Mercy is our cross.
I have heard this a few times and it take me back each time. Mercy is defined as compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm. That is according to Mr. Google. How do you get from there to Mercy is our Cross.
This tells me that I have to have power of the person to whom I show mercy, is that true? I don’t think so. I had a person in power over me that was trying to block something I desperately wanted and those around me were all in support of me doing. This person was convinced that I was not supposed to follow path I was one and didn’t what what in his power to stop or at least slow process down. This person had power over me.
I found myself getting very angry and spouting off at people who tried to tell me that things would happen in God’s time. Exhaustion set in emotionally. I had enough of this man’s apparent grudge and he wasn’t going to let go. He never called me, he never wrote for clarification, just took a 20 year old idea of me and pushed forward. Not a single person in my life thought it was fair or just. My mood soured.
I saw what is now my Archbishop on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. He told me to pray and ask Mary for mercy. I sort of heard him, but not till after Christmas and my mood was frazzled that I realized that realized I just had to pray for mercy for the person blocking me. Every day I prayed for God’s Mercy. I prayed that both of us would know God’s mercy. After a few days of praying for this person, my anger dissipated, I found compassion and was truly open to God’s will working through his people. Consequently and amazingly, a month later the long process was over.
Mercy goes both ways, to be merciful and just can be a cross, but our God and our Pope this year are calling us to Mercy. It will change you. Life is too short to allow things hampering the way God created us to be.
Show Mercy! Mercy is our Cross!