Photo by KellyP42, 2014, MorgueFile.com
Am I merciful?…Not always. Sometimes I turn my back and make judgments that are petty. There are times I express opinions that are hurtful because I haven’t considered the other person. There are times when evil is done to me and I won’t forgive it.
As an author, I am more merciful than I am as a person. When I write about a character, even an evil and unlikeable character, I show much more mercy than I do to real life human beings. In this Year of Mercy, I can change this. Especially during Lent I can change this. I can change from being dry and brittle and instead parody the God I believe in.
God’s mercy can make even the driest land become a garden, can restore life to dry bones (cf. Ez 37:1-14). … Let us be renewed by God’s mercy, let us be loved by Jesus, let us enable the power of his love to transform our lives too; and let us become agents of this mercy, channels through which God can water the earth, protect all creation and make justice and peace flourish. –Pope Francis, Easter Urbi et Orbi message on March 31, 2013
We are all prodigal sons and daughters. We all turn away at times, and when we return we often take one step forward and two steps back when it comes to trusting our patient and loving God who shows us His mercy–and wants our mercy toward others in return.
Translating a World on the Edge 