The Letters: Daily Office, Daily Mercy - Catholic (Lamentations 3:22-23)

Imagine for a moment the quiet chapel of St. Mary’s nestled in the heart of Kolkata, where Mother Teresa found her refuge amid the bustling chaos of life. Each morning, before the sun fully broke the horizon, she would step inside that sacred space, the air still tinged with the scent of incense and the soft flicker of candlelight casting warm shadows on the walls. It was here, in the hushed stillness, that she encountered the profound mercy of God—an unyielding promise that offered both solace and strength.

As she knelt before the altar, she was not merely going through the motions of daily Mass; she was immersing herself in the rich tapestry of hesed—God's steadfast love. Echoing the words from Lamentations 3:22-23, she felt the fresh grace wash over her every morning, renewing her spirit like the first rays of sunlight breaking through the dark night. “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning.” In this act of worship, Mother Teresa encountered God’s faithfulness, embodied in the bread and wine, the sacred mystery of the Eucharist.

Even in the depths of her own struggles, when despair loomed near, she found that the sacraments continued to deliver mercy, filling her heart with divine hope. Each moment spent in prayer was a reminder that, like the rhythm of the rising sun, God’s grace was faithfully present, drawing her closer to His heart.

In our own lives, we are invited to receive this same daily mercy through the shared rhythms of our faith—be it in prayer, in community, or in the sacraments. Morning by morning, we are called to lean into God’s grace, to trust in His unwavering faithfulness, and to open ourselves to the abundant love that never fails. Great is His sacramental faithfulness!