Continuing the reflection on the letter Misericordia and Misera  we need to meditate about mercy as Pope Francis encourages  it  “must continue to be celebrated and lived out in our communities. Mercy cannot become a mere parenthesis in the life of the Church; it constitutes her very existence, through which the profound truths of the Gospel are made manifest and tangible. Everything is revealed in mercy; everything is resolved in the merciful love of the Father.” (MM1)

“Mercy is always a gratuitous act of our heavenly Father, an unconditional and unmerited act of love. Consequently, we cannot risk opposing the full freedom of the love with which God enters into the life of every person. Mercy is this concrete action of love that, by forgiving, transforms and changes our lives. In this way, the divine mystery of mercy is made manifest. God is merciful (cf. Ex 34:6); his mercy lasts for ever (cf. Ps 136). From generation to generation, it embraces all those who trust in him and it changes them, by bestowing a share in his very life… Forgiveness is the most visible sign of the Father’s love, which Jesus sought to reveal by his entire life. Every page of the Gospel is marked by this imperative of a love that loves to the point of forgiveness. Even at the last moment of his earthly life, as he was being nailed to the cross, Jesus spoke words of forgiveness: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Lk 23:34). 

Nothing of what a repentant sinner places before God’s mercy can be excluded from the embrace of his forgiveness. For this reason, none of us has the right to make forgiveness conditional.” (MM2)

As WUCWO women  we must make a big effort to help humanity to discover such gift our merciful Father offers to everybody ,none is excluded from his mercy, unfortunately not everybody is aware of this so we have such goal: the spreading of the good News to bring, to sow  hope especially where people suffer, are discriminated, are persecuted or exploited.

We need to fulfill the encouragement of Pope Francis  by applying his idea of the Church “a Church which “goes forth” is a Church whose doors are open. Going out to others in order to reach the fringes of humanity does not mean rushing out aimlessly into the world. Often it is better simply to slow down, to put aside our eagerness in order to see and listen to others, to stop rushing from one thing to another and to remain with someone who has faltered along the way. At times we have to be like the father of the prodigal son, who always keeps his door open so that when the son returns, he can readily pass through it.” (EG 46)

Further readings:

http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20131124_evangelii-gaudium.html

https://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_letters/documents/papa-francesco-lettera-ap_20161120_misericordia-et-misera.html

Prayer

Almighty and merciful God, whose Son became a refugee and had no place to call his own; Look with mercy on those today who are fleeing from danger, those who are homeless and hungry. Bless those who work to bring them relief; Inspire generosity and compassion in all our hearts; And guide the nations of the world towards that day. When all will rejoice in your Kingdom of justice and peace. Through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen