Faith Reflection: Mercy—The Beauty of Our Young
“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” While I have yet to find this quote by Theodore Roosevelt in Pope Francis’ Gaudete Et Exsultate (Rejoice and Be Glad), this does sum up what the Pope is essentially saying throughout his Exhortation. We are shown over and over that holiness is for all, grows, and is made stronger not necessarily by huge steps, but by setting off from where we are in simple, everyday ways of interacting and responding to those around us. In other words doing, what you can, with what you have, where you are. We don’t need money to grow in holiness, we don’t need a chunk of dedicated time to grow in holiness because we are responding to what is happening around us at that given moment, we don’t need any special training because we are giving to others what we already have.
Over the weekend God sent two people into my life, only 4 hours apart, for a moment doing what they could, with what they had, where they were—no money, dedicated time or special training needed. All they needed was a willing heart to help when our Lord put me in their path.
The first situation found me rushed and beginning to get irritated. The person I needed to talk to was busy talking with another person and since I had another errand to get done in rush hour traffic in Pasadena I had to get going and so left. A few moments later I heard someone behind me and turning I saw it was the lady who had been conversing with the person I needed to talk to. Seeing me leave she realized why I left and came running after me to apologize. Turns out she was able to help me with what I needed, even though she didn’t work there, and I was able to get to my next errand. Holiness—noticing the needs of another and being kind to someone rushed and getting irritated.
The second situation happened when I went in the wrong direction in San Gabriel as I was heading home. By time I realized something was amiss I was in a dicey neighborhood in Los Angeles, completely lost, after dark, completed disoriented, with my wifi acting up. Finally spotting a couple fast food places next to each other I stopped at what I hoped would be a safe enough place to ask directions. At the first restaurant no one was able to direct me to the freeway, and as I stood in the line for the drive-thru window waiting to talk to the shift manager at the second fast food place I was starting to get a little worried—the Panic character, so nicely played by Sophia Purper in the 8th grade’s wonderful play last Thursday, was getting ready to make a return performance. Luckily the manager came up to me with a delightfully warm smile and confidently told me how to get to the freeway, which I thankfully wasn’t too far from. Holiness—a warm smile and reassuring tone to someone tired, disoriented, and distressed (I realized later how much her confident answer helped calm me down and I headed off totally sure I would quickly find the freeway entrance).
These are just two incidents that happened to me last Friday that I see as demonstrating what Pope Francis meant when he said, “every minute of our lives can be a step along the path to growth in holiness.”
Holiness—letting God’s love flow through you enabling you to do what you can, with what you have, where you are.
Thank you. Mrs. Alhadef