Paul was honest with himself: he knew how much he had sinned and how many people he had hurt in his lifetime. He felt totally undeserving of the incredible grace and mercy that God showed him and in his call to be an apostle. Grace and mercy are never 'deserved' - they are the gifts of a compassionate, loving and merciful God. Having received this gift, we should be eager to grant the same mercy and compassion to others.

This is the same love and mercy that Jesus showed towards his mother, the Beloved Disciple, and to us, even while he hung from the cross. He left his mother in John's hands so that she would continue to have the love, comfort, and support of a son. John would also continue to experience the presence of Jesus through his mother, and his relationship with the Lord would only deepen and increase. The mother of Jesus is also our mother, and we continue to love Jesus in and through her. Our faith is about love and relationship. We strive to re-create this divine family wherever we may be.