It is messy and challenging, but by the grace of God, we will not give into temptation. We will resist all darkness by offering compassionate alternatives in the face of fear and pain. The\u00a0words of Ephesians 5 shall be our\u00a0marching song as we rise up and rally as children of light:<\/p>\n
<\/a>For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light,<\/a>for light produces every kind of goodness and righteousness and truth.<\/a>Try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.<\/a>Take no part in the fruitless works of darkness; rather expose them,<\/a>for it is shameful even to mention the things done by them in secret;<\/a>but everything exposed by the light becomes visible,<\/a>for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore, it says: Yes, there are many ways that we can resist this darkness and unite as children of the light. \u00a0Especially now that the Jubilee Year of Mercy<\/a>\u00a0has begun, we will act as instruments of forgiveness and mercy.<\/p>\n Pope Francis has invited us all to imitate God, as mercy is an action, an attitude that the world desperately needs from us all now. “Mercy-ing calls us to forgive the unforgivable, to look tenderly upon the unappealing and the troublesome, to be compassionate to the ungrateful. It demands that we give a full measure, packed down and flowing over, and to empty our granaries again and again for those who cannot hope to repay us. It asks us to open our hands and hearts, not because we expect mercy in return, but because who we yearn to become could not\u2014did not\u2014do anything less for us.” \u00a0<\/em>Although the word mercy-ing is made up by Pope Francis,<\/a> this aspect of our faith goes all the way back to the days of Christ.<\/p>\n There are many ways that we can resist the darkness and get active mercy-ing during this Advent time.<\/p>\n Here are just a few examples of what others are doing. No one of us can do it all, so when one of us is mercy-ing then we all are:<\/p>\n Today, on Human Rights Day, and on other days we rally\u00a0throughout the world<\/a>.\u00a0(Human Rights Day marks the anniversary of the international adoption of Universal Declaration of Human Rights).<\/strong><\/p>\n We recommit ourselves to the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. We prayerfully say “yes” to the Gospel mission of loving our neighbors\u00a0and enemies.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n We resist racism and xenophobia by opening our hearts, our Churches, our homes to refugees and immigrants.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n We pray for an end of all forms of torture and violence and speak out on behalf of the victims.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n We refuse to\u00a0participate\u00a0in\u00a0the consumeristic, materialistic side of\u00a0holiday celebrations and gear up for the Billion People March on December 19th.<\/a> \u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
\n“Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” \u00a0<\/em>–Ephesians 5:8-14<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/southernrosaryworks.com\/application\/files\/8014\/3129\/5577\/Corporal_Works_of_Mercy_List.jpg\")
<\/a>Photo credit: Southern Rosary Works<\/em><\/p>\n![\"#JesusWasARefugee](\"https:\/\/customwordpresssites.com\/mjb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/screen-shot-2015-12-10-at-3-56-17-pm.png?w=300\")
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