Finding Forgiveness and Mercy From Within
Jimmy HarrisonTHE SANTA CLARAApril 21, 2016
[dropcap]O[/dropcap]n Thursday, April 7, the Bishop of San Jose, Patrick J. McGrath visited Santa Clara in response to an invitation from Christian Life Community.
Such a rare visit was welcomed during this Jubilee Year of Mercy, announced by our beloved Pope Francis (a Jesuit Pope, yes I’m still pumped). In this Year of Mercy based on the Roman Catholic tradition, it behooves us and our world to take a deeper look at mercy and how we can fully live out a merciful life.
If we can learn from the Bishop, we might glean some valuable insight.
Bishop McGrath originally hails from Ireland. When he spoke in Sobrato Hall, the Bishop shared his story of encounters with mercy throughout his lifetime. The Bishop was humble, authentic and full of humor, a true delight to be around.
The Bishop’s story was primarily about the death of his best friend when he was a young man. To overcome such a tragic event, Bishop McGrath had to learn to forgive, to which we can all relate.
It began with forgiving the killer. In fact, for the Bishop, the man who killed his friend was the easiest person to forgive.
The Bishop was ready with insults and accusations when the man requested to meet with him, was shocked when the man pleaded for mercy. In the face of such vulnerability, the Bishop chose to forgive.
Next, he was faced with the challenge to overcome forgiving his friend. Seeing a fight break out on the street, his friend intervened. He lost his life trying to make a small difference.
The Bishop was angry that his friend put himself in obvious danger. One day in prayer, after many years, the Bishop heard a voice in his heart say the word “forgive.” He knew it was his friend speaking from heaven, and he forgave him.
It was still several more years before the Bishop was able to finally forgive himself. So often in our lives, the hardest person to forgive is ourselves. The Bishop didn’t give us a handout with specific steps to achieve forgiveness and mercy, because no such handout exists. There is no quick fix.
Instead, Bishop McGrath said that this process takes time and honesty with yourself. Most of all, it takes the King of Mercy himself, Jesus.
He said that prayer is the most important aspect of any person’s life. It is not meant for just some, but for everyone.
The Bishop stressed multiple times that quiet, personal prayer is essential. He told us about his own relationship with Jesus that he fosters in prayer.
He is very honest with Jesus about how he feels. He tells Jesus his ups, his downs, his doubts, his joys and his sorrows. This sort of honesty with oneself and with God is necessary for prayer, just as it is necessary in any relationship.
When we open ourselves up in prayer the way that the Bishop does, God is able to burst through and pour out his abundant mercy for us. God is a gentleman. He won’t force himself upon us. He waits for us to open our hearts to him, and then steps in with all His love and begins to transform our hearts.
Do you want to live your life ready to forgive, more ready to show mercy? Get to know Jesus, allow Him into your heart.
After hearing the Bishop, I am inspired and motivated to go out into the world and practice mercy. I want to serve, to love and to forgive wherever I am called, as we all should.
To do all of that without Christ is pointless. For it is He who serves, He who loves and He who forgives.
The Bishop reminded me that without God, nothing is possible. So, I aim to let God do the heavy lifting.
Half of life is showing up. I plan on doing that. I will pray, follow my Lord and show up.
From there, I simply let God use me. It is an uncertain, frightening path at times, but there is no surer path to His heart, to our deepest longings for joy. I want God to be the author of my story.
He made the whole world, He is far more creative than I am. To do that, I will seek Him in quiet prayer, where He speaks so clearly to our hearts.
Jimmy Harrison is a senior computer science major.