Objective of the week: To contemplate the mystery of Mercy
INTRODUCTION
We need constantly to contemplate the mystery of mercy. It is a wellspring of joy, serenity, and peace. Our salvation depends on it… (Misericordiae Vultus #2) Last week, we looked to Jesus as the face of the Father’s mercy. God’s mercy has become living and visible in Jesus. This week we will deepen more on contemplating the mystery of mercy; His mercy, being the fundamental law that dwells in each heart of a person. Let us discover how God’s mercy works in our lives and how He continuously gives us opportunities to share His holiness, to experience His love and to be loved by Him forever despite our sinfulness. MONDAY God’s Mercy Made us Share His Holiness Through Baptism and Confession 1The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah,[a] the Son of God,[b] 2 as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:“I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way”[c]—3 “a voice of one calling in the wilderness,‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’”[d] 4 And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 6 John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I baptize you with[e] water, but he will baptize you with[f] the Holy Spirit.” (Mark 1:1-8) I will never tire of insisting that confessors be authentic signs of the Father’s mercy. We become good confessors when we allow ourselves to be penitents in search of his mercy. Let us never forget that to be confessors means to participate in the very mission of Jesus to be a concrete sign of the constancy of divine love that pardons and saves. (Misericordiae Vultus #17) 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. (Misericordiae Vultus #3) Whatever our past rebellions were, we can always become a new person entering into a new life through the confessions of our sins. When we are baptized we are exercising humility admitting that we are sinners. Only Jesus can heal our past, can redeem our faults and can secure our future and the future of the ones we love. Through God’s mercy we become worthy to be called his children. TUESDAY We are Called to Show Mercy Because Mercy Has Been First Shown to Us. 29The next day John saw Jesus coming to him, and said, “There is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30This is the one I was talking about when I said, “A man is coming after me, but he is greater than I am, because he existed before I was born.31I did not know who he would be, but I came baptizing with water in order to make him known to the people of Israel”. 32And John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from heaven and stay on him. 33I still did not know that he was the one, but God, who sent me to baptize with water, had said to me, “You will see the Spirit come down and stay on a man; he is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit’.34 I have seen it,” said John, “ and I tell you that he is the Son of God.” (John 1: 29-34) Mercy: the fundamental law that dwells in the heart of every person who looks sincerely into the eyes of his brothers and sisters on the path of life. (Misericordiae Vultus #2) We knew Jesus because of someone’s mercy to us who does not want us to become ignorant of the grace and mercy of God. Let us also show this mercy to many people who need to recognize God’s mercy in their lives. WEDNESDAY Magnify Jesus in Your Works of Mercy 22After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. 23 Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized. 24 (This was before John was put in prison.) 25 An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. 26 They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.” 27 To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’ 29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30 He must become greater; I must become less.” (John 3:22-30) Let us rediscover the corporal works of mercy: to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothed the naked, welcome the stranger, heal the sick, visit the imprisoned and bury the dead. And let us not forget the spiritual works of mercy: to counsel the doubtful, instruct the ignorant, admonish the sinners, comfort the afflicted, forgive offences, bear patiently those who do us ill, and pray for the living and the dead. (Misericordiae Vultus #15) The intention of our works of mercy is to let people see Jesus in us. Is Jesus clear and magnified in your life? THURSDAY My Acceptance of God’s Mercy Can be Seen in My Attitude, Intentions and Behavior in My Daily Living 31The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. 33 Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. 34 For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God[i] gives the Spirit without limit. 35 The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them. (John 3:22-30) Jesus affirms that mercy is not only an action of the Father, it becomes the criterion for ascertaining who His true children are. (Misericordiae Vultus #9) God’s love and mercy became visible and tangible in His son Jesus Christ. Our acceptance of His Son can be seen in our intentions, attitude and behavior in our daily living. This make us His true children. May we live our life with full acceptance of Jesus. FRIDAY Contemplate God’s Mercy Through the Word of God 27 As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.”28 He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” 29 As the crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. 30 For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation. 31 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom; and now something greater than Solomon is here. (Luke 11:27-31) 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. (Misericordiae Vultus #19) Amidst the busyness and noise around us, let us have the courage to read the Word of God and in the silence of our hearts contemplate on His mercy. We can only obey His Word when we are able to understand and internalize it. May the meditation of the Word of God be our daily devotion. SATURDAY The Call to Experience God’s Mercy 24Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life[a] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done. 28 “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.” (Matthew 16:24-28) Do not fall into the terrible trap of thinking that life depends on money and that in comparison with money, anything else is devoid of value or dignity. This is the opportune moment to change our lives. All one needs to do is to accept the invitation to conversion and submit oneself to justice during this special time of mercy offered by the Church. dignity. (Misericordiae Vultus #19) God continuously is reaching out to His people. God’s mercy through His Son Jesus, made us connected to Him and given hope to have eternal life and be loved forever despite our sinfulness. We only need to choose what is essential. May we work hard for what is essential and not to be deceived by the world. SUNDAY 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time 1st Reading: Isaiah 62:1-5 Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 96 2nd Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 Gospel: John 2:1-12 Comments are closed.
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