Dear Friend of Carmel Mission,
Today we read one of my favorite psalms, 103, “The Lord is Kind and Merciful.” The readings from the Book of Sirach and the Gospel reading today focus greatly on the aspect of mercy – God’s boundless mercy for us and how that must be the example of the mercy we show to others. The same rule applies in regard to kindness. As we experience God’s kindness in our lives, we are invited to reflect that in the kindness we show to one another.
When we examine the world today we may find that, on the whole, kindness is sorely lacking in our human society. Sadly, on a larger, more institutional level, this is often the case. But when I consider the small, day to day examples of kindness I see expressed in our human interactions there is cause for great hope. I see people who take their time, their money, their energy and give freely to one another, not for gain but out of the kindness of their hearts. We witness this in our community. We see it in the ministries that continue to serve the needy and the vulnerable, especially in this difficult and dangerous time. We see it in the generous spirit of you, our parish family, who give of yourselves to keep our community alive and vibrant. We are made in the image of the kind and merciful God. When we show kindness and mercy, we do not simply curry favor with God, we become what God intends, more loving and more free.
It is often in small, simple things that larger truths can be found. One of the things that you have expressed to us in the months since we began streaming the Mass and other videos from our Mission grounds is how much you love the beauty of the flowers in our Mission gardens. The beauty of nature is a reflection of the beauty of our God, and thus of the beauty of ourselves, made in God’s image. We are reintroducing altar flowers to our Masses, both streaming and outdoor, as a reminder of the beauty of which we are all a part and as a way to enhance the worship of our loving God. There is a new opportunity to contribute to the weekly flowers in honor or in memory of a loved one, in celebration, or in thanksgiving. I invite you to visit our e-bulletin for more information.
This week, I encourage you to join me in celebrating the small acts of kindness and mercy we see and experience, and in finding new ways to reflect the awesome kindness and mercy of our infinitely loving God in our relationships with one another and with ourselves.
I wish you and your loved ones continued blessings of good health, great mercy, and the random kindness of strangers,
Fr. Paul
Please take a moment to read our Carmel Mission weekly bulletin.