Matthew 5:7-8
"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy; blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."
"In Latin 'mercy' is signified by 'misericordia' from 'miseriae' meaning misery and 'cordis' meaning heart. It is the nature of God's mercy that His heart extends into our mercy and redeems it . . . Mercy signifies that God draws our misery into His own infinitely loving heart."
-Steven Jonathan Rummelsburg
Misericordia: The Roots of Mercy
When God draws our misery into His heart, our sin, our mistakes, our wounds are burned up in the fire of His Mercy. Our encounter with the Lord's mercy is what enables us to GIVE mercy and forgiveness to others who have hurt us. It is not in our power to be unaffected by or forget an offense. But the heart that offers itself to the Holy Spirit turns injury into compassion and purifies the memory in transforming the hurt into intercession (from the CCC 2843).
The Holy Family literally lived with the Heart of Mercy (Jesus). Jesus learned the gift of mercy in the Holy Family.
"Purity of heart finds expression in mercy. Mercy purifies hearts as nothing else does."
Fr. Jacques Philippe
The Eight Doors of the Kingdom
To have a pure heart means your whole self is oriented to God: your thoughts, your actions, all of you. And with that purity of heart, you begin to see everything around you as God sees. You begin to see the person in front of you as God sees her and honors the gift of God in each person.
 |
| Holy Family Hearts II Venxara |
- Abandonment; rejection; neglect
- Sexual integrity; failures to be chaste
- Pride; lack of humility and simplicity
Is my life oriented to God?
Are my thoughts, actions, and desires given over to the Lord for purification?
Always remember to hold the hands of mercy when looking at your sin and weakness.
No comments:
Post a Comment