I’ll never forget one woman who attended a Day of Prayer and Healing. At the end of these days, those attending have the opportunity to place a rose in front of an image of Jesus, the Divine Mercy. It is often a very powerful moment of grace, where they have a tangible way to entrust their child, and their own lives to the One who is Love and Mercy. This particular young woman came to us suffering greatly after her abortion. She was trapped in self-condemnation, and struggled with deep sadness, regret, and a sense of helplessness. I will never forget as she approached with her rose. She knelt before the image of Jesus and began to weep…what she would tell us later is that she was finally able to give the tears permission to fall, and with them came the release of all the sorrow, pain and grief she felt in the wake of her abortion. As I watched, my heart was deeply moved with this bitter-sweetness. The bitterness was a rending compassion I felt at the great grief and loss she experienced and expressed. The sweetness told of the powerful action of mercy unfolding before me. My heart understood that what I was witnessing was a fulfillment of God’s promise to us—His Divine Mercy. Through this act of faith, she gave God the Father an opportunity He eagerly waits for—that of embracing His beloved daughter or son with all their sins, pain, and wounds, making them new through the gift of His real transforming love. Afterward I had the chance to speak with her and she was hardly the same person who had walked in. Her face and eyes were filled with light. She possessed a new sense of dignity and innocence. She was truly made new. And while she knew there was still a long road ahead in healing, she had the peace, hope, and support to move forward in the journey.
Originally printed in IMPRINT Magazine Fall 2014.
