Mercy
Today the Gospel returns to the story of the prodigal son. The theme of God's mercy is central in this Lent, more so because this year has been declared a Jubilee of Mercy by Pope Francis. A number of Parishes in each country have been designated to have a Door of Mercy; and I am lucky that our Parish Church in Tai Po, The Immaculate Heart of Mary is one of them. It was a grace-filled occasion with songs, prayers and the Eucharistic celebration of the Mass, when the Door of Mercy was opened by the Bishop on 1 January 2016, and the joy we felt walking through that door!
The parable of the prodigal son shows the unconditional love of the father to both his sons, the younger wayward son who squandered his share of inheritance and decided to return home, repentant; and his righteous elder son who has been with him helping in the farm. When he showed bitterness in the way the father welcomed back his younger brother with feasting and celebration; his father patiently explained to him: "My son, you are with me always and all I have is yours. But it was only right we should celebrate and rejoice because your brother here was dead and has come to life; he was lost and is found." By his words and actions, he was teaching both his sons the virtues of compassion, mercy and unconditional love.
God's mercy is infinite. He is constantly calling us to a deep spiritual renewal, a true conversion of heart. If we can sincerely pray just like the tax collector, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner", we can be certain that our Lord, who understands our human weaknesses will be ever ready to forgive us our sins. Once we have experienced God's love and mercy, we will want to live a life pleasing to him; to be more fervent in our prayer life and in our devotion to Mass and to develop a set of values to do good so as to give him praise, love and glory.
Each year, Lent offers us a providential opportunity to deepen
the meaning and value of our Christian lives, and it stimulates
us to rediscover the Mercy of God, so that we in turn, become
more merciful toward our brothers and sisters.
- Pope Benedict XVI -
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