Rooted in the Old Testament tradition of a Jubilee Year,
themselves steeped in mercy, repentance, thanksgiving and care of the poor and
vulnerable, within the Roman Catholic Church there have been over the millennia
some thirty Jubilees.
However the first formal one did not occur until 1300 and
prior to this one was the Great Jubilee to usher in the new millennium called
for by St. John Paul II.
The present Jubilee will begin on December 8, the Solemnity
of the Immaculate Conception and conclude on November 20, 2016, the Solemnity
of Christ the King.
Pope Francis begins by reminding us that: Jesus Christ is the
face of the Father’s mercy. These words might well sum up the mystery of the
Christian faith. Mercy has become living and visible in Jesus of Nazareth,
reaching its culmination in him.
In
a world so filled with hatred and violence, in a word with sin, Pope Francis
reassures us that:
When faced with the
gravity of sin, God responds with the fullness of mercy. Mercy will always be
greater than any sin, and no one can place limits on the love of God who is
ever ready to forgive.
Whenever we are troubled or discouraged by our own sins or
the evil in the world as we observe on a daily basis things such as terrorism,
human trafficking and the like, satan will attempt to convince us he is more
powerful than he actually is.
God’s merciful love is the only real, true, pure, selfless
power there is and God uses His Divine power to fill us with His merciful,
forgiving, healing, comforting love.
Clearly the following comes from deep within the heart of
our beloved Holy Father, Pope Francis: How much I desire that the
year to come will be steeped in mercy, so that we can go out to every man and
woman, bringing the goodness and tenderness of God! May the balm of mercy reach
everyone, both believers and those far away, as a sign that the Kingdom of God
is already present in our midst!
Today
many nations are showing mercy to the people of Nepal in the aftermath of the
earthquake, many ordinary people in Baltimore are trying to show mercy by
standing between the angry mob and the police so violence ends and dialogue
begins.
Hidden
from such public view others are showing mercy by volunteering to keep vigil in
various hospices, in soup kitchens, bring meals to shut-ins: the ways of
fulfilling the works of mercy, of being merciful, are innumerable.
All
that is needed is love’s imagination.
The
Holy Father reminds us that: Throughout the history of humanity, God
will always be the One who is present, close, provident, holy, and merciful.
Therefore
Pope Francis also reminds us that: …..the
mercy of God is not an abstract idea, but a concrete reality with which he
reveals his love as of that of a father or a mother, moved to the very depths
out of love for their child. It is hardly an exaggeration to say that this is a
“visceral” love. It gushes forth from the depths naturally, full of tenderness
and compassion, indulgence and mercy.
To
fully appreciate this we need to be steeped in all of Sacred Scripture, which
overflows with examples of this Divine Love, culminating in Christ Jesus laying
down His life for us, the same Jesus who calls us to be as merciful as our
Heavenly Father, loving one another as we are loved by Him.
Placing before us anew the
essence of the Church’s life and mission Pope Francis notes that:
Mercy is the very
foundation of the Church’s life…..and….. The Church’s
very credibility is seen in how she shows merciful and compassionate love.
It
is tempting at this juncture to note at some length where great reform is
needed as regards how the Church, or more accurately those with power within
the Church, from the Vatican to the smallest parish, exercise mercy, both
externally towards parishioners and people in general throughout the world and
internally towards priests, religious, consecrated lay people.
A
temptation, yes. To be detailed here with suggestions, no.
These,
at least for a priest-hermit, are things best brought to the Lord in prayer.
Everyone
can read the teachings of Pope Francis, heed his words, follow his example, and
each of us, whatever our state in life, are called upon by Pope Francis to
exemplify and exercise this mandate of mercy.
Pope
Francis guides us by reminding us that: In order to be capable of mercy, therefore,
we must first of all dispose ourselves to listen to the Word of God. This means
rediscovering the value of silence in order to meditate on the Word that comes
to us. In this way, it will be possible to contemplate God’s mercy and adopt it
as our lifestyle.
In
this, and in all things, we have Our Blessed Mother, among whose titles is Our
Lady of Mercy, to help us as Pope Francis notes: My thoughts now turn to the Mother of Mercy. May the sweetness of her
countenance watch over us in this Holy Year, so that all of us may rediscover
the joy of God’s tenderness. No one has penetrated the profound mystery of the
incarnation like Mary. Her entire life was patterned after the presence of
mercy made flesh. The Mother of the Crucified and Risen One has entered the
sanctuary of divine mercy because she participated intimately in the mystery of
His love.
We
have just over seven months to prepare to cross the threshold into the
Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy and meditating upon the teachings and
encouragements given us by Pope Francis in the Bull of Indiction, is one way to
prepare so that: In this Jubilee Year,
may the Church echo the word of God that resounds strong and clear as a message
and a sign of pardon, strength, aid, and love. May she never tire of extending
mercy, and be ever patient in offering compassion and comfort. May the Church
become the voice of every man and woman, and repeat confidently without end:
“Be mindful of your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love, for they have been
from of old” (Ps 25:6).
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