Week 26 Mercy – 28/05/25
| Mercy is God’s love and forgiveness in action. We see this gift in a powerful way during Eastertide as we remember what Jesus did for us out of love. This Sunday is Divine Mercy Sunday and it is a reminder that we must be merciful to others, just as God is merciful with us. |
Day 1 – Head
Mercy
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John
R/ Glory to you O Lord
A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink’, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.” Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.”
Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.” The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshipped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.
The Gospel of the Lord
R/ Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ
Reflection:
In this beautiful passage, Jesus engages the Samaritan woman in a conversation that transcends cultural, social, and religious barriers. She comes seeking ordinary water but encounters the offer of “living water” — the eternal life and deep satisfaction only Christ can give.
Jesus reveals that true worship is not tied to a location, tradition, or lineage, but is rooted in spirit and truth.
He sees her past, her wounds, her story — and yet He offers her grace, not condemnation.
This encounter reminds us that Jesus meets us where we are, even in our brokenness, and invites us into deeper, life-changing relationship with Him.
- What “wells” am I going to in life that never truly satisfy my thirst?
- How do I respond when Jesus confronts me with truth about my heart and life?
- What does it mean for me personally to worship God “in spirit and truth”?
- Who in my life might need to hear that they are seen, loved, and invited by Jesus — just as they are?
Closing Prayer:
Gracious Lord Jesus,
Thank You that You meet me right where I am — in my ordinary routines, in my thirst, in my brokenness.
Thank You for offering me living water, a life full of Your presence, peace, and love.
Help me to turn away from things that leave me empty, and to drink deeply of Your Spirit.
Teach me to worship You in spirit and truth, with all my heart.
And as You have seen me and loved me, send me out to see and love others with Your compassion.
I welcome Your life within me today.
In Your holy name I pray, Amen.
Day 2 – Heart
On the second day of the week we focus on our hearts. How can the scripture that we looked at previously impact our lives, and the lives of others? What themes can we draw from the scripture?
We begin our prayer with the Sign of the Cross. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Catherine McAuley
Trinity is part of the Catherine McAuley Hub and she is a shining example of how we can show mercy in all we do.
How Catherine McAuley Showed Mercy to All
Catherine McAuley lived in Ireland in the 1800s. She believed that showing kindness and care to others — especially those who were poor, sick, or forgotten — was the most important thing you could do. She used money she inherited to open a big house in Dublin where she helped women and children who had no home, no education, or no way to take care of themselves. She didn’t just give them food and shelter — she taught them skills, gave them an education, and helped them find hope for a better future. She showed mercy by treating every person with respect, love, and dignity, no matter who they were.
How Catherine McAuley’s Legacy Continues Today
Catherine’s work didn’t end when she died. She started a group called the Sisters of Mercy, who kept helping people in need. Even today, there are Sisters of Mercy and many Mercy schools, hospitals, and charities all around the world. They continue to show mercy by caring for the sick, teaching young people, standing up for justice, and helping the poor. Her spirit lives on every time someone chooses to show kindness, compassion, and support to another person, especially someone who is struggling.
Loving God,
Thank You for the life of Catherine McAuley,
who showed mercy to all she met.
Help us to follow her example —
to see those who are hurting,
to reach out with kindness,
and to lift others up with love.
May we be brave like Catherine,
always standing up for what is right,
and never turning away from those in need.
Bless the Sisters of Mercy and everyone
who continues her work today.
Fill our hearts with compassion,
so that we can bring Your light to the world.
Amen.
Day 3 – Hands
On the final day of the week we try to put into action the things we have learnt and reflected on previously in the week, hence the hands link!
We begin our prayer with the Sign of the Cross. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Activity: Create a “Mercy Map”
As A form group on a white board draw in the middle of the page a well and label it “Mercy”. (This can also be done a mind map with the word mercy in the middle)
Around the well, they draw or write examples of where mercy can be shown in:
- School
- Home
- Community
- The wider world
Idea: “Where can we be like Jesus and show mercy to others?”
Mission
| Try and be merciful with everyone you meet this week, just as God is merciful with us. |
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for showing mercy to the woman at the well.
You didn’t judge her—you loved her.
Help us to be like You:
Kind, forgiving, and full of mercy.
When we see someone who is left out,
Help us to include them.
When someone makes a mistake,
Help us to forgive them.
Fill our hearts with Your living water,
So we can share Your love with everyone we meet.
Amen.
We find Catherine to be a really good person and think we should do more to remember her, as none of us had heard of her or her work before, and we find her work inspirational.