YOUTH MATTERS: Springs of Mercy

By Sam Clear, Director of the Office of Youth Evangelisation

In the wild heartland of Wyoming, nestled amidst the rolling mountains of Hot Springs County, there’s a town called Thermopolis, home to refutably the world’s largest mineral hot springs.

In 1896 the Shoshone and Arapaho Indians signed a treaty allowing the new settlers to enjoy its soothing properties. I’ll remember Thermopolis though for providing an immersion into the springs of God’s mercy.

To the south of Thermopolis is the dusty town of Shoshoni and it was from there that I set out on foot to cover the fifty-four kilometres between them.

I followed the geological oddity of the Big Horn River, which runs towards the Owl Mountains rather than out of them, in fact cutting a path straight through creating the spectacular Wind River Canyon.

As I entered Thermopolis at sunset my feet were stinging. The local Catholic priest, Fr Hugo, offered me accommodation and after showing me to my room I set about removing my boots.

Ten minutes later Fr Hugo reappeared to find me sitting on the floor trying delicately to remove my blood-soaked socks from my toes; they’d fused together.

Fr Hugo offered help, but I just laughed while waving him away. He propped himself down in the doorway and asked what I did all day while walking (I had at that point covered 9000km on foot from Brazil).

I told him that I sang a lot, prayed, and took photos, but then for some odd reason I tacked onto the end that, “Sometimes I’ve even scrutinised all the stupid things I’ve ever done in life.”

“Do you find that helpful?” Fr Hugo asked.

“Not particularly,” I replied, “especially if I’m remembering a time when I really let someone down. They are long days.”

Fr Hugo probed with a few thoughtful questions and then noted that, “It sounds like you’ve forgiven those who’ve hurt you, they’ve forgiven you, and you’ve sought God’s forgiveness.

You know what your problem is Sam? You’ve never forgiven yourself. If God has forgiven you, who are you to not forgive yourself?

From now on, as soon as you start to dwell on past failings I want you to immediately say three times, ‘Jesus, Son of the living God, have mercy on me a sinner’.”

For twenty-eight years I had never realised how much unforgiveness I had towards myself, so with feet patched and new socks on, I continued north the next day, constantly immersing in that eternal spring of God’s mercy, exchanging guilt and loathing for love and purpose.