Divine Mercy at Work in Me

BERNIE CUEVAS

Only last year, I got a very unexpected call from our Parish priest inviting me to serve at the Parish of the Lord of Divine Mercy in Sikatuna Village as Formation Coordinator. Parish life is strange to me. My only limited engagement was a short stint as a member of the Formation Ministry. My service was limited to attending a few meetings and assisting in organizing recollections before the pandemic. The pandemic cut short even that limited engagement due to the lockdown of churches. I happily attended online masses and recollections of my favorite homilists, and every so often attended physical mass in “liberal” churches, friendly to seniors.

Yet when I got that call, memories of how I prayed to the Lord years ago to bring me closer to the church through my Parish came rushing back. I could not recall why I asked for that in prayer since I was very busy with my Couples for Christ community ministry and work.

I felt a faint call, but for some reason, it felt right. In my heart, I heard the Lord telling me that this was His answer to my prayer, and I was asked if I would say no because it was not a convenient time and not according to my time. I reluctantly said yes, not wanting to say no to the Lord. I recalled the many times He called me from out of the blue and asked me to go into the deep, not knowing what I would find there but certain that the Lord would be with me and He would be the one to guide me. I just need to say yes.

I said yes. I asked for the grace of a positive spirit and an openness and sensitivity to the Lord’s leading so that I may find the purpose for which I was called in this way. The Lord gave me enough grace to overcome the initial feeling of being like a fish out of the water while serving in the Parish Pastoral Council Team. By being persistently present regardless of how I felt, I slowly developed friends, both my age and young; I saw the beauty of having a “home,” the Parish where I belong, and where I could be part of the community where I live. I even recognized that this was God’s answer to my prayer not to be afraid to enter into the “mess” of relationships, overcoming misunderstandings and miscommunications, and learning to adapt to a parish culture different from what I am used to.

I am blessed with a ministry team who have become friends; I learned how to complement each other with our God-given gifts, give and take, and belong to a geographic community composed of very different personalities and how to be neighborly. The Lord is teaching me to see beyond my limited world and asking me to get out of my comfort zones, try something new, and get used to feeling strange in the beginning to discover the beauty beyond. I realized He was opening new doors for me, and I should not be afraid to enter.

This Holy Week, God made me experience something unexpected again. Instead of our planned trip to spend the first post-pandemic Good Friday procession and Easter Sunday “Salubong” (welcome greeting) as our family tradition in our former home province, circumstances beyond our control made me turn back. After praying and overcoming my deep disappointment for not being able to experience our long-standing Holy Weekly Tradition, I just opened my heart and soul to God’s plan. I chose to stay home and join all the Holy Week Church activities in our Parish and experienced one of the most profound Good Friday, Black Saturday, and Easter contemplations in my life. Lonely and alone and away from family, yes, but solitude with Mama Mary was more than enough. Gratefully, I allowed myself to be drawn to the Divine Mercy.

Looking back, I feel this was meant to be. This is the perfect time to grow in understanding and experiencing the beauty of the Divine Mercy. I was led to this article by Fr. Michael Gaitley in his book Divine Mercy Explained, where he quoted from St John Paul II that “mercy is “love’s second name.” According to Fr Gaitley, “it’s a particular kind of love, a particular mode of love when it encounters suffering, poverty, brokenness, and sin. Divine Mercy is when God’s love meets us and helps us amid our suffering and sin.”

The Easter Octave is a time for me to experience the meaning of God’s Divine Mercy more deeply. I realize God is continuing to work in me, to encounter His mercy in whatever I am going through as a mother, a disciple, a missionary, a friend, and a co-worker.

I feel God’s mercy and patience, assuring me I am on the right path. His mercy will guide me to the life He is preparing me for. I feel I am “home.” And it is enough.