy.  As a matter of fact, he has called forth a whole year for us to wrestle with this notion of mercy. What does mercy invoke in us? What are other names for mercy? What faces come to us when we take the time to reflect on occasions in our own lives when mercy made a difference?
Wrestle best describes my recent experience in coming to a fresh new place within me where I can befriend mercy. First I sat with the Kyrie, “Lord have Mercy”, that we pray at every Mass. It is never comforting for me to have to ask for mercy. It brings up feelings of messing up and falling short of being my better self. Opening up to qualities such as loving kindness, forgiveness, compassion, gentleness, courage, patience and reaching out have allowed space for mercy to come closer. How many times have I received mercy from so many people in such a variety of circumstances!  To count them would be like counting the stars or the grains of salt in a salt shaker.
One revelation is that the response to “Lord Have Mercy” has come through the agency of a multitude of people in my life. Every act of mercy has a face. Mercy received leaves an impression one never forgets even if it cannot named or acknowledged.
Another insight is that we are all agents of mercy time and time again. Mercy is as, Shakespeare well knew, a blessing to the one who gives as well as the one who receives. When asked what mercy means to me, I recalled a time when without realizing it, I was an agent of mercy. Here I share the story.

I invite you to please share what mercy means to you and a story with a face.

I expect that as we all  continue to wrestle with the place mercy is calling us to this year, that we will have many surprises.

 

Epiphany in the Sun

Epiphany Visit Somewhere New England 2016

Elements
   Play
      In
         Perfect       
            Harmony
               Announcing (a)
                  New
                     Year 

                  May the blessing of search

and the blessing of find

impel you

and surprise you

this new year.

May you have epiphanies

 in all of your seeking,

and may you find

God

shining

through your days and

in each of your nights.