2016 and the Year of Mercy

Jubilee Year of Mercy

The title for this Jubilee Year of Mercy proclaims, Be Merciful Like the Father. But before we can "be" merciful, we have some serious work ahead of us, in fact a whole year of work. So we need a plan and I offer the following as a model.

This plan is built upon three things:

• PRAYER
• STUDY
• ACTION

PRAYER: In order to show mercy, one must first know mercy, in a personal way, to know through experience what real mercy looks like, feels like. The problem the Pharisees had with Jesus' show of mercy (the woman caught in adultery) was the belief that they where self-righteous, sinless by their observance of the law, and thus deserving of God's favour.  

In Luke 18: Jesus describes two men praying, one a Pharisee the other a Tax Collector. The Pharisee lists all the reasons why he is deserving. The Tax Collector has no excuse, but can only cry out, "Be merciful to me a sinner".

We need to get "into" these many scripture accounts that show and teach us about mercy. Here I recommend the Ignatian way of Praying Scripture. By this we take a passage of scripture and get into it, seeing, hearing, feeling; identifying ourselves as a participant - being there in the scene. 

Identifying our own need for mercy, will inspire us to reach out to those the Lord puts on our hearts, to become an intercessor on their behalf, so that they can open their hearts to this great gift of mercy.

STUDY: Much will be written about mercy this year. The official Vatican website is a good starting place. From there we can choose the resources that compliment our "prayer experience". The key here is those resources that connect with our prayer. We do not want to just be a passing reader, rather a serious student. As our understanding deepens, our participation with the Church's mission of evangelization through mercy grows.

ACTION: If we have worked well through the first two elements, this third will flow naturally. The works of mercy become our check list for action.

The spiritual works of mercy include: •  Counsel the doubtful; •  Instruct the ignorant; •  Convert the sinner; •  Comfort the sorrowful; •  Forgive offenses willingly; •  Bear wrongs patiently; •  Pray for the living and the dead.

The corporal works of mercy include: •  Feed the hungry; •  Give drink to the thirsty; •  Clothe the naked; •  Visit the imprisoned; •  Shelter the homeless; •  Visit the sick; •  Bury the dead.