GOD'S MERCY IN THE TEACHINGS OF THE HOLY FATHER SAINT JOHN PAUL II – part III
PROCLAIMING GOD'S MERCY
The obligation to proclaim God's mercy is a fundamental dimension of the mission towards the world entrusted to the disciples by Christ. This mission is an extension of the traditions of the prophets of Old Testament and faithfully fulfills the mission of the Lord Jesus consisting in showing God, the Father of mercy to men. In the Encyclical Dives in Misericordia, Saint John Paul II clearly indicates the need ofgiving testimony to God's mercy as the implementation of the basic task of the mission of the Church towards the modern world: “The Church must bear witness to the mercy of God revealed in Christ, in the whole of His mission as Messiah, professing it in the first place as a salvific truth of faith and as necessary for a life in harmony with faith, and then seeking to introduce it and to make it incarnate in the lives both of her faithful and as far as possible in the lives of all people of good will. Finally, the Church-professing mercy and remaining always faithful to it-has the right and the duty to call upon the mercy of God, imploring it in the face of all the manifestations of physical and moral evil, before all the threats that cloud the whole horizon of the life of humanity today.” (DM 12).
The mission of proclaiming God's mercy is expressed, according to the Holy Father, in confessing the truth that God is mercy and glorifying God of mercy. The second task of the Church, and therefore of Christ's disciples, is to show mercy. The third field of bearing witness to God is praying for mercy for the world. The starting point for all activities in the field of the apostolate of God's mercy is confession of the faith in God's mercy. Without this foundation, acts of mercy become ordinary philanthropy, which can also be done by unbelievers.
Worshiping God as an Act of Mercy
The basic space for witnessing to God's mercy emphasized by Saint John Paul II, is the liturgy of the Church, liturgical readings and prayers.“In the daily life of the Church the truth about the mercy of God, expressed in the Bible, resounds as a perennial echo through the many readings of the Sacred Liturgy.” (DM 13) Experience of the People of God follows liturgy and confirms the knowledge of God of mercy in everyday life: “Some theologians affirm that mercy is the greatest of the attributes and perfections of God, and the Bible, Tradition and the whole faith life of the People of God provide particular proofs of this. It is not a question here of the perfection of the inscrutable essence of God in the mystery of the divinity itself, but of the perfection and attribute whereby man, in the intimate truth of his existence, encounters the living God particularly closely and particularly often.” (DM 13).
Meeting the God of mercy in life is the first experience of the Christian faith, which SaintJohn Paul II compares to the "vision of the Father" In harmony with Christ's words to Philip (cf. Jn 14: 9). A vision of God through faith finds precisely in the encounter with His mercy a unique moment of interior simplicity and truth, similar to that which we discover in the parable of the prodigal son. The Church places this experience in the center of her teachings (cf. DM 13) because it is the key to knowing God as revealed in Christ and discovering the dignity of another human being, created on the image of God: "He who has seen me has seen the Father also" (cf. Jn 14: 9). Contemplating the merciful face of Christ brings us closer to the Father, whose nature is mercy.
Confessing and proclaiming God's mercy takes place when the Church, proclaiming the word of God brings people closer to the sources of mercy: the Eucharist and the Sacrament of Penance (DM 13). These Sacraments are a gift of the crucified and risen Christ, who, through his death and resurrection, fully revealed the mercy of the Father. With all the power of Peter's authority, Saint John Paul II reminds us that the Eucharist is the source of God's inexhaustible love: “The Eucharist brings us ever nearer to that love which is more powerful than death: "For as often as we eat this bread and drink this cup," we proclaim not only the death of the Redeemer but also His resurrection, "until he comes" in glory.” (DM 13).
The first task of a disciple of Christ is therefore the celebration and participation in the Sacrament of the Eucharist. The Eucharistic rite itself, which makes Christ's passion, death and resurrection present, manifests the infinite love of God who gave his Son for the salvation of the world (cf. Jn 3:16).
The way to encounter God's mercy in the Eucharist is open by the sacrament of penance in which, as Saint John Paul II says, "each person can experience mercy in a unique way, that is, the love which is more powerful than sin " (DM 13). In the face of sin, the infinite mercy of God is fully revealed, who is always ready to forgive a man who regrets his act: “Infinite are the readiness and power of forgiveness which flow continually from the marvelous value of the sacrifice of the Son. No human sin can prevail over this power or even limit it. On the part of man only a lack of good will can limit it, a lack of readiness to be converted and to repent, in other words persistence in obstinacy, opposing grace and truth, especially in the face of the witness of the cross and resurrection of Christ.” (DM 13).
The apostolic task of the Church in the field of the sacrament of penance includes the proclamation of conversion and the manifestation of the forgiving and gracious God. So, Christians make every effort to approach the sacrament of penance and forgive one another so that all people will see the face of a forgiving and gracious God. From the merciful love of God, contained in the Eucharist and in the sacrament of penance, a unity is born that embraces not only Christians, but also all nations.
Until Tomorrow
fr. george
Novena to St. Joseph - Day Three - St. Joseph, Good Provider
Dear Saint Joseph,
As the foster father of Jesus, you provided for his human needs. Through the work of your hands, he had food to strengthen him, a house to give him shelter, and clothes to keep him warm. Now, from heaven, you're still working, St. Joseph. Indeed, the loving labor of your prayers provide for all the members of the Body of your Son. But as I'm preparing to consecrate myself completely to you, I ask you to please provide for me and for my loved ones in a special way. Through your prayers, please make sure that we always have food to eat, a roof over our heads, and clothes to wear. Also, please pray for us that in times of abundance, we will never forget God. Pray for us that we will always be grateful for God's gifts and that we will never be a slave to things like food or money, pleasure or power. Finally, help us always to remember and be generous with the poor.
Saint Joseph, with you as my spiritual father, I will do my best not to give in to useless anxiety about my job, money, or material things. I believe you will always make sure I have what I need, and as a good father, I ask that you indulge me a bit by even providing for my material wants, provided they don't take me away from Jesus.
Saint Joseph, Good Provider, please provide for my needs through your powerful prayers.