THE CHALLENGE – MERCY
“Be merciful as our Heavenly Father is merciful.” These words of our Saviour, who is Mercy Incarnate, are truly a challenge for today's Christian – indeed for all of mankind. Mercy will bring about equality between all the people of God; it would be the direct result of our caring, sharing and love. Because of our individuality, we are different. However, by God's grace and our participation in His freely-bestowed mercy, we can become one. Each one of us can truly make a difference!
We must go to our Heavenly Father and ask Him, with a contrite heart, for mercy to be showered upon us – and He will comply with our request. Then, as we give it away, mercy will multiply. Through the grace of God, we will receive mercy in abundance, firstly from Him directly and secondly from the ones to whom we are merciful. This giving and receiving of mercy will result in a sweeping change of our hearts and eventually of our entire lives. No one can resist a love that is freely given, or withstand the power of patience and kindness.
All of humanity will benefit, for it will make everyone whole. Whole, according to my office dictionary is “undivided and undiminished, entire and complete, wound free.” The more generously we live the call to be merciful, the more it becomes an indispensable element of our human interaction. Our relationships will change – we will have deep respect, brotherly and sisterly love for one another and all of society will gradually become more humane – the way we were meant to be! Forgiveness becomes the new slogan for our times – the “Time for Mercy” is NOW! Wherever there are interrelationships, mercy is needed.
Imagine for one moment – Divine Mercy between husband and wife – what an everlasting, loving heavenly-guided relationship would grow out of forgiving one another for each other's iniquities. How about, if we started to forgive each day as Jesus said, “seven times seventy times” ? That would be just about every three minutes! With Mercy Incarnate dwelling in our hearts, family life would be holy and consecrated; all family member would “become one” in a truly heavenly fashion.
Consider
Divine Mercy between parents and children – total mutual
understanding, an upbringing in the spirit of mercy and love. Divine
Mercy can make a difference between grandparents and offspring,
between teachers and students, between employers and employees –
even between governments! Simply put, Divine Mercy makes a
difference always and everywhere. Imagine Divine Mercy between
friends and foes, young and old, between nations, regardless of
colour, culture, language or race. Do you feel that this is too
far-fetched and unachievable? Is this just a dream? NO, it is not!
If we truly wish Our Lord to return in His glory to make this world a
better place, we must start NOW. We have to live and breathe His
commands and the Beatitudes. “Blessed are
the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.”
Jesus told Saint Faustina that this message and devotion of Divine Mercy is for EVERYONE – no exceptions. He went on to say that before He comes as a Just Judge, He will come as the King of Mercy.
In these days when most people of the world are “looking out” for themselves, meaningful relationships are practically non-existent. God, in His infinite wisdom, have given us this emergency call – the time for mercy is indeed NOW!