Mercy Night in this Jubilee Year of Mercy

10-02-2016Weekly ReflectionFr. Chad King

Have you forgotten that Pope Francis has declared an Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, which will be ending Nov 20, 2016? Have you made it a point to both receive and be an instrument of God's mercy this year? This is a gentle reminder that God's mercy is waiting to be outpoured in a special way upon us and through us, and He is inviting you and I to take full advantage of His many blessings this year.

"Here, then, is the reason for the Jubilee: because this is the time for mercy. It is the favorable time to heal wounds, a time not to be weary of meeting all those who are waiting to see and to touch with their hands the signs of the closeness of God, a time to offer everyone, everyone, the way of forgiveness and reconciliation. May the Mother of God open our eyes, so that we may comprehend the task to which we have been called; and may she obtain for us the grace to experience this Jubilee of Mercy as faithful and fruitful witnesses of Christ."

If you haven't already done so, you are encouraged to make a pilgrimage to either St. Simon & Jude Cathedral or Chapel of the Holy Cross in Sedona to walk through the Holy Doors. Through this pilgrimage, anyone who goes to confession, walks through the doors in a state of grace, and says specific prayers for the Holy Father, will receive a plenary indulgence. In addition to the person's sins being forgiven, the temporal punishment for his or her sins will be remitted.

There is another opportunity here at Corpus Christi to enter into this Year of Mercy. Join us for Mercy Night, Friday, October 7, at which the Franciscan Friars of the Holy Spirit will be here to preach, hear confessions, inspire a renewal of heart, and help us encounter the Mercy of God in a new and deeper way.

Nevertheless, this Year of Mercy should include more than us going to confession and receiving God's Mercy more frequently. (Reminder: Confessions are available Tuesdays at 5pm, Thursdays at 7pm, Saturdays at 2:30pm, and by appointment). We should also be ministers of God's mercy to others more readily. Thus, I a sk you to consider if God is calling you to make steps to reconcile with someone, or if there is someone with whom you have some sort of division or separation. Open your heart in prayer and ask God to show you what you are called to do to at least begin to heal thatrelationship.

Pope Francis emphasizes the need for the Church and all her members to live out the loving mercy that God has for us. Our response to God's loving mercy towards us is to return that same mercy to all those we meet. The Holy Father reminds us that "Mercy is the very foundation of the Church's life. All of her pastoral activity should be caught up in the tenderness she makes present to believers; nothing in her preaching and in her witness to the world can be lacking in mercy. The Church's very credibility is seen in how she shows merciful and compassionate love." As members of the Body of Christ, our lives should reflect this witness of mercy to those we meet on a daily basis. May this Year of Mercy be one of true growth in ourselves, in our families, and all our relationships.