By Tarcia Gerwing
Pope Francis has encouraged us to look more deeply at the Mercy of God this year. What a beautiful call that is! I am finding that call deepens as we meet together in small groups as we did a few weeks ago at the Anishinabe Spiritual Centre. To begin again to look to Jesus as the Face of God’s Mercy and to hear from one another how faithful Jesus has been for each of us calls us into a deeper intimacy with
Jesus not only as individuals but as family.
This kind of familial friendship deepens and helps us become more open to sharing our daily life experiences of mercy and together we become more and more aware of mercy experiences in daily life and also increases our gratitude! What great gift community offers us! But wait, that is not the end of the gifts faith sharing offers us! As we hear from one another how the gift of a friendly smile or a gentle caring word has transformed the week or even the life of someone in the group, God awakens us to the wonder of small acts of love! This becomes an awesome call for us to be more attentive to show mercy to others in so many little ways. Pope Francis say to us,”Never underestimate the power of small acts”. He also reminds us that mercy has many names. Tenderness, compassion, forgiveness… many beautiful names!
Let us never underestimate the power of small groups! They create family! And we are called together to become the welcoming, merciful family of God! We are called to be the Face of Mercy today! May The Spirit of Jesus lead us deeper into the Heart of Mercy!
Migwetch Tarcia!
The Anishinabe Spiritual Centre thanks Tarcia
Gerwing for coming to the Manitoulin District (Sagamok, M’Chigeeng and Wikwemikong)
to invite deeper spiritual development in the communities around the Year of Mercy 2016 and Pope Francis’ urgent call to take Care of our Common Home ( ‘Laudate Si’).
Jesuit Volunteers Canada is a ministry of the Society of Jesus in English Canada which offers young people the opportunity to live and/or work with Jesuits promoting justice and peace.
The challenge to Jesuit Volunteers is to integrate their Christian faith with community life and apostolic service, drawing on the spiritual tradition of St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits. Jesuit Volunteers Canada offers the volunteers a year or more of experience that will open their hearts and minds to live always conscious of the poor and the earth as they participate in a broader movement, toward a new way of talking about and living church.