Waterfall of Mercy
courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net
One of my favorite authors, Richard Rohr, a man I have saluted and quoted in a previous blog, recently encouraged readers to ‘awaken’ to mercy toward the suffering around us and to recognize our own need for mercy.
“When you do not know you need mercy and forgiveness yourself, you invariably become stingy in sharing it with others. So make sure you are always waiting with hands widely cupped under the waterfall of mercy.” (Friday, April 1, 2016 cac.org)
His entire blog that day touched my heart in a new way as I look at our political scene, the world stage, individual friends and family members who are suffering–a friend in my dance class diagnosed with cancer, a child we know whose leukemia has returned, another friend with late stage ovarian cancer and on and on, as well as those in poverty and chronic sickness and under persecution in Syria and Iraq and elsewhere.
It is easy to become overwhelmed by the evening news, but we can’t afford to let it bury us. Praying, caring, holding tight to the mercy of God and his infinite love can awaken our hearts and hands.
I’m thinking of three of my adult grandchildren who have put their hands to the plow–one in Peru studying Spanish so she can better serve the underprivileged teens in New York, a grandson studying law so he can work in human rights, and another preparing to serve and study in India this summer.
Like me, you may ask, “What can I do?” One of my early mentors told me that when her active ministry years were over, she wondered what was left for her. The answer came. “Sit in the last pew in church and pray.” That was her new assignment and one she carried out for the rest of her days.
My husband Charles could no longer work or volunteer toward the end of his life but he could pray. And so he did. Every Friday for a few years he stopped at the Mount Hermon Christian Conference Center near our home and sat on a bench and prayed. Wonderful and amazing things occurred in that ministry during those years. I feel certain his prayers contributed to the miracles that occurred in people’s live because of his faithfulness.
A friend of mine used the daily newspaper to gather a list of needs to pray about. More than enough in every issue!
Please consider cupping your hands under the waterfall of mercy and then splashing it onto those who need your prayer–whether or not you know them personally. I promise to do the same.
“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” Luke 6:36
An invitation from Thomas Merton:
“Make ready for the Christ, Whose smile, like lightning,
Sets free the song of everlasting glory
That now sleeps in your paper flesh.“
(Thomas Merton, “The Victory,” The Collected Poems of Thomas Merton (New York: New Directions, 1977), 115.
Karen that is such a beautiful article. Thank you for the reminder to keep our eyes on Jesus regardless of what’s going on in the world and around us. Prayer is a powerful weapon. Thank you for mentioning how Charles kept on praying until the he went home to be with the Lord. As always, your writing inspires me to greater heights. Love you.
Thank you for your encouraging comment, Sandy. I always welcome and appreciate your support and prayers.
Dear Karen, thank for the heart touching writing and to remind me of the power of praying. Whenever anxiety hits me, along with all kinds of mixed panicking feelings from years of accumulation … I pray for God to grant me peace … while singing my favorite: … I need thee every hour … oh, bless me now, my Savior … I’ve come to thee … And every time, I feel instantly better and better till a sense of peace quickly takes over my troubled heart … What a gracious God I have. Praise Him, my Lord Jesus. … Jing
A beautiful response, Jing. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you Dear Karen. We are all blessed to have you to express our love and compassion for all through our faith in God and Jesus. This is a powerful writing!
Thank you, Kathleen, dear heart friend.
So true! Sometimes prayer seems like a feeble, last resort, but if we truly believe God hears us and wants us to partner with him then prayer should be the first and most important thing we do. I believe you’re right, that Charles’s prayers partnered with God to make great things happen! Thanks for sharing this.
Love hearing from you, Laura. Thanks for your supportive comment.
I love the idea of a waterfall of mercy. Such a beautiful picture, to cup our hands under it first and then splash it on others. Thank you, Karen!
You’re welcome, Nancy. Thank you for appreciating the metaphor.
Karen, this is a wonderful blog and I agree with it 100%. I can no longer work in the church and do the things I used to do but the pastor asked me to write cards to the people who’s names are on the prayer list at our church. I do that, and it is a blessing for me to be able to still do something positive and I believe prayer is one of the most positive things we can do! I asked the pastor not long ago why she had asked me to do this as she really did not know me that well-she did know my daughter well. She simply said she did not know but it was surely God who told her to ask me and HE surely gives me the words to write to these wonderful people who need encouragement. I am sure the prayers that Charles prayed were heard and God not only blessed the ones for whom he prayed but he blessed Charles also.
My prayers of gratitude are long. I don’t know about anyone else’s prayers but I cannot help but pray for all of the caregivers in nursing homes, hospitals,etc. and I pray for all the people who have to clean up all the “mess” in public places and pray a prayer of gratitude for them-and for Hospice – such a wonderful place to be when necessary!
Your readers may not be familiar with Art Linkletter but I remember watching his show “Kids say the darndest things”. One day he asked the kids who they thought had the most important job in the world and of course some said ‘the President’ but one little boy said immediately when asked “the garbage collector”! naturally the audience laughed but Art Linkletter did not laugh but looked rather seriously at the boy and you could tell he was really thinking. Then he looked at the boy and said, ” You know, I think you are right. Imagine what our world would look like if no one picked up the garbage”. Art Linkletter was a wise man and the little boy probably turned out to be a compassionate man! perhaps this is why I think to pray for them myself-all because of a child! We do learn from Children and I can hardly wait for my book you wrote about “Kids” to arrive!
Thanks for another blessing. Love to you. Margaret
Thank you for this touching story, Margaret, and for your personal experience regarding writing to others and praying for them.
Yes, prayer is a beautiful gift we can do for others. Thank you for the reminder!
Thank you, Sherry, for taking time to comment. As you said, prayer is actually a gift to others.
Beautiful article, Karen. Prayer does make a difference.
Thank you for your lovely comment, Gail.
Karen, your blog touches me. So many needed in our own circles as well as in the greater world, some of which we’ve both seen recently. Your couldn’t that unless we see ourselves needing mercy, we are less likely to extend it to others, is so true. I too want to stand under, and extend, the waterfall of Mercy.
Thank you, Carol, for standing under the waterfall of mercy and extending it to others.
Thanks Karen. Sometimes we get so involved in passing for others that we forget about us. I’ve always had a hard time praying for myself because with all the need out there, it was real hard to add me to the list. In a small way it sort of made me feel self centered and somewhat selfish when so many people out there were hurting. I have since then changed my tune and my situation changed. Thanks for this writing. GBYBFFCUL8R-BT real good Karen.
As always, thank you for your encouragement, Jim.
Sorry. Auto incorrect strikes again and I didn’t proof before sending. Passing was supposed to be praying. Please remove the long acronym at the end. Sorry. Thought article was very good, as per usual.