Charity and Mercy: Mother Pauline
On April 30 we celebrate the feast day of Blessed Pauline von Mallinckrodt, foundress of the Sisters of Christian Charity. As SCCs, we affectionately call her Mother Pauline. She often wrote letters to her Sisters, encouraging them to live the charism of “Christ-like love”. Jesus’ commandment to “love one another” was the core of Mother Pauline’s teaching. We can see just how personally Mother Pauline took this Great Commandment, in leaving directives for her Sisters in the First Draft of the Constitutions of the Sisters of Christian Charity:
…Sisters of Christian Charity. That is to be no empty title. An active love of neighbor is to emanate from that deep fire of Christ’s love that should burn constantly in their hearts: an inexpressible love. Let this holy love be the principal characteristic of this congregation, its rule, its soul, its life.
Holy Charity should shine upon the countenance, sparkle in the eye, radiate from the lips. It should temper conversation and regulate conduct in all places and in all things. It should increase in us those virtues which St. Paul praises as its fruits. “Love is always patient and kind; it is never jealous. Love is never boastful or conceited; it is never rude or selfish; it does not take offense, and is not resentful. Love takes no pleasure in other people’s sins but delights in the truth. It is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope, and to endure whatever comes” (1 Corinthians 13: 4 – 7). We should have neither eyes to see the faults of others, nor ears to listen to evil reports about them, nor tongue to accuse them, nor reason to judge them, nor will to condemn them, nor memory to recall evil of them, but a merciful heart to compassionate all, a charitable tongue to excuse all, a meek and patient disposition to bear with all… (Mother Pauline, 1849).
This says it all. Not only does it prove to be an excellent (yet difficult) examination of conscience, it provides multiple means to practice charity.
We can also remember Mother Pauline’s instructions in a special way during this Jubilee Year of Mercy. When we have “neither eyes to see the faults of others, nor ears to listen to evil reports about them, nor tongue to accuse them, nor reason to judge them, nor will to condemn them, nor memory to recall evil of them” we become people of mercy. We move past forgiveness. We forgive those who wrong us (with God’s good grace). We become people of mercy. The injury done to us vanishes for no other reason but participating in the mercy of God. It is the mercy of God that does not hold us to our faults, or listen to rumors about us, or speak to accuse us of the mistakes of the past. God, as Love, is always ready to forgive.
May we trust more and more in God’s loving mercy for us, and learn to share this mercy with each other. Mother Pauline, Pray for us!
