Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle - Saint Philo of Alexandria

For there are three ways of performing an act of mercy: the merciful word, by forgiving and by comforting; secondly, if you can offer no word, then pray - that too is mercy; and thirdly, deeds of mercy. And when the Last Day comes, we shall be judged from this, and on this basis we shall receive the eternal verdict. (1158)--St Faustina, an excerpt from her diary

(Ps 32:1-2, 5, 6, 7)
R. (see 5c) Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
Blessed is he whose fault is taken away,
whose sin is covered.
Blessed the man to whom the LORD imputes not guilt,
in whose spirit there is no guile.
R. Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
Then I acknowledged my sin to you,
my guilt I covered not.
I said, "I confess my faults to the LORD,"
and you took away the guilt of my sin.
R. Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
For this shall every faithful man pray to you
in time of stress.
Though deep waters overflow,
they shall not reach him.
R. Lord, forgive the wrong I have done.
You are my shelter; from distress you will preserve me;
with glad cries of freedom you will ring me round.
R. Lord, forgive the wrong I have done

Today’s psalm brings us hope: “For this shall every faithful man pray to you in time of stress. Though deep waters overflow, they shall not reach him.” Tough times come and hope buoys us up when we trust our Heavenly Father, who is full of mercy. We can take comfort that if he welcomed back our prodigal brother, we can come back, too.

Thanks be to God!