We thoroughly enjoyed the 2024 Good News Conference in Minneapolis, MN. The conference was designed in such a way that the vendors could attend the talks and participate in the conference, which was a delight for us. It was a unique opportunity to hear some of the best Catholic speakers in a venue and format that were personal and relatable. I was giddy about sitting two rows behind Chris Stefanick at Mass, and Molly almost fainted when Sr. Miriam James came up and introduced herself to her.
The conference’s theme was Mercy, and it has become a centerpiece of my reflections since the conference. Bishop Barron’s keynote was the highlight for me, though every talk was excellent, with his message that Mercy leads Love. My takeaway was that if you want more love in your relationships, then start showing more mercy in them. It’s the opposite of what we want. We want to ‘feel loved,’ and then we will show mercy. But Christ taught us the opposite. We have a Father who leads with Mercy, and we should too.
Delving into it further since the conference, I’ve come to the conclusion that any place where I am rejecting mercy is a place where I is still rejecting Christ. It is the place of burden, the home of resentments within us. If we want a life that is freed of burdens and set free from resentment, then mercy is our weapon of choice. Christ is our burden bearer; He carries each one for us. And it’s mercy that takes the weight off our backs and onto His. He’s already carrying it, so why do we insist on bearing it too? Choose freedom. Choose MERCY. Embrace a practice of aggressive mercy (forgive before it’s asked for and before it’s desired), and watch how the burdens disappear from your life. Oh, the carefree walk our Lord grants to those who fully embrace mercy.