for the Jubilee Year of Mercy...2019/08/12 · The Jubilee Year of Mercy - December 8, 2015 through November 20, 2016 In proclaiming a Jubilee Year of Mercy, the Holy Father has exercised

ARCHDIOCESE OF PHILADELPHIA

archphila.org/mercy

Twelve Monthly Themesfor the

Year of Mercy

Jubilee

DECEMBER 2015: WHAT IS A JUBILEE?

Archdiocese of Philadelphia · archphila.org/mercy · Jubilee Year of Mercy

Bulletin Reflection - This reflection is sized to fit in a column of a parish bulletin.

The Jubilee Year of Mercy - December 8, 2015 through November 20, 2016In proclaiming a Jubilee Year of Mercy, the Holy Father has exercised the authority given to him by Jesus Christ (Mt 16:19) and opened for us a time of grace. The Year of Mercy is about many things: the tender mercy God shows to all mankind, repentance from sin as our response to God’s mercy and the mercy we are called to show to others. At the center of this holy year is our personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We are called to look honestly at our relationship with the Lord, to turn from the ways that we have preferred our own will to his and to seek reconciliation. This puts the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation at the center of the Year of Mercy. During this holy year, each of us is invited to renew or begin a commitment to the regular practice of sacramental confession. It is here that we will hear with our ears and experience in our hearts Jesus’ most consoling words, “I absolve you of your sins.” Even if it has been a long time since your last Confession, Pope Francis encourages you, “…Do not lose another day. Go, the priest will be good….Dear friends, celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation means being enfolded in a warm embrace: it is the embrace of the Father’s infinite mercy.”

A Jubilee Year is about freedom. God wishes to act in our lives this year, setting us free and bringing us peace. Let us spend this year actively seeking ways to allow him to do so. –Meghan Cokeley, Office for the New Evangelization, Archdiocese of Philadelphia

How to Live ItDuring this sacred time, consider making a commitment to pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy each day.This 10 minute prayer uses traditional Rosary beads to meditate upon the infinite mercy of God. To learnmore about the Chaplet and other ways to celebrate of the Holy Year, contact us at [insert here your parishwebsite or contact info where people can learn about your parish’s Year of Mercy opportunities] or visit theArchdiocesan webpage archphila.org/mercy.

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Quote from Catholic Tradition:“In the Roman Catholic tradition, a Holy Year, or Jubilee is a great religious event. It is a year offorgiveness of sins and also the punishment due to sin, it is a year of reconciliation between adversaries,of conversion and receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and consequently of solidarity, hope, justice,commitment to serve God with joy and in peace with our brothers and sisters. A Jubilee year is above allthe year of Christ, who brings life and grace to humanity.” (Vatican website)

To continue reflecting on this theme, consider one of these resources!

• Recommended Reading for the Month: Misericordiae Vultus, Bull of Indiction for the Jubilee, Pope Francis

• Lighthouse Catholic Media CD: The Second Greatest Story Ever Told, Fr. Michael Gaitley M.I.C.

JANUARY 2016: JESUS CHRIST, MERCY INCARNATE



Jubilee Year of Mercy – Jesus Christ, Mercy IncarnateWhat is mercy? It is “heartfelt sympathy for another’s distress.” Mercy is a generous readiness to help others even if they have brought their troubles on themselves. Even more, mercy is loving compassion that is willing to forgive insults and injury.

God is just, but we have the courage to ask him to help us in our misery and forgive us our trespasses because we know that he is “slow to anger and abounding in mercy” (Psalm 103:8). God does not treat us as our sins deserve, but invites us to repent and assures us of his willingness to forgive.

As disciples of Jesus Christ who is “Divine Mercy incarnate,” we have confidence in God’s mercy. Jesus fed the hungry, healed the sick, drove out demons, and raised the dead. He sought out sinners, ate with them, and offered them forgiveness and new life in his kingdom. In parables, Jesus taught that the Father’s mercy exceeds all expectations and is bestowed on the most unlikely candidates.

Jesus’ words were confirmed by his deeds. The Son of God assumed not only our flesh, but our burdens, our pain, and our sins. He took our part and our place, and freely laid down his life on the wood of the cross to redeem us. He displayed the astonishing mercy of God who “did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all” (Romans 8:32).

Jesus admonishes us: “Be merciful just as your heavenly Father is merciful” (Luke 6:36).-Sr. Sara Butler, MSBT

How to Live ItThis month, spend time prayerfully reading the Gospel of St. Luke, placing yourself in each of the stories. Listen to what Jesus says as if spoken to you and attend to his actions as if addressed to you. Allow Christ’s presence in the Word of God to transform your thinking and acting so as to more closely imitate Christ’s merciful love.

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Quote from Catholic Tradition:“In this way the cross of Christ, on which the Son, consubstantial with the Father, renders full justice toGod, is also a radical revelation of mercy, or rather the love that goes against what constitutes the veryroot of evil in the history of man: sin and death. The cross is the most powerful condescension of God toman…The cross is like a touch of eternal love upon the most painful wounds of man’s earthly existence…”–Pope St. John Paul II, Dives in Misericordia 8


• Recommended Reading for the Month: Gospel of St. Luke

• Lighthouse Catholic Media CD: Jesus the Bridegroom: The Greatest Love Story Ever Told, by Dr. Brant Pitre

FEBRUARY 2016: CONFESSION: THE SACRAMENT OF MERCY



Jubilee Year of Mercy – February 2016: Confession, Sacrament of Mercy

“Through the ministry of the Church, may God give you pardon and peace…”

Each time the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Penance is celebrated, the priest begins the formula of absolution with these words. They express the profound reality that is taking place. First, there is the recognition that the Church mediates God’s loving activity of forgiveness of sins. Jesus intentionally created the Church to extend his victory over sin. Second, this Sacrament, like all the others, begins with God’s initiative. Long before we recognize our need for God’s mercy, he is already calling us to him, extending his offer of grace.

That, of course, is what the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Penance is all about: God’s love which overcomes even our sins. There is nothing that we can do in life that will cause God not to love us. As Pope Francis has said so well, it is not God who tires of forgiving us; rather, it is we ourselves who tire of asking for forgiveness! But we never should give up on our desire for holiness. God will forgive us if we approach the Sacrament with sincere contrition. There is no need to be afraid!

In this Year of Mercy, Pope Francis has called on the Church to throw open the doors of mercy, to show the vultus misericordiae – the face of mercy – to all those who need it. Whether one receives this Sacrament regularly (a commendable practice) or has not been to Confession for many years, let this Year of Mercy be a time in which we take advantage of this generous offer of “pardon and peace.” –Fr. Eric Banecker

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Quote from Catholic Tradition:“In the life of the body a man is sometimes sick, and unless he takes medicine, he will die. Even so in the spiritual life a man is sick on account of sin. For that reason he needs medicine so that he may be restored to health; and this grace is bestowed in the Sacrament of Penance.” -St. Thomas Aquinas

“When you approach the confessional, know this, that I Myself am waiting there for you. I am only hidden by the priest, but I Myself act in your soul.” –Jesus to St. Faustina, Diary of St. Faustina 1602


• Recommended Book for the Month: 7 Secrets of Confession, Vinny Flynn

• Lighthouse Catholic Media CD: Confession by Fr. Larry Richards

MARCH 2016: DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY



Jubilee Year of Mercy - Divine Mercy Sunday: Feast of MercyIn the Gospel reading every year on the Second Sunday of Easter, Jesus enters the upper room where the disciples are and tells them, “Peace be with you.” That peace lies at the heart of Divine Mercy. It is the peace which Jesus won for all men and women on the cross. His resurrection is the Father’s public validation of Jesus’ victory over sin and death. That is why Pope Saint John Paul II gave the Second Sunday of Easter the name “Divine Mercy Sunday.”

Saint Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun, experienced visions of the Lord Jesus during the 1930s. As a result of these visions, she produced a now-famous image of Jesus with red and white beams of light coming from his side with the words, “Jesus, I trust in you.”

Catholics who go to Confession, receive Communion, and offer prayers for the Pope while also participating in Divine Mercy devotions in a spirit of complete detachment from sin can receive full remission of temporal punishment due to sin (Plenary Indulgence) on this day.

Pope Francis has made mercy one of the hallmarks of his pontificate. He proclaimed the Year of Mercy so that in receiving God’s mercy in our own lives, we can extend it to others. All of us can do this in concrete ways such as forgiving our spouse or siblings. Perhaps there are relationships in our lives that require healing. The poor, the vulnerable, and sinners especially need us to be instruments of God’s mercy. Through Divine Mercy, the great gift of Jesus’ cross and resurrection, we can hear Jesus once again say to us, “Peace be with you.” -Fr. Eric Banecker

How to Live ItThis year’s Divine Mercy Sunday falls on April 3, 2016. During this special Jubilee year, consider making a effort to receive the Plenary Indulgence available on this Feast of Mercy. To learn more about our Archdiocesan celebration of Divine Mercy Sunday, visit archphila.org/mercy or contact the parish at [parish contact info here].

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Quote from Catholic Tradition:“I have opened my Heart as a living fountain of mercy. Let all souls draw life from it. Let them approach this sea of mercy with great trust. Sinners will attain justification, and the just will be confirmed in good. Whoever places his trust in My mercy will be filled with My divine peace at the hour of death.” -Jesus to St. Faustina, Diary of St. Faustina, 1520


• Recommended Book for the Month: Consoling the Heart of Jesus, Fr. Michael Gaitley, MIC

• Lighthouse Catholic Media CD: The Saving Power of Divine Mercy by Fr. Jason Brooks

APRIL 2016: THE HOLY SPIRIT: FOUNTAIN OF MERCY



Jubilee Year of Mercy - The Holy Spirit, Fountain of MercyMercy lies at the heart of the Christian faith. Catholics believe in a God of Mercy. He manifested His Mercy, first and foremost, in the Incarnation of his Word in the Person of Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for our sins. When he walked this earth, Jesus lived for others and greeted everyone he met with mercy and compassion. Mercy was the reason he entered this world. Mercy was why he forgave sins. Mercy was why he cured people of their physical ailments. Mercy was why he cast out demons. Mercy was why he suffered and died for us. Mercy for others was what he asked of his Father from the cross. Mercy was what flowed from his pierced side in the form of blood and water. Mercy was why he sent his Spirit to dwell in the hearts of the members of his body, the Church. Mercy was the reason for the sending of his Spirit at Pentecost.

The Holy Spirit is the Fountain of Mercy. He is the soul of the Church, the sacrament of Christ. He is invoked at the celebration of every sacrament. He is the source of Mercy, because he is the Bond of Love shared by the Father and the Son. From that Bond everything else flows: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Reconciliation, Orders, Matrimony, Anointing. These sacraments give honor and glory to the Father. They are actions of Christ. They are the works of the Spirit. Through them we receive his manifold gifts and fruits. Holy Spirit, Fountain of Mercy, pray for us. – Rev. Dennis J. Billy, C.Ss.R., Krol Chair of Moral Theology, St. Charles Borromeo Seminary

How to Live ItDuring the Holy Year of Mercy, begin the practice of invoking the Holy Spirit as soon as you wake up in the morning. Use the Veni, Sancte Spiritus or similar prayer to the Holy Spirit. Take note of the special daily mercies that result from this simple act of dependence on the Third Person of the Trinity.

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Quote from Catholic Tradition:“Come, Holy Spirit. Spirit of truth, you are the reward of the saints, the comforter of souls, light in the darkness, riches to the poor, treasure to lovers, food for the hungry, comfort to those who are wandering; to sum up, you are the one in whom all treasures are contained. Come! As you descended upon Mary that the Word might become flesh, work in us through grace as you worked in her through nature and grace. Come! Food of every chaste thought, fountain of all mercy, sum of all purity. Come! Consume in us whatever prevents us from being consumed in you.” -St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi


• Recommended Book for the Month: True Devotion to the Holy Spirit, Archbishop Luis Martinez

• Lighthouse Catholic Media CD: Confirmation: The Sacrament of Evangelization and Martyrdom by Dr. Brant Pitre

MAY 2016: MARY, THE MOTHER OF MERCY



Jubilee Year of Mercy – Mary, the Mother of MercyHave you ever found it difficult to forgive? If so, turn to Mary, the Mother of Mercy. She is the Mother of God whose “mercy endures forever” (Ps 118:1), the Mother of Jesus who prayed, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do” (Lk. 23:34). She is our surest help when we struggle with feelings of resentment or the desire to “get even.” For did not she, of all people, have reason to feel resentment, to desire revenge, to despise those who betrayed and abandoned her Son? Did not she have reason to wish for revenge against the hypocrisy of religious leaders who twisted the truth of his words and the goodness of his mighty deeds to justify his condemnation as a charlatan deserving death? And, did not she have reason to wish for vengeance against the cowardice of Pilate, the cruelty of his executioners, and the mockery of the bystanders who scornfully laughed at her beloved Son stripped naked dying helplessly on the cross? Indeed, she had every reason to cry out to God asking for vengeance against the perpetrators of such barbarous cruelty! But, no, she did not. She forgave. She witnessed Jesus asking His Father to forgive.

So let us pray the “Hail, Holy Queen” every day during this Holy Year of Mercy, asking Mary, the Mother of Mercy, to help us be merciful when we feel the desire for revenge or for “getting even.” May Mary, the Mother of Mercy be “our life, our sweetness, and our hope” as we learn how “blessed are the merciful for they shall receive mercy.” (Mt 5:7). –Sr. Annette Pelletier, IHM, Prof. of Theology, Immaculata University

How to Live ItRead the story of Immaculee Ilibagiza. In her book, Left To Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust, she recounts how she survived the Rwandan genocide and was brought to forgive those who murdered her family through the prayer of the Rosary, especially the Sorrowful Mysteries. Then, consider taking up the Rosary and asking Our Lady to help you forgive those who have injured you.

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Quote from Catholic Tradition:"Seek refuge in Mary because she is the city of refuge. We know that Moses set up three cities of refuge for anyone who inadvertently killed his neighbor. Now the Lord has established a refuge of mercy, Mary, even for those who deliberately commit evil. Mary provides shelter and strength for the sinner."-Saint Anthony of Padua

“Even while living in the world, the heart of Mary was so filled with motherly tenderness and compassion for men that no-one ever suffered so much for their own pains, as Mary suffered for the pains of her children.” -Saint Jerome, Father and Doctor of the Church


• Recommended Book for the Month: The World's First Love, Archbishop Fulton Sheen

• Lighthouse Catholic Media CD: Mary: Handmaid of the Lord by Blessed Mother Teresa

JUNE 2016: THE EUCHARIST: SOURCE AND SUMMIT OF MERCY



Eucharist: Source and Summit of MercyAll great things, moments, and events have a source. Teams who win have a strong coach, fast cars have a powerful engine, and those who give have a big heart. The same holds true for us as disciples of Jesus Christ. We have a source, which is the Eucharist.

“The Eucharist is ‘the source and summit of the Christian life.’ The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it. For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself, our Pasch." (CCC 1324)

In this Year of Mercy, Pope Francis is inviting us to rekindle our relationship with the source of mercy. The Eucharist is what fuels our parishes, feeds our families, and comforts our hearts. This gift is the source and strength of our love and mercy to the poor, needy, and abandoned.

“Anyone who wishes to give love must also receive love as a gift. Certainly, as the Lord tells us, one can become a source from which rivers of living water flow (cf. Jn 7:37-38). Yet to become such a source, one must constantly drink anew from the original source, which is Jesus Christ, from whose pierced heart flows the love of God (cf. Jn 19:34).” (Pope Benedict XVI, Deus Caritas Est)-Fr. Jason Buck

How to Live It-Consider committing to 1 hour a week or 1 hour a month before the Blessed Sacrament.-Consider receiving the Eucharist more than once a week.-Bring a friend, relative, or coworker to adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.-Make a quick visit to the Blessed Sacrament during the week.

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Quote from Catholic Tradition:“Do you allow yourselves to be gazed upon by the Lord? But how do you do this? You look at the tabernacle and you let yourselves be looked at . . . it is simple! ‘It is a bit boring; I fall asleep.’ Fall asleep then, sleep! He is still looking at you. But know for sure that he is looking at you!” -Pope Francis

“In the heart of Jesus, which was pierced, the kingdom of heaven and the land of earth are bound together. Here is for us the source of life. This heart is the heart of the Triune Divinity, and the center of all human hearts... It draws us to itself with secret power, it conceals us in itself in the Father's bosom and floods us with the Holy Spirit. This heart, it beats for us in a small tabernacle where it remains mysteriously hidden in that still, white host.” -- St. Edith Stein


• Recommended Book for the Month: The Lamb's Supper, Scott Hahn• Lighthouse Catholic Media CD: Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist by Dr. Brant Pitre

JULY 2016: SPIRITUAL WORKS OF MERCY



Jubilee Year of Mercy – The Spiritual Works of MercyJesus said “Blessed are the merciful, for mercy shall be theirs” (Mt 5:7), which makes the practice of the spiritual works of mercy a win-win for everyone! When we instruct the ignorant and counsel the doubtful, we’re forced to brush up on our own faith in order to properly inform others. How many misunderstandings about Church teaching could be prevented if we understood not just what She teaches, but why!

Admonishing sinners isn’t about judging someone’s heart; it’s about those everyday moral decisions about right and wrong that we make whenever we decide not to steal, gossip, lie, etc. When we admonish sinners with love, we reaffirm our own convictions and make this world more civil and loving.

To bear wrongs patiently not only impresses those who offend us, it makes us stronger in body, mind and spirit. Paybacks might feel good, but they also introduce discord and division into our world. When we bear wrongs patiently, we become channels of peace.

Scripture and science agree that forgiving offenses willingly, letting go of grudges and bitterness, makes people happier, healthier, and better able to meet the challenges of everyday life.

Comforting the afflicted brings the merciful touch of God to those most in need. Our own faith is reinforced when we see how God’s presence can strengthen a soul in the midst of suffering.

Praying for the living and the dead unites us to the full Body of Christ – both in heaven and on earth –and invites the power of God into the lives of our living and deceased loved ones. When we give God’s mercy to others, it becomes a blessing to us all! -Susan Brinkmann, O.C.D.S., Catholic Life Institutes, Bedminster, PA

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Quote from Catholic Tradition:“I can’t stop praying for poor sinners who are on the road to hell. If they come to die in that state, they will be lost for all eternity. What a pity! We have to pray for sinners! Praying for sinners is the most beautiful and useful of prayers because the just are on the way to heaven, the souls of purgatory are sure to enter there, but the poor sinners will be lost forever. All devotions are good but there is no better one than such prayer for sinners.“ –St. John Vianney

“Jesus came for two reasons: he came to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.” –Dorothy Day


• Recommended Book for the Month: Introduction to the Devout Life, St. Francis de Sales

• Lighthouse Catholic Media CD: Seven Deadly Sins - Seven Lively Virtues by Bishop Robert Barron

AUGUST 2016: CORPORAL WORKS OF MERCY



Jubilee Year of Mercy – The Corporal Works of MercyJesus was a person of action who showed mercy and compassion in concrete ways. Jesus fed the hungry, sheltered those in need, visited the sick and buried the dead. Jesus took time and paid close attention to recognize the basic needs of the persons He encountered. He challenges us to do the same. The Catechism teaches that “human misery elicited the compassion of Christ the Savior. Hence, those who are oppressed by poverty are the object of a preferential love on the part of the Church” (2448).

The Corporal Works of Mercy are a roadmap for each of us to share in Jesus’ ministry. As St. Teresa of Avila reminds us: “Christ has no body now on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours. Yours are the eyes through which to look out Christ's compassion to the world. Yours are the feet with which he is to go about doing good.” Actions such as feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, sheltering the homeless, visiting the sick and burying the dead are all actions that extend God’s compassion and mercy.

The scriptural basis for the works of mercy are laid out in Matthew 25 when Jesus reminds us that when we feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, visit the sick and imprisoned, we are doing it for HIM. The works of mercy are not optional but rather essential to living the Christian life of holiness and goodness. We are not only to receive the mercy of God but to use it by being merciful to others through our actions. –Anne Ayella, Diocesan Director, Catholic Relief Services

How to Live ItDiscern the ways that God is calling to more deeply integrate the corporal works of mercy in your life. Here are all seven: Feed the hungry; Give drink to the thirsty; Clothe the naked; Shelter the homeless; Visit the sick; Visit the imprisoned; Bury the dead. To learn about practical ways to live the works of mercy, visit archphila.org/mercy/works.

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Quote from Catholic Tradition:“Extend your mercy towards others, so that there can be no one in need whom you meet without helping. For what hope is there for us if God should withdraw His Mercy from us?” -St. Vincent de Paul

“There is a terrible hunger for love. We all experience that in our lives - the pain, the loneliness. We must have the courage to recognize it. The poor you may have right in your own family. Find them. Love them.” -Blessed Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa)


• Recommended Book for the Month: What to Do When Jesus Is Hungry?, Fr. Andrew Apostoli, CFR

• Lighthouse Catholic Media CD: Encountering the Poor: Biblical Roots for Catholic Social Teaching by Dr. Tim Gray

SEPTEMBER 2016: FORGIVING OTHERS



Jubilee Year of Mercy – Forgiving OthersWithout doubt we rejoice in our belief that God is “rich in mercy” (Eph 2:4). We like to meditate on the wisdom of the saints such as St. Francis of Assisi’s “Let all who approach you meet the eyes of mercy,” and on popular quotes such as “To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you” by L. Smedes. Then comes the moment when we must exercise our spiritual muscles and actually forgive. Yikes! First we have to face that jumble of emotions, the blend of sad and mad that places us squarely in a state of unforgiveness! Then we need to plunge into the process of forgiving in specific ways.

In light of this Year of Mercy it is fascinating to note when Jesus says, “Love your enemies,” he follows it immediately by saying, “Do good to them,” so that we won’t miss the point. “Doing good” means seeing beyond your pain and their wrongdoing to their humanity. It means seeing them as children of God and understanding that there is something twisted inside (sin) that is linked with what they do. “Doing good” means that you promote and desire their healing despite the way they have treated you. You make the first move. You send the e-mail, pick up the phone, make the contact. You bridge the gap as you “pray it forward” and ask God to bless them. Here’s a little forgiveness exercise: May the LORD bless you and keep you, (name the enemy). May the LORD let His face shine on you, _____. May the LORD look upon you kindly, _____, and give you peace (Num 6:22-26) -Sr. J. Sheila Galligan, IHM, Prof. of Theology, Immaculata University

How to Live ItSpend some time in prayer, if possible in front of the Blessed Sacrament, and ask the Lord to bring to mind the people whom you need to forgive. Write down the names and use the prayer above to forgive each person. Repeat this prayer exercise regularly until you no longer need to. (Remember that forgiveness is an act of the will and we can forgive even if we still feel angry.) Take note of how the work of forgiveness lightens your heart over time.

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Quote from Catholic Tradition:“If I were to meet the slave-traders who kidnapped me and even those who tortured me, I would kneel and kiss their hands, for if that did not happen, I would not be a Christian and Religious today…” –St. Josephine Bakhita

“When the police asked an alcoholic man in one of our homes in Australia, who had been beaten up by another alcoholic man, for the name of the culprit, he refused to give it. When police went away, the Sisters asked him why he did not give the name of the man who had beaten him. He replied, ‘His suffering is not going to make my suffering less!’ He gave until it hurt. He forgave his brother.” –St. Teresa of Calcutta


• Recommended Book for the Month: Forgiveness: A Catholic Approach, Fr. R. Scott Hurd

• Lighthouse Catholic Media CD: Anger and Forgiveness by Deacon Dr. Bob McDonald

OCTOBER 2016: THE CHURCH OF MERCY



The Jubilee Year of Mercy – The Church of Mercy“…a soldier thrust his lance into His side, and immediately blood and water flowed out.” –Jn 19:34 Throughout the ages, the Church has understood this moment in the life of Christ as the birth of the Church. St. John Chrysostom (4th cent.) explains, “Water and blood symbolized Baptism and the holy Eucharist. From these two sacraments the Church is born.” At the same time, we see in the blood and water flowing from the pierced heart of Jesus a perfect symbol of God’s infinite mercy.

In this scene of Jesus’ heart being pierced for us, we find simultaneously a revelation of the Church’s sacraments and a revelation of Divine Mercy. The fact that mercy and sacrament are revealed in the same moment allows us to understand that sacraments are encounters with God’s tender mercy.

The Holy Year is a good time to consider how much we actually experience this truth. Many times we approach the sacraments out of routine, not really knowing why we are receiving them and not really sensing that they have any effect in our lives. But if the sacraments truly flow from the merciful heart of Jesus Christ, then our reception of the sacraments should be – each time! - a deeply transformative moment.

Let us spend this time of grace asking God to unlock the power of the sacraments for us so that we experience them as they truly are, an encounter with the jaw-dropping, life-changing merciful love of God’s Heart. –Meghan Cokeley, Office for the New Evangelization, Archdiocese of Philadelphia

How to Live ItDuring the Year of Mercy, ask God for the grace to experience the sacraments as they truly are. Make an effort to be more open and attentive each time you receive Holy Communion or go to Confession. Study the Church’s beautiful teachings on the sacraments. Work on removing from your life the sin that might be “clogging up” your ability to receive the effects of the sacraments.

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Quote from Catholic Tradition:“A final question: what can I, a weak fragile sinner, do? God says to you, Do not be afraid of holiness; do not be afraid to aim high, to let yourself be loved and purified by God; do not be afraid to let yourself be guided by the Holy Spirit. Let us be infected by the holiness of God. Every Christian is called to sanctity (see Dogmatic Constitution, Lumen Gentium, nos. 19–42); and sanctity does not consist especially in doing extraordinary things, but in allowing God to act.” -Pope Francis, The Church of Mercy


• Recommended Book for the Month: Saints and Social Justice: A Guide to Changing the World, Brandon Vogt

• Lighthouse Catholic Media CD: God's Family and Ours: The Church and the Trinity by Dr. Scott Hahn

NOVEMBER 2016: THE FATHER, RICH IN MERCY



Jubilee Year of Mercy – God the Father, Rich in MercyThe director of the Christian rehab facility was explaining its approach. "Around here we don't talk about God the Father," he said. "Fathers have too bad a reputation. Instead of loving their families well, many have deserted their families, or are abusive. “Father" brings up bad memories. So it's all about Jesus for months until they're ready to hear.“

What a tragedy! As many others can attest, fathers who live up to their calling—even if they’re not perfect—help us to see the face of our heavenly Father. The best fathers, by mirroring God’s love to their children, are faithful, kind and merciful. But even when they’re not, God the Father is all of these things. He is love, and there's no end to his mercy.

What does that mean? When God revealed himself to Moses at the burning bush, he didn't just say, "I AM.' He began to explain: "I have seen" the afflictions of my people, he said. "I have heard" their cry. "I know"their sufferings, and "I have come down" to deliver them. That is mercy! In Latin, misericordia: "miserable heart." Fr. George Kosicki, CSB, describes it as "having a pain in your heart for the pains of another, and taking pains to do something about their pain." God is the same today. He sees our need, he hears our cries, he knows our sufferings, and he has come down to deliver us. His mercy never ends.

So many people have "father wounds." We long for someone to see and hear and know us -- and love us unconditionally. Our own fathers may fall short, but God does not fall short! He is the ultimate Father. And because he is who he is, because he lavishes his mercy on us, we can be merciful too. –Sarah Christmyer, St. Norbert Parish, Paoli, Catholic author and speaker

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Quote from Catholic Tradition:

“God is a Father who never abandons his children, a loving Father who supports, helps, welcomes, forgives, saves, with a fidelity that immensely surpasses that of men, opening up to an eternal dimension…The love of God never fails, never tires of us, it is a love that gives to the extreme, even to the sacrifice of His Son. Faith gifts us this certainty, which becomes a sure rock in the construction of our lives so that we can face those moments of difficulty and danger, experience those times of darkness, crisis and pain, supported by the faith that God never abandons us and is always near, to save us and bring us to life. It is in the Lord Jesus that we fully see the benevolent face of the Father who is in heaven.” -Pope Benedict XVI


• Recommended Book for the Month: Abba's Heart, Neal Lozano

• Lighthouse Catholic Media CD: To Hell and Back: Divine Love and the Cross by Anne Marie Schmidt

Documents

for the Jubilee Year of Mercy...2019/08/12 · The Jubilee Year of Mercy - December 8, 2015 through November 20, 2016 In proclaiming a Jubilee Year of Mercy, the Holy Father has exercised