Faith Reflection: Mercy—Love in action
A dark background with light coming through an open door and the words “Mercy Lives...in our actions...in our families...in our diocese” was below the article about the end of the Jubilee Year of Mercy in the December 2016 Inland Catholic Byte. It caught my attention because since the end of the Year of Mercy in November I had been looking to see what ways mercy was going to continue to be lived out in our diocese. As it was Bishop Barnes had already been working very hard to see that our parishes continue to show mercy long after the Jubilee had ended. The social media campaign initiated by our diocese, #MercyLives, encourages parishes to continue keeping mercy alive in our diocese. After our 7th graders essay I give some more details about the S.H.A.R.E. Ministry that feeds the hungry on Saturdays, one of many ways our parish continues to keep mercy alive. My mum joined me in stopping by this past Saturday to find out what help they need. The Jubilee Year has ended but #MercyLives.
Our 7th grader today focuses not only on the poor, but also reminds us not to judge and to show mercy while online—an area where people too often forget manners and do not respond with the best of actions.
Mercy Essay
by Arnie
One way that I have shown mercy to others has been especially to the poor. If we see someone on the street that is either homeless or in a terrible condition we give them essentials such as money, water, or food. Wouldn’t anyone else do the same if they saw someone in trouble? What if that was you, wouldn’t you need all the help you could get? Poor people are often mistaken—just because they are poor doesn’t mean they have not gone to school, or are in a gang, or are bad people. And that doesn’t mean you can’t help them. You can do anything that helps them. Some of the poor people you see have a family to support and some work at terrible jobs and might end up making bad choices. Is some of what they do wrong? Well, yes, but know that sometimes there might have been [an extenuating circumstance] for what they do and try to be understanding.
Another way I have shown mercy to other people is in video games. I’m one of those people who loves to play online so I get to encounter a lot of annoying people including what we call online, “squeakers.” They are basically 10-12 year old kids who are cruel and hot-tempered. Honestly, now that I look back, I could have done a lot of mean things to them because who would tell, it’s online. But I did not, and do you know why? They are kids, they have a lot to learn and mercy should be shown to anybody and everybody.
Our parish is in charge of providing the S.H.A.R.E. meal the first Saturday of the month from 2:30-4:00p. Most months Dhat Island restaurant donates the main dish while side dishes such as potato, bean, or pasta salads are made at home by volunteers. Volunteers also help make the to go sandwiches, as well as to help serve and clean up on site. Donations of fresh fruit, especially bananas is always in need, as well as chocolate candy. If interested please contact me or Holy Name S.H.A.R.E coordinator Ashley Bean at 951 313 7468 (texting is best) or [email protected] to know what side dishes are needed for the next month or how else you can help. Please note the meal is hosted at two locations that change during the year—meals are currently being served at University Methodist church on Colton Avenue through May.
Thank you. Mrs. Alhadef