When praying with the Exercises, we are invited to recall both our sinful actions and God's graceful responses. If shame and embarrassment are provoked, then how much more is our recalling of God's mercy invoked. But there is another grace he asks us to request. We are to be embarrassed not only by our bad choices in the past, but confused by God's rather unjust response. Considering what I have done in the past and am likely to do again, here is the crucified Christ, offering me a future of His faithfulness to both my past and days to come.
Mercy is both a forgiving and a foretelling.
Each of us will return to the foot of His cross so as to live again from and with our pasts - into our futures and His.