The Jubilee Year of Mercy

As you may have heard, back on December 8th we began the Year of Mercy. Or as the Church officially calls it, the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy.

Here is how Pope Francis describes mercy: “From the heart of the Trinity, from the depths of the mystery of God, the great river of mercy wells up and overflows unceasingly. It is a spring that will never run dry, no matter how many people draw from it. Every time someone is in need, he or she can approach it, because the mercy of God never ends.”

The Pope further explained that he wants our parishes to become “islands of mercy in a sea of indifference.”

During this Year of Mercy there will be an emphasis on the mercy of God and the sacrament of Reconciliation. The primary symbol is the parable of the Prodigal Son. Many people think this parable should be called the Prodigal Father. The word prodigal means “recklessly extravagant.” And certainly the rebellious son was quite recklessly extravagant in the way he sinfully squandered his father’s money. But when the boy came to his senses and returned home, hoping only to be allowed to live as one of the hired servants, his father was even more recklessly extravagant in the way he showered the son with mercy and forgiveness and love.

Jesus made it clear that the father in this parable represents God the Father. The reason Jesus told this parable was to let us know just how much God loves us, and to make sure we understand that whenever we drift away and embrace sin, our Father in Heaven will shower us with mercy and forgiveness and love when we return with a repentant heart.

Some people might view this Year of Mercy with a cynical eye. They might say something like, “Oh sure, after hundreds of years of being harsh and judgmental and condemning, the Church is finally going to act merciful? Well, about flinkin’ time!”

There is no doubt that over the years the Church has come across, in many people’s minds, as rather harsh and inflexible. To a lot of folks it seems the Church’s stance has been something like this: Here are the rules, if you don’t obey, you’re going to Hell. Case closed.

Whenever you have an organization that is run by human beings, there are going to be some who are selfish and power-hunger, and who give all the others a bad name. There have been plenty of people in positions of authority within the Church who have done some horrible things. And these people need God’s mercy, too.

On the other hand, if you get all your information about the Church from the secular media, you might think the Church is the most terrible organization in the history of the world. The mainstream media very much dislikes Christianity, and they always over-emphasize the bad things that occur, and hardly ever talk about the countless good things the Church does.

Something else to remember: there has never been a time when the Church did not preach the message of the mercy of God. It is a fundamental aspect of the Gospel. We are all sinners (including Church leaders) and we desperately need to have our sins forgiven. The mercy of God offers us just that, especially in the sacrament of Reconciliation.

Thank God that God is indeed merciful. I mean, think about it. God still could have been the all-powerful Creator, but just have a real nasty personality. Nothing says God HAS to be loving. That’s a sobering thought. 

So, take advantage of this Year of Mercy. Go to Confession. Show mercy toward others. Most of all, embrace God with a repentant heart, for He is the Prodigal Father, the father who is “recklessly extravagant” with His love and mercy.