“KINDNESS BEYOND EXPECTATION”

My deep gratitude and appreciation for that simple sentence was born during a time of quiet prayer. In a grace-filled moment, the Holy Spirit gently nudged me to consult a dictionary for the actual meaning of the word mercy. Raised in the Catholic faith, it had been heard so frequently that I was almost deaf to this spiritual word.

Mercy is heard during the Eucharist and other church celebrations. It is repeated in every celebration of the sacrament of reconciliation. During every funeral, graveside and memorial service, mercy is offered in both written and spoken word.

It took a bit of courage to even look up the word mercy. That memorable definition brought a sense of relief and offered a renewed sense of hope. Ever generous and endlessly gracious, God offered a simple definition that can be easily understood and remembered. Mercy is simply this: kindness beyond expectation.

I have received mercy countless times over the years. Even as I write this, my eyes glisten at the memory of times I received a kindness I had no “right” to expect. That kindness was often quietly and selflessly given. True kindness rarely calls a press conference or posts a note on social media to notify the world of the thoughtful gesture.

God is often that way. On the night that Jesus was born into the world, the event was quiet. While small groups of people witnessed God’s great act of mercy, the birth of our Saviour was mostly unnoticed. We might ask for the grace to get better at noticing the many acts of mercy that are taking place within and around us.

During the active years of his public ministry, Jesus generously offered acts of kindness to those with whom he shared life, and with those he met along the way. Some are recorded in scripture. Divine mercy is highlighted in every one of those gospel stories.

This evidence of divine mercy is not recorded as scientific data; it is not placed in neat graphs or tidy-looking charts. The evidence is not tallied on a scoresheet or recorded on a spreadsheet. It is simply told in the stories that have been shared across the centuries. These good news gospel stories are not frozen in time. These stories are intended to help us. We are always invited to connect them with the gospel stories of our own lives, and with the lives of those around us. The good news is this: the good news lives on.

Divine mercy is also revealed in the gospel accounts of the days just before his crucifixion and death. Even as Jesus carried knowledge of the suffering that was to come, he was kind beyond expectation. The post-resurrection stories also reveal a merciful Jesus. He appeared to the people who needed to see him, and in ways that made sense to each one of them. All were blessed and encouraged by his presence. They could hardly wait to share their stories.

Forgetting what lay behind, Jesus looked toward the future. He set the stage for his disciples and apostles, readying them to continue the work of building the Kingdom of God.

This very day, Divine Mercy Sunday, we are invited to forget what is behind us. Strengthened to continue, we do our small part in creating the future God has in mind.

In whatever way it comes to us, I hope we will see only compassion in the eyes of Jesus. His heart is open to the world, issuing blood and water, confirmation that he gave his very life for us. This feast day reminds us that he continues to do so. May our eyes and ears and hearts be fully open, ever ready to receive this promise anew:

The favours of the Lord are not exhausted,

His mercies are not spent.

They are renewed each morning,

So great is his faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22-23

Brenda Merk Hildebrand has a deep passion for lifelong learning, education, and spiritual and palliative care. She appreciates the opportunities that have come her way to share life’s transforming journey with others: one-with-one, through intentional group settings, in animating workshops and retreats, and by way of her writing. Brenda is a long-time contributor to Living with Christ.