SAINT JOHN PAUL II ENTRUSTED THE WORLD TO GOD'S MERCY
Entrusting the world to God's mercy is an act of faith, the foundation of which it is an attitude of childlike trust in God, the merciful Father, that He will never abandon man, giving him his love without ceasing. Saint John Paul II like Abraham and the patriarchs, like Peter and his successors, stood as the head of the Church and all mankind, expressing on its behalf faith in a God who is close to man through his mercy. At the same time, he professed his faith that God had finally revealed himself to man in Jesus Christ who fully showed what the Fathers Mercy is in his deeds, in his teaching and, above all, in his death and resurrection. Man discovers God's mercy through the actions of the Holy Spirit.
The act of entrusting the world to God's mercy clearly has a tripartite structure, in which the following elements can be distinguished: invocation to the Triune God, a plea for evil-tormented humanity and a plea for mercy for the world.
The act of entrustment is the form of relationship that the believer enters when they turn to God. It also expresses the person's situation and experience of faith.
In the first part of the act of entrusting the world to God's mercy, Saint John Paul II professes faith in the God of mercy on behalf of the whole Church. Invocation to God, The Father of Mercy is a summary of the Christian faith in a God close to man, who reveals his face in the mystery of mercy: “God, merciful Father, in your Son, Jesus Christ, you have revealed your love and poured it out upon us in the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, We entrust to you today the destiny of the world and of every man and woman”.
The 21st century man experiences the emptiness of life, even more, the fear of the future, the fear of suffering and loneliness. We read the words of the Holy Father John Paul II in this context in the second part of the act of entrustment: “Bend down to us sinners, heal our weakness, conquer all evil, and grant that all the people of the earth may experience your mercy. In You, the Triune God, may they ever find the source of hope”.
In this prayer, Saint John Paul II stands before God like Moses, presenting all human weaknesses that destroy humanity today, like poisonous serpents which bit the people so that many of the Israelites died (Numbers 21: 4-9). The Holy Father seems to express all voices of despair and suffering over the earth, present them to God and ask for mercy. The consequence of professing our faith in the God of mercy is praying for mercy.
The conviction about the need to pray for mercy led the Holy Father to formulate the act of entrusting the world to God's mercy. It is a fruit of the Pope's living faith, deep reflection on the mystery of mercy and great love to people who lost God and lost their meaning in life.
The act of entrustment ends with a call echoing the Chaplet's prayer to Divine Mercy, given to St. Faustina by the Lord Jesus:“Eternal Father, by the Passion and Resurrection of your Son, have mercy on us and upon the whole world!”
Conclusion
The truth about God's mercy, as emphasized by Saint John Paul II, is a central element of the mission that Christ's disciples have received from the Lord. It covers professing faith in the God of mercy and adoring him, bold and full of hope look to the future. It is realized through the proclamation of God's mercy in the liturgy, the words and celebration of the Eucharist and the sacrament of penance, which are source of mercy, containing the mystery of Christ's death and resurrection in which God's mercy towards man was fully revealed.
God's mercy experienced by us who recognizes our weakness opens us to our neighbor, showing the possibility of sharing mercy. It results in selfless help given to a person in need.
The mystery of God's mercy has become especially relevant thanks to the experience of Saint Faustina Kowalska (1905–1938), whom Saint John Paul II called “a gift of God for our time”. This mystery helps us to discover God present in the world and to show mercy to others.
Until Tomorrow
fr. george
Act of Entrustment
God, merciful Father,
in your Son, Jesus Christ, you have revealed your love
and poured it out upon us in the Holy Spirit, the Comforter,
We entrust to you today the destiny of the world and of every man and woman.
Bend down to us sinners,
heal our weakness,
conquer all evil,
and grant that all the peoples of the earth
may experience your mercy.
In You, the Triune God,
may they ever find the source of hope.
Eternal Father,
by the Passion and Resurrection of your Son,
have mercy on us and upon the whole world! Amen.
Novena to St. Joseph - Day Six - St. Joseph, Who Suffered with Love
Dear St. Joseph,
As the day draws closer when I will fully consecrate myself to you, as I draw closer to you, I can't help but notice the scars on your heart, how you suffered with love. You suffered darkness and confusion when Mary was found with child. You suffered the sacrifice of your flesh as you lovingly offered up the absence of bodily intimacy in marriage. You suffered a sword in your heart, with Mary, when Simeon foretold the passion of your Son. You suffered stress and uncertainty when you had to escape with your family to Egypt and live as an immigrant. You suffered crushing anxiety when your 12-year-old Son was lost for three days. You daily suffered fatigue and bodily aches from your manual labor. Worst of all, your fatherly heart grieved at knowing that you could not be there for Jesus and Mary when their darkest hour would one day come.
Saint Joseph, thank you for what you suffered in God's service, in union with your Son, for my salvation. I love you, St. Joseph. Thank you for your yes. Now, please help me to suffer with love as you did. When I suffer, help me not to complain. Help me not to forget love. Help me not to forget others. Dear St. Joseph, through my suffering, watch over my poor heart: May it not harden but rather become more merciful. Help me to remember all God's children who are suffering in the world and help me to offer my suffering for them and for the good of the Church. I am counting on you, St. Joseph. I know you will be with me, helping me to suffer with love.
Saint Joseph, who suffered with love, please help me also to suffer with a love like yours.