The Face of Mercy to Those in Misery Part #4

Part 4 of a Four Part Series

In the first three articles, we have looked at the bridges of mercy found in our Holy Father’s Apostolic Letter “Mercy and Misery.” Thus far, we have identified the foundational bridges of love, forgiveness, and becoming instruments of mercy; how these bridges are fortified in the Life in the Spirit through the Church’s renewed life of ministry, liturgical prayer, Scripture, and Reconciliation; and the need there is to move out into the world and begin putting a human face to mercy through compassion and works of mercy. In this last article, we want to look at how the last two of our twelve bridges can personalize the mercy we offer.

11) Participation and Sharing. We are to create a culture of mercy where no one looks at another with indifference or turns away from suffering. Our “handcrafted” works of mercy are to be personalizing and are to bring “God’s caress” of mercy to everyone. This Cultural Revolution is shaped in assiduous prayer, docility to the workings of the Holy Spirit, in knowing the lives of the Saints, and being close to the poor. This continuation of mercy is so important to our Holy Father, that he states five times in one small paragraph: “This is the time of Mercy.” #20

12) The Holy Mother of God. Her eyes of mercy always look upon us as she continues to show us the way of mercy and accompanies us in our witness of love. We are to trust in Mary’s maternal assistance and follow her perennial counsel to look to Jesus. #21

These twelve bridges of mercy can seem daunting to us, especially if we have grown comfortable with our lives. Where is one to begin? The Holy Father encourages us to invoke the Holy Spirit to help us to make a “concrete commitment to contribute actively and selflessly to make justice and a dignified life” #19-20 a priority in our witness to the presence of God’s Kingdom. He also encourages our efforts to be communal as we collectively provide “God’s caress” to all who live in our midst.

Even though the Holy Door has been closed, and the Year of Mercy has concluded, our Holy Father tells us to keep the door of our hearts open to mercy and to continue to walk the path of charity. Because we have experienced the loving gaze of God, felt His life-giving breath poured out upon us, we need to look to the future and understand how best to continue “with joy, fidelity, and enthusiasm,” to experience the richness of divine mercy and to share that mercy with others.

Mercy can’t afford to be put in a box and shelved. It has to become our leaven, our mustard seed, the clothing around our hearts, that we may be the face of mercy to those in misery. As we have experienced mercy, Our Holy Father stresses it is now the time we must “roll up our sleeves” and work at becoming bridges of mercy; the face of mercy to those in misery.

I hope these articles have created an interest on your part to pick up the Letter and read it. The Apostolic Letter is a great witness to how Pope Francis lives mercy. I pray that the Letter will be a source of inspiration to you to become a bridge of mercy to those around you in the years ahead.

[In theology and church writings, citing the paragraph or section number of a work is regular practice. For example, the (#3) at the end of one of my sentences means the third section of the document is quoted or referred to. Most sections within a document have paragraphs that are not numbered, but referred to with a letter, although no letter is found in the document. Thus (#1b) would be section #1, second paragraph (b).]