Poem: “The Face of Mercy” by Macrina Wiederkehr

And then everything in me
leaned against everything strong
and I cried out
Show me the face of mercy.

And the merciful one answered
You are most like God
when you are dressed
in the robes of mercy.
Mercy doesn’t judge; it loves.

And the merciful one continued,
We are the merciful
We are standing at every pathway
ready to heal what needs healing
ready to forgive what needs forgiving.

Compassion is our way of life
Forgiveness is our pastime.
We throw it around unconditionally
like dew on summer grass
like rain on dry, parched earth.

We are those who have been forgiven
while still guilty
And we can never forget.
Forgiveness has touched
every fiber of our lives
And so we spend our lives forgiving …

Then someone from the crowd stepped forth
She touched me with her presence as she spoke:
“God’s care is greater than your carelessness
Go in peace, Your sins are forgiven.”

An overwhelming desire to forgive
began the thread its way through my soul
Standing on the threshold
of my human frailty
It gazed into the depths
of my soul
and became
the Mercy of God.

 

Source: “Blessed are You If You Show Mercy, Mercy Will Be Shown to You.”