Mercy Monday

Yesterday was our parish's 175th (!!!) anniversary. What a beautiful and exciting milestone. Our church was built in 1841. Though I always feel at home in a Catholic church because of the presence of Jesus, I left a dynamic parish family when I got married and we moved to a new town. It took me awhile to want to officially join our new parish because I didn't quite feel settled there yet. But yesterday during the anniversary Mass celebrated by our bishop, and afterwards at the parish festival as we mingled and chatted with so many wonderful people...I told my husband I realized I felt at home here now. This was truly my parish and I loved it. 

One of my favorite things about our parish is our Adoration Chapel. As Catholics, we believe Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist and so an Adoration Chapel is a place where Jesus is there in the Eucharist and we can visit with Him and pray. It is a powerful gift and I always feel such peace and love when I'm there with Him. 

This week my act of mercy is going to be a visit to the Chapel for an hour to pray for others. So many in our families, our workplaces, our communities, and the world are in need of prayer. I know that our Lord has so much mercy (tender, loving kindness) to pour out on all of them. Our prayers can be a conduit of His grace and mercy. 

Join me this week in prayer as an act of mercy? 

Mercy Monday

For this week's Mercy Monday, I'm mailing an encouraging card to my sister-in-law. She was the recipient of a double lung transplant several years ago and has been experiencing some recent complications. She is an amazing, faith-filled woman and inspires me with her strength, perseverance, and care for her family and others. Please say a prayer for her health. 

How can you show God's mercy to others today?

Check out the Divine Mercy for Moms blog for some ideas!

Mercy Mondays!



It's the Year of Mercy for the Catholic Church. Oftentimes a pope will declare a special year for the church in order for Catholics to focus on a certain aspect of God or a specific virtue or theme (Year of Faith, Year of Jubilee, Year of Mercy). We are slowing winding down on this past Year of Mercy, but I have to admit I'm only just beginning to really focus on mercy. 

And I have to thank this book for it! Somehow when I thought of the Year of Mercy, I tended to think most about God's mercy in the sense of forgiveness for my sins and encouraging others to come to Him to receive forgiveness as well. While this is true about mercy, it's only the beginning!! 

I had forgotten that mercy is so. much. more. It's not just about forgiving sins or withholding punishment, but rather mercy is about God's overwhelming love for each one of us, the way He reaches down to us and attends to our needs. 

There are two Hebrew words used for mercy in the Bible and their meanings give us a better idea of how to truly receive God's great mercy. The first word is hesed-- "steadfast love." The second word is rachamim-- "tender, compassionate love." These meanings warm my heart when I think of our great God loving us tenderly and steadfastly. I think when we have a better understanding of God's mercy for us-- that powerful yet gentle love-- we are so much better able to share His mercy with others.

Divine Mercy for Moms, by Emily Jaminet and Michele Faehnle, has been such a gift this past month as I adjust to motherhood and begin to contemplate ways I can serve God in this very new and different role. However, the ideas in the book are definitely applicable to any woman in any state of life. My favorite thing about the book is how practical it is! Sometimes I'll read a book and be inspired but not quite be sure how to apply the inspiration to my daily life. This book is chock full of ways to show mercy to those around you. 

As I continue to read the book, I'd love to share some of these inspirations with you, and I'd also love to keep myself accountable to giving and receiving of God's mercy! Thus, I created Mercy Mondays on my blog! I plan to intentionally and purposefully do one act of mercy each week and share it with you as well as what I'm currently reading in the book! I'd love to have you join me and we can learn to experience God's mercy more deeply and share it more generously!