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The tender action of a priest recently spurred a thought in my mind: How can I not live to point to the Church and Jesus now after receiving such a gift of mercy in my pain and brokenness?
The thought will not leave me and only seems to generate an intense desire to serve. Perhaps that was the surprising moment a deeper vocation was born.
That priest has no idea that his loving action towards me in a time of great pain led to this thought. Not only did that action lead me to mostly heal from a deeply rooted sin that I thought was impossible to overcome, but the thought may lead me to a deeper, fuller vocation to the Church.
And I’m sure it was not coincidental that the priest was a vocations director.
This came after hearing all the inspiring words of vocations for years. None of which touched my soul like his action. It made me see that we are touched by mercy and compassion through this beautiful Church and its servants, and that is such a gift that others need to desperately experience.
If it profoundly touched me who has been so hard to change, it will profoundly touch others.
Then I thought of more everyday loving actions that are less life-changing, but that show us mercy and love. Specifically, my mother’s recently loving action towards me.
One day I was in despair, and I went over to my parents’ house for dinner. She had made me detox gluten free brownies (I’m a health nut with dietary restrictions). In great pain, she showed compassion and tender love, and stopped the pain that day. Even after countless comforting words were said and came to me throughout the day.
A single unexpected loving action stopped the pain.
It made me think about how we stop the pain in people’s lives. Tenderness stops the pain. Tenderness is the only thing that stops the pain.
Rarely powerful words. Rarely strong arguments. Rarely hostility or punishment for sins.
Human tenderness and mercy are our answer. Love in action through the human touch.
That’s how we need to attract people back to the Church, to vocations, and to change and conversion in their lives. Through their experience of our tenderness and human touch in their pain. That’s how Jesus did it and that’s how we’ll do it.
Katie Zalany lives in Cleveland Ohio. She is a Third Order Secular Franciscan (OFS), spiritual director, benefits/wellness leader, certified health and life coach, and volunteer. She is the creator of the ministry Women in Waiting | Made for Fruitfulness and is a published author. Her writing interests and focus areas include Gospel reflections, Franciscan spirituality, women's spirituality, prayer, and integration of faith and daily living.
