“True Tales from the Hills”
Cleaning my bookshelf, I came across a little book that I truly love. It is “True Tales
from the Hills” by Shirley K. White. Shirley
is my mother’s double first cousin. The book, a collection of short tales told
to Shirley by her mother, my great-aunt Lizzie Kerry.
It
is remembering family in a collection of thoughts (not complete stories) in short
snippets telling of triumphs and tragedy in our family history. It is a story entwined in the family’s
Catholic faith. Lives lived in hard
times always relying on and recognizing God’s mercy. A story that begins with
my great-great-grandmother Leez, a young woman who surrendered all and trusted
God.
Leez
surrendered herself to God’s mercy.
This
week begins the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy and this Sunday’s Readings are a
good introduction.
In
the first reading, the Prophet Baruch calls the people to conversion. He asks
them to change their ways and welcome the guidance that is God's mercy.
The
letter to the Philippians tells how this mercy works. “The one who began a good
work in you will continue to complete it.” This one is Christ, who brings mercy
and integrity as a gift for all.
But
we human beings are imperfect creatures. Surprise!
Because
we are imperfect, It is not always easy for us to be merciful. Mercy is hard to come by in a world full of
violence and hatred. These conditions
make it important that we give mercy at all times. It is the way of a
Christian.
The
stories in “True Tales from the Hills” many times tell about the mercy of family
and community. Mercy became the way of life. It was mercy ‘s witnessed in the sharing
of what little they had, caring for each other and strangers, and loving God,
the Church, and each other. Simple mercy expressed through sharing joy, hope,
and life.
Today
mercy is more important than ever, Mercy must be shared at all times. It is the
way of Christian life. When mercy is your
way of life, it is a powerful witness to others.
Pope
Francis called for this Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy. He tells us that as
members of the Church, we are pilgrims journeying together. God’s people
walking together in faith, hope and love, ‘bringing to every part of the world,
to every diocese, to every community and every situation, the light of the Gospel,
the embrace of the Church and the support of God’s mercy’
Mercy summed up by the last words in the Gospel “Winding roads shall be made
straight and the rough ways made smooth and all flesh shall see the salvation
of God.”
Each
person has a story, a story that can be a rough and winding road. You make straight the rough and winding road
in God’s mercy when the main theme of your life is the things of the Lord.
Life
begins. We are born helpless and naked. We exist in all that is God’s mercy.
Amen.
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