Mercy

Last week was Divine Mercy Sunday. The Church celebrates it on the first Sunday after Easter to remind us that God is full of mercy, and mercy is a radical principle for those who desire to follow Jesus Christ. 

             In 1953- 1956, the X communists encouraged people to lie about each other to get their property. There was a man, who lied about his adopted parents. After his adopted parents and most members in their family were killed, the communist government gave him his adopted parents' village and many of their treasures. However, he did not have peace after that. He left home and town. No one knows where he went.

            Among the beggars in front of a church every weekend there was a man.  No one gave him money, no one wanted to talk to him, except for a young man, who dropped money for him any time he passed by to enter the church. After some months, one day a young man did not see that beggar for two weeks. He came to the river bank, where poor often stayed.  A little distance from poor houses, there was a very poor tent in which it seemed no one used. However, when he entered, he recognized that the beggar man was very sick and close to death. This beggar recognized this young man who was only person who gave him money. He cried and shared his life and sins to him. After hearing this, the young man was very pained. He said, I am their son, who was the only surviving person after that event. “Now, I on behalf of my family, I forgive you, and in the name of God I, with the power of consecrated priesthood, “I forgive you, your sins”. How powerful our risen Christ was through this young priest! Is risen Christ powerful in our lives?

            He said, “I returned to see my parents’ house, but I only stood from the other side of the river bank to look at it from afar. I cried there. Although, it happened many years ago, but there were many memories. There was too much pain. I was afraid that I could not stand if I came closer.” When he told me that, his tears were silently running on his gentle face. His hands and his body were still shaken by his inner pain. I knew, it was the deep and big pain which followed his life. However, through him, I saw an image of Jesus Christ in my time.

            Look at him, I understood Paul’s words, “I live, but not I live, it is Jesus who lives in me.” Yes, the resurrected Jesus Christ lived in this musician professor priest who respected by many people, even communist government members. However, there were only some who knew his painful past. Writing his story today, I want to send it as my Easter greeting and love from the earth to him in heaven where he sees God and his family.