Mercy of the Heart

While all the other apostles hid in fear while Jesus was being condemned and crucified, St. John stood silently on Calvary gazing at his suffering Savior. In turn, Christ looked down from the cross at his “beloved disciple” and placed his mother into John’s care.
 
St. John’s action in simply being present to Jesus on the cross is a model for us today.
 
He reminds us that the practice of mercy begins in the heart. We have no rival for God’s love, so we can simply remain still and silent and let the mercy of the Father wash over us. We ourselves can be merciful toward others, not only outwardly but in our hearts—in the way we think of them, without judgment but with love. “And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you" (Matthew 6:6).
 
Padre Pio, the sainted Capuchin friar, offered us this advice: “Go to your room and close the door and place yourself in God’s presence. He will see you and will appreciate your presence and your silence. Then he will take you by the hand....”
 
Our prayer today:
 

 
Peter W. Yaremko, a former journalist, is the owner of Executive Media, Inc. and is a specialist in executive communications. He attends St. Peter the Apostle Church in Provincetown, Massachusetts and blogs at peterwyaremko.com/paradise_diaries.