WEDNESDAY, THIRTY SECOND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Wis 6: 1-11; Ps 82: 3-4, 6-7; Lk 17: 11-19
THE MERCY OF GOD
Today the liturgy of the word, tells us that God’s mercy is mightier than our greatest sins and shortcomings. In the Gospel, Jesus heals the ten lepers but instructs them to go and show themselves to the priests. It was the tradition of the Jews that any person who was declared as unclean by a priest due to certain illnesses or circumstances had to live outside the town or village. However, in case they were healed, they had first to report to the priest, who, after a thorough examination, would declare the person as clean; only then he could enter the village or town. This portrays the respect Jesus had towards the priests and their allotted responsibilities.
Jesus heals us out of compassion and expects us to be compassionate and respectful towards those who have hurt us. On the feast of Divine Mercy on Sunday, Pope Francis urged Christians to open themselves to Christ’s mercy, which He grants through peace, forgiveness, and His wounds. In turn, they are asked to share this mercy with others. The Pope said pointing to the Acts of the Apostles. “Receiving mercy, they, in turn, became merciful.”
Jesus also shows mercy on us, by bestowing the Holy Spirit for the forgiveness of sins. By ourselves, he says, we cannot remove sin and its guilt. “Only God takes it away, only He by His mercy can make us emerge from the depths of our misery.” Hence, “we need to let ourselves be forgiven.” “Forgiveness in the Holy Spirit is the Easter gift that enables our interior resurrection,” the Pope said, urging Christians to ask for the grace to “embrace the Sacrament of forgiveness.” “Confession is the Sacrament of resurrection, pure mercy,” the Pope said, urging all those who hear confessions to convey the sweetness of mercy. Let us pray to the Lord to take complete possession of our souls, transform our minds and hearts, and allow us to become holy instruments of the Church.
Response: Arise, O God; judge the earth!
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