Divine Mercy Sunday

Divine Mercy Sunday....

How amazing is it that we believe in not only a God who loves us, dies for us, has a plan for us, eternal life for us, but has MERCY on us? We are in no way worthy to recieve Him, and yet he has mercy on us? A sign I constantly go to in order to search for the validity of our faith is the humility of the holiest. I recently had the honor to spend time with Father Benedict Groeshel C.F.R. and I can honestly and sincerly say that he is one of the holiest men I've ever met. Almost every person (catholic or not) in New York City has met this man and I can also admit that he is one that I could learn from in efforts to become closer to our Savior. But- and this is what seems to seperate our faith from so many others around the world- he is also one of the most humble servants I've ever met. Wait a minute....the most popular man in NYC, the most holiest man I've met....believes he is lower than me? How bizarre is that? Fortunately, almost every man and women seeking holiness seem to view the world in the same light. On Holy Thursday, the Mt. Carmel mass included 4 of the "holiest" men in the community washing the feet of the congregation. It was the most humbling yet most beautiful experience I've participated in, in years. But, Jesus wants to do this in our lives every minute of every day. He is our teacher, our Lion of Judah, our Foot-washer? In no way can I comprehend the vast reaches Christ made in His lifetime to show the mercy of His Father, and more specifically, the love of the Trinity. Although it is 2000 years later, and the world is full of much more material things, the most amazing example of Christ's love is in His mercy. And it is not temporal, emotional, sympathetic- it is Divine. As I look now at the encounters I've made with the homeless in Richmond, and the encounters I will make in Honduras, I can reflect on the other ways I could have attempted to show the love that my Savior has for them in so many other ways than I did. During the mass at Mt. Carmel last week, I can only imagine what would have happened if I would have stopped everything and began to wash the feet of the many homeless men on the streets. It seems radical, and it is, but romantically, I feel that it would have been the most amazing and awe-inspiring symbol of His love for the poorest of the poor. Although my heart feels called to this for of love, something beyond romantic emotional love, I continue to be ashamed or embarassed. I pray not only that God could have mercy on me and possibly grant me the desire to serve Him in such a radical way, but that my brothers and sisters would be stirred to do the same.

Recently, I met with a friend who has left the church for rightly reason- he failed in finding a good example of a passionate Christ-loving person. I can only apologize to those who have had the same misfortune and cling to the blessings that Our Lord has poured out in me in the Church. He also shared with me a vision he had of Virginia Beach as one church, all of us gathering together, putting aside selfish comforts and political correctness and loving eachother and those who oppose us. It is truly a beautiful vision and it inspired me to pray for all christians. I know that I am one of the weakest because I know the truth and the narrowest path towards Christ, and yet I continue to venture off course due to my own selfish desires. But, because of His mercy, I am granted that continual "knock" on my door, and like a fish who has eaten the bate off of the hook, Christ puts another worm on and casts once again. That is truly a fisher-of-men, and we need to learn from that. True love is patient yet persistant, blunt yet mercifull. On this Divine Mercy Sunday, I pray for the desire to serve God in all of the little ways I can as a human. And I thank Him for his perpetual mercy.