Christ Our

------ in Laity Corner

Monday, April 04, 2016

2nd Week of , In Mercy Year

This year our Holy Father, has declared this 2015- 2016 as the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy. It was to help us focus on what is the meaning of mercy and how can we become a people of mercy. Over the past few months we the faithful should be able to “show evident signs of ’s presence and closeness.” (Pope Francis, Bull of Indiction, Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, 2015)

His Holiness goes on to say

“It is a year to touched by the Lord and to be transformed by His mercy,

so that we may become witnesses to His mercy.”

(Pope Francis, Bull of Indiction, Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, 2015)

The words echo the of the Catholic Church pointing the way to …

”Show herself a loving mother to all; patient, kind, moved to

and goodness towards her separated children.”

(Pope Francis, Bull of Indiction, Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, 2015)

As we celebrate the Feast of we are moved by the number of times Jesus demonstrated – mercy this wonderful trait to the woman at the well, the Roman centurion officer, to the thief on the Cross, to the rich young man, in the story of the prodigal son… and the incidents are many.

“We want to live this year of Jubilee in the light of the Lord’s words: ‘Merciful like the Father (theme), … to be capable of mercy, we must first of all dispose ourselves to listen to the Word of God. This means rediscovering the value of silence to dedicate on the Word that comes to us. It this way, it will be possible to contemplate God’s mercy and adopt it as our lifestyle. (Pope Francis, Bull of Indiction, Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, 2015)

COH 187/2016

Divine Mercy Sunday/bcw This Sunday culminates a nine day (novena) of prayer which began on , on the request of Jesus through His servant, St. Faustina.

“She was called to enter the depths of divine mercy, to now intercede for us

and obtain for us the grace of living and walking always according to the mercy of

God and with an unwavering trust in His live.”

(Pope Francis, Bull of Indiction, Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, 2015)

Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion — inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself.

Mercy of God, in the Jubilee Year of Mercy!!

Faith in Laity Corner is a weekly sharing of readings written by Brenda Chee Wah,

a parishioner of Christ Our Hope Catholic Church in Lithonia, Georgia.

Your remarks, questions and comments can be emailed to [email protected]

COH 187/2016

Divine Mercy Sunday/bcw