Remember Your Mercies

The Responsorial Psalm refrain is “Remember your mercies, O Lord.” The psalmist begins by asking for guidance, and then compassion, and then concludes with praising the Lord. In many ways this mirrors our own paths with the Lord. We press and ask for how to be holier, closer, we examine our lives, and praise a good God with our newfound appreciation.

“Guide me in your truth and teach me”—words so simple, yet so difficult to pursue. We want to be guided and taught! Yet our very nature resists. It’s so much easier to do what I want, and what I feel like. It’s so much easier to set up boundaries as to what I’m willing to do and not do. It’s so much easier to try to be in charge.

“Remember that your compassion . . . and your love are from of old. The sins of my youth . . . remember not.” We examine ourselves before God and know, yes, know, that we come up short of what we could be. Even all those sins and mistakes and errors in judgment and immature actions—God’s love will trump. We need that kindness; we need that love to overcome our weaknesses. It’s hard to let go of our haunting mistakes and trust that God’s on our side and has forgiven us.

“[H]e shows sinners the way”—sinner! Table for one! Right here. There’s a way forward, a way out of our bad habits and frailties. That way is God. He’s going to show us the way and love us along that way.

Examine yourself—and see where you know you need to forgive yourself, ask for God’s forgiveness, and more forward. Which bad habits are you going to shed today? How can you heal from past wounds? The Lord is right there, awaiting you, to show you the path to completion in Him. Just leap. He’ll catch you.

Nell O'Leary is an attorney turned stay-at-home mom to three lovelies. She and her husband live in the great city of Saint Paul. You can find out more about her here.