Ash Wednesday
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Written by Sarah Joubert
Mercy is a difficult topic for me.
I feel like I’m always looking up the definition of forgiveness and mercy - trying to wrap my head around this supernatural grace.
I’ve realized over the last few years that in most of my life, when people would apologize to me, I would always just respond with “it’s okay,” rather then “I forgive you.” The difference between “it’s okay” and “I forgive you” is that one actually acknowledges that a mistake has been committed; a wrong has been done. “It’s okay” sweeps things under a rug and acts like nothing actually even happened. Going deeper, I’ve realized that it’s because most times, it’s so hard for me to admit when I’ve done something wrong, sinned, or hurt somebody, that in my head, I would want somebody to act like nothing ever happened - that no wrong was committed, it actually isn’t a sin, that there was no hurt. (We can only give what we have let ourselves receive)
This isn’t true mercy, and what I’m coming to learn is that mercy is a bigger gift than we can ever imagine.
True mercy is a gift. From the Lord, It is not earned. It is not acquired by racking up so many good deeds or sacrifices to equal the debt that we owe Him for the wrong we’ve committed. No, it actually doesn’t add up. It can’t.
All we have to do, is confess and be truly remorseful, and He forgives us. Easily. Willingly. The Lord has so much mercy in His heart, that it isn’t even a second-thought for Him -- because He paid the debt FOR us. He’s already decided how worthy we are, how loved we are, by pouring out his mercy for us on the cross.
We ask for St. Therese’s intercession, for she gave herself completely to the Lord’s merciful love. She had this immense confidence that in her littleness, her weakness, her selfishness, her brokenness, and sinfulness, the Lord delights to come in and be her savior. She knew that she could not get to heaven on her own, but had to rely completely on His graces.
We are asked to hold the tension of both of these realities - both being a sinner and being so infinitely loved by our God who is Love and Mercy Himself.
Today is the first day of Lent. The first day of our long road with Jesus to Calvary - to the Cross, to our King crucified for Love, to Mercy being poured out from His side. Lent is the journey to Mercy.
As we begin this journey of Mercy for the next 40 days, ponder with these questions:
How do I let myself receive God’s true Mercy?
Do I believe that Jesus delights to be my savior?
Am I merciful to others?
How can I show God’s true mercy to others?
Sarah Joubert is a college student at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette studying English with a minor in Human Development and Family Science. She is a musician and vocalist at three different church parishes. She has a passion for talking about a woman’s identity in the Lord - particularly as a daughter, sister, bride, and mother. Check her out on instagram. Listen to her music here.
Pray with today’s psalm.