I am by no means a religious person. But I do appreciate spirituality and love people who actively live their proclaimed faith. Having read a spiritual memoir or two that didn’t quite deliver, I approached Mercy in the City somewhat tentatively. It turned out to be as surprisingly wonderful as I was skeptical.
“In a city with twenty-four-hour stores, eight million people, and infinite possibilities…” Weber chooses, in addition to giving up alcohol and sweets, to complete all the Corporal Works of Mercy for Lent. Yes, in the heart of New York City a young practicing Catholic chooses mercy over the “infinite possibilities." And that is a story I think worth reading.
What I love most about Weber’s tale is that she’s never preachy. Her story is never about saving souls or doing good works. She really sets out to live her faith in a genuine, caring, completely opposite of The Year of Living Biblically way. Her goal is simply to practice her faith. And you don’t have to be a fellow Catholic to appreciate that.
If you can find inspiration outside your own religious group and books like Timber Hawkeye’s Buddhist Boot Camp, Jay Pathak’s The Art of Neighboring, or Will Bowen’s A Complaint Free World resonate with you, you may just appreciate Weber’s Lenten journey.