Have Mercy!

by Matt Berryman (Florida, USA)


When [Bartimaeus] heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
-Mark 10:47 (NRSV)

MY cat has a habit of jumping onto the roof. Later, if she becomes desperate to get down, she'll come within my reach so I can grab her and whisk her down to food, water, and shelter. Kitty's cooperation depends on the length of time she has spent on the roof. If she has been there only an hour, she stands out of reach. But after a day in the heat or rain, Kitty, in her desperation, is ready.

Hoping to end my late-night climbs, I decided to cut a limb that was hanging over the roof to eliminate her means of getting on top of the house. But the following night, the cat was again on the roof, soaked in rain. As I climbed the ladder, Kitty let out a loud cry and jumped into my arms.

I realized that we sometimes behave like Kitty. God is always reaching for us when we're lost, but as St. Augustine said, God "will not save us without our consent." Like Kitty, we have to be needy enough, lost enough, humble enough to accept the mercy we need. When we admit our need, we will see the hand of God reaching out to us. May we acknowledge our deep need for God's grace.