Today is Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent for Christians. But my post is for everyone, not just Christians and others of faith. Please think about this.
Pope Francis offered this simple Lenten reflection: “A little bit of mercy makes the world less cold and more just.” Almost every day, if we watch for it, we can find a situation in which we can offer “a little bit of mercy.” Simply put, mercy is showing compassion or forgiveness. Can you forgive the person whose unthinking remark insulted or hurt you; or their selfishness when they jumped ahead and took the parking space you were waiting for; or your co-worker who took credit for your idea; or your spouse for forgetting an event very important to you? Can you show compassion by letting a frail elderly woman go ahead of you in the check-out line; or offering to babysit so that exhausted parents can go out to dinner by themselves; or helping a live-alone neighbor clean up their yard that has been ruined by a harsh winter? God gives us ample opportunity to do His merciful work, and Lent is the perfect time to practice mercy toward those around us, starting a habit that can “make the world less cold and more just.”