Mercy in Your Hands

From Tom Hackim, one of our Emmaus Brothers at Annunciation … "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. My brothers and sisters, sweet is the thought of mercy, but even more so is mercy itself. It is what all men hope for, but unfortunately, not what all men deserve, For while all men wish to receive it, only a few are willing to give it.


How can a man ask himself when he refuses ti give to another? If he expects to receive any mercy in heaven, he should give mercy on earth. Do we all desire to receive mercy? Let us make mercy our patroness now, and she will free us in the world to come. yes, there is mercy in heaven, but the rod to it is paved by our merciful acts on earth. As scripture says: Lord, your mercy is in heaven.

Nothing else needs to be said. It is our acts that create our own mercy … it is we who are the conduits of God’s mercy, and it is He who will reward us for every merciful act. May we fill our days with those acts, so that we will be able to see the mercy that awaits us in heaven …  

You Decide, Not Them

"We have to realize that there will always be critics and naysayers in life.But other people don't have to believe in you ... other people don't set the limits to your life - you do. It's not what others say about you that affects your life, but what you say and believe about yourself." ... Joel Osteen 

There’s no question it’s sometimes hard to maintain your belief in yourself at a high level. Disappointments affect us, as do work and personal challenges. Situations that occur leave us wondering. Worry about tomorrow or about others can be a weight on us, too.

But Osteen speaks of the impact that other people have on us, especially in terms of belief. We may all have critics or we may just think we do. Either way, they affect our thoughts and in the worst cases, they may steal our dreams and undercut our goals. It is if and when we allow them to have that much power that we fail ourselves.

You are your best voice. You may ask for counsel or understanding, but clearly you have the ultimate power over your life. And importantly, over your own life limits. Whether a young person striking out to a new location, an adult changing a career path or a retired person finding a new mission, only you can set the limits to your future. And the fact is, God does not set limits. He encourages you to be in charge, but He is there supporting your belief … I pray we all take that responsibility for our own belief seriously. After all, we’re the first ones who can.

Just a Second

"God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say "thank you?" ... William A. Ward

Just a reminder that all it takes is a heavenly glance to thank God for all we have. A moment in time. A pause in the day. A short prayer. Whatever your approach, it is right. Too often we leave prayer for the Sabbath, or for dire times, or for fervent and urgent requests. But every day is a new opportunity to be thankful and only you have the power to decide how that essential gift can be repaid.

Take the time to acknowledge God, today and every day … it is your own gift to Him.