“MERCIFUL LIKE THE FATHER”

“MERCIFUL LIKE THE FATHER” As we are about to begin the Jubilee Year of Mercy in which Pope Francis has asked us to “rediscover the richness contained in the corporal and spiritual works of mercy”, we dispose ourselves to approach them under a new perspective. It may be that we already know them by heart: CORPORAL WORKS OF MERCY 1. Feed the hungry2. Give drink to the thirsty3. Clothe the naked4. Shelter the homeless5. Visit the sick6. Visit the imprisoned7. Bury the dead SPIRITUAL WORKS OF MERCY 1. Counsel the doubtful2. Instruct the ignorant3. Admonish sinners4. Comfort the afflicted5. Forgive offenses6. Bear wrongs patiently7. Pray for the living and the dead But, do we truly practice them the way God asks us to? We are reminded of the words of prophet Hosea: “For it is mercy that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than holocausts” (Hos 6,6). What is God asking of us? What does He want to tell us by these words? Could it be that we should not seek to ‘justify’ ourselves? That we should not seek ourselves, our reputation, our own good or personal interests when serving Him? We can do so many ‘good’ things that stained by self-interest and lacking love, are of little to no value. As St. Paul tells us, “ if I do not have love, I gain nothing” (1Co 13,3). Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Gospels teaches us again and again how his disciples should be: “this is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (Jn 13,35). But, can we truly love one another if we do not love God? Love of neighbor is the FRUIT of our love of God. We must love our neighbor from God. That is why the first commandment is this: “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, will all your strength, and with all your mind”. And then, yes, “love your neighbor as yourself” (Lk 10,27); even more, as God has loved you (Jn, 13,34). The whole law and prophets depend on these two commandments (Mt 22,40). God wants us to love Him and that we love one another. Because everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God…for God is love! (1Jn 4,7-8) We were made in the image and likeness of God and the likeness of God is LOVE. When God asks us to be merciful and to know Him, He’s really asking us to have His own heart so we may live as His true children, that is why the theme for this Jubilee is so beautiful, ‘Merciful like The Father’. Jesus told us so: Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for He makes His sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have?...Do not the pagans do the same? Be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect (Mt 5,44-48). Then our offerings will be pleasing to God and our light will shine before others that they may see our good deeds and glorify our heavenly Father with us (Mt 5,16). May Our Blessed Mother of Guadalupe to whom Pope Francis has entrusted this Jubilee Year, help us to profit from the special graces that are being offered to us, to understand in our hearts the cry of Our Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross, the maximum expression of God’s mercy for us: I thirst! (Jn 19,28) I thirst for souls, I thirst for your love, I thirst for you! And His other cry as ‘His hour’ approached: “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! “(Lk 12,49). Let us therefore allow ourselves to be enkindled by this fire, the Holy Spirit, Who cries from the depth of our souls Abba, Father!; and helps us to exercise the works of mercy only For the Love of God.