Year of Mercy Reflection

Friday, Apr. 22, 2016

Mercy. We’ve all been hearing this word these past couple of months, and it might seem that we’ve been so overwhelmed with talk of God’s mercy that we think to ourselves, “Oh, Father’s talking about that ‘mercy’ thing again.” At least, that’s how I’ve felt at times during the year, but when I looked closer at what mercy means and came to understand how it applies in my life, I realized how incredible this “mercy” thing truly is.

Mercy for me is the second (or third, or hundredth) chance that God gives me through His forgiveness and love. When I fall, He is always waiting for me to come back home. He is always reaching out His hand in love and hope, waiting for me to grab back on to it. Like the father in the parable of the prodigal son, he comes picking up his cloak, and goes “running” (Luke 15:20), which in that time period was deemed highly inappropriate for a man of his position to do.  How incredible it is that Love Himself is waiting to run at my return, waiting to take my hand and tell me, “You are my Beloved.”

I have found the Lord waiting for me in my personal prayer, but most importantly in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Sometimes we need a little push to seek forgiveness, but it is that YES to forgiveness that emancipates our soul. 

Consider asking yourself what mercy means to you. Open a dialogue about it with God, for He is waiting for you. Let us stand up from our sin, our failings, and without any fear return to Love and Mercy itself. As the hymn goes, “Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling ... calling, O Sinner, come home.” Let’s not wait any longer.

André Sicard

Seminarian for the Diocese of Salt Lake City at Mount Angel Seminary

(St. Therese of the Child Jesus Parish)