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Pope sMessageforLent2016

Idesiremerc,andnotsacrifice:TheworksofmercontheJuileepath
(http://zenit.org/articles/popesmessageforlent2016/)
PixabayCC0Finetranslate

Idesiremercy,andnotsacrifice:TheworksofmercyontheJubileepathisthetitleofPopeFrancismessage
forLent2016(10Februaryto20March).
TakingasastartingpointthisphrasefromtheGospelofSt.Matthew,theHolyFatherdivideshismessageinto
threesections:
Mary,theimageofaChurchwhichevanglisesbecausesheisevangelised,
Godscovenantwithhumanity:ahistoryofmercy,and
Theworksofmercy.

Thedocument,signedon4October,feastofSt.FrancisofAssisi,concludesbyencouragingthefaithfulnotto
wastethisseasonofLent,afavourabletimeforconversion,andbyinvokingtheintercessionofOurLadywho,
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encounteringthegreatnessofGodsmercyfreelybestoweduponher,wasthefirsttoacknowledgeherlowliness
andtocallherselftheLordshumbleservant.
FollowingisthefulltextofthePopesMessage:
Idesiremercy,andnotsacrifice(Mt9:13).
TheworksofmercyontheroadoftheJubilee
1.Mary,theimageofaChurchwhichevangelizesbecausesheisevangelized
IntheBullofIndictionoftheExtraordinaryJubileeofMercy,IaskedthattheseasonofLentinthisJubileeYearbe
livedmoreintenselyasaprivilegedmomenttocelebrateandexperienceGodsmercy(MisericordiaeVultus,17).
BycallingforanattentivelisteningtothewordofGodandencouragingtheinitiative24HoursfortheLord,I
soughttostresstheprimacyofprayerfullisteningtoGodsword,especiallyhispropheticword.ThemercyofGod
isaproclamationmadetotheworld,aproclamationwhicheachChristianiscalledtoexperienceatfirsthand.For
thisreason,duringtheseasonofLentIwillsendoutMissionariesofMercyasaconcretesigntoeveryoneofGods
closenessandforgiveness.
AfterreceivingtheGoodNewstoldtoherbytheArchangelGabriel,Mary,inherMagnificat,propheticallysingsof
themercywherebyGodchoseher.TheVirginofNazareth,betrothedtoJoseph,thusbecomestheperfecticonof
theChurchwhichevangelizes,forshewas,andcontinuestobe,evangelizedbytheHolySpirit,whomadeher
virginalwombfruitful.Intheprophetictradition,mercyisstrictlyrelatedevenontheetymologicalleveltothe
maternalwomb(rahamim)andtoagenerous,faithfulandcompassionategoodness(hesed)shownwithin
marriageandfamilyrelationships.
2.Godscovenantwithhumanity:ahistoryofmercy
ThemysteryofdivinemercyisrevealedinthehistoryofthecovenantbetweenGodandhispeopleIsrael.God
showshimselfeverrichinmercy,everreadytotreathispeoplewithdeeptendernessandcompassion,especially
atthosetragicmomentswheninfidelityrupturesthebondofthecovenant,whichthenneedstoberatifiedmore
firmlyinjusticeandtruth.Hereisatruelovestory,inwhichGodplaystheroleofthebetrayedfatherandhusband,
whileIsraelplaystheunfaithfulchildandbride.ThesedomesticimagesasinthecaseofHosea(cf.Hos12)
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showtowhatextentGodwishestobindhimselftohispeople.
ThislovestoryculminatesintheincarnationofGodsSon.InChrist,theFatherpoursforthhisboundlessmercy
eventomakinghimmercyincarnate(MisericordiaeVultus,8).Asaman,JesusofNazarethisatruesonof
IsraelheembodiesthatperfecthearingrequiredofeveryJewbytheShema,whichtodaytooistheheartofGods
covenantwithIsrael:Hear,OIsrael:TheLordourGodisoneLordandyoushalllovetheLordyourGodwithall
yourheart,andwithallyoursoul,andwithallyourmight(Dt6:45).AstheSonofGod,heistheBridegroomwho
doeseverythingtowinovertheloveofhisbride,towhomheisboundbyanunconditionallovewhichbecomes
visibleintheeternalweddingfeast.
Thisistheveryheartoftheapostolickerygma,inwhichdivinemercyholdsacentralandfundamentalplace.Itis
thebeautyofthesavingloveofGodmademanifestinJesusChristwhodiedandrosefromthedead(Evangelii
Gaudium,36),thatfirstproclamationwhichwemusthearagainandagainindifferentways,theonewhichwe
mustannounceonewayoranotherthroughouttheprocessofcatechesis,ateverylevelandmoment(ibid.,164).
MercyexpressesGodswayofreachingouttothesinner,offeringhimanewchancetolookathimself,convert,
andbelieve(MisericordiaeVultus,21),thusrestoringhisrelationshipwithhim.InJesuscrucified,Godshowshis
desiretodrawneartosinners,howeverfartheymayhavestrayedfromhim.Inthiswayhehopestosoftenthe
hardenedheartofhisBride.
3.Theworksofmercy
Godsmercytransformshumanheartsitenablesus,throughtheexperienceofafaithfullove,tobecomemerciful
inturn.Inanevernewmiracle,divinemercyshinesforthinourlives,inspiringeachofustoloveourneighbourand
todevoteourselvestowhattheChurchstraditioncallsthespiritualandcorporalworksofmercy.Theseworks
remindusthatfaithfindsexpressioninconcreteeverydayactionsmeanttohelpourneighboursinbodyandspirit:
byfeeding,visiting,comfortingandinstructingthem.Onsuchthingswillwebejudged.Forthisreason,Iexpressed
myhopethattheChristianpeoplemayreflectonthecorporalandspiritualworksofmercythiswillbeawayto
reawakenourconscience,toooftengrowndullinthefaceofpoverty,andtoentermoredeeplyintotheheartofthe
GospelwherethepoorhaveaspecialexperienceofGodsmercy(ibid.,15).Forinthepoor,thefleshofChrist
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becomesvisibleinthefleshofthetortured,thecrushed,thescourged,themalnourished,andtheexiledtobe
acknowledged,touched,andcaredforbyus(ibid.).Itistheunprecedentedandscandalousmysteryofthe
extensionintimeofthesufferingoftheInnocentLamb,theburningbushofgratuitouslove.Beforethislove,we
can,likeMoses,takeoffoursandals(cf.Ex3:5),especiallywhenthepoorareourbrothersorsistersinChristwho
aresufferingfortheirfaith.
Inthelightofthislove,whichisstrongasdeath(cf.Song8:6),therealpoorarerevealedasthosewhorefuseto
seethemselvesassuch.Theyconsiderthemselvesrich,buttheyareactuallythepoorestofthepoor.Thisis
becausetheyareslavestosin,whichleadsthemtousewealthandpowernotfortheserviceofGodandothers,
buttostiflewithintheirheartstheprofoundsensethattheytooareonlypoorbeggars.Thegreatertheirpowerand
wealth,themorethisblindnessanddeceptioncangrow.ItcanevenreachthepointofbeingblindtoLazarus
beggingattheirdoorstep(cf.Lk16:2021).Lazarus,thepoorman,isafigureofChrist,whothroughthepoor
pleadsforourconversion.Assuch,herepresentsthepossibilityofconversionwhichGodoffersusandwhichwe
maywellfailtosee.Suchblindnessisoftenaccompaniedbytheproudillusionofourownomnipotence,which
reflectsinasinisterwaythediabolicalyouwillbelikeGod(Gen3:5)whichistherootofallsin.Thisillusioncan
likewisetakesocialandpoliticalforms,asshownbythetotalitariansystemsofthetwentiethcentury,and,inour
ownday,bytheideologiesofmonopolizingthoughtandtechnoscience,whichwouldmakeGodirrelevantand
reducemantorawmaterialtobeexploited.Thisillusioncanalsobeseeninthesinfulstructureslinkedtoamodel
offalsedevelopmentbasedontheidolatryofmoney,whichleadstolackofconcernforthefateofthepooronthe
partofwealthierindividualsandsocietiestheyclosetheirdoors,refusingeventoseethepoor.
Forallofus,then,theseasonofLentinthisJubileeYearisafavourabletimetoovercomeourexistentialalienation
bylisteningtoGodswordandbypractisingtheworksofmercy.Inthecorporalworksofmercywetouchtheflesh
ofChristinourbrothersandsisterswhoneedtobefed,clothed,sheltered,visitedinthespiritualworksofmercy
counsel,instruction,forgiveness,admonishmentandprayerwetouchmoredirectlyourownsinfulness.The
corporalandspiritualworksofmercymustneverbeseparated.BytouchingthefleshofthecrucifiedJesusinthe
suffering,sinnerscanreceivethegiftofrealizingthattheytooarepoorandinneed.Bytakingthispath,the
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proud,thepowerfulandthewealthyspokenofintheMagnificatcanalsobeembracedandundeservedlyloved
bythecrucifiedLordwhodiedandroseforthem.Thislovealoneistheanswertothatyearningforinfinite
happinessandlovethatwethinkwecansatisfywiththeidolsofknowledge,powerandriches.Yetthedanger
alwaysremainsthatbyaconstantrefusaltoopenthedoorsoftheirheartstoChristwhoknocksontheminthe
poor,theproud,richandpowerfulwillendupcondemningthemselvesandplungingintotheeternalabyssof
solitudewhichisHell.ThepointedwordsofAbrahamapplytothemandtoallofus:TheyhaveMosesandthe
prophetsletthemhearthem(Lk16:29).Suchattentivelisteningwillbestprepareustocelebratethefinalvictory
oversinanddeathoftheBridegroom,nowrisen,whodesirestopurifyhisBetrothedinexpectationofhiscoming.
LetusnotwastethisseasonofLent,sofavourableatimeforconversion!Weaskthisthroughthematernal
intercessionoftheVirginMary,who,encounteringthegreatnessofGodsmercyfreelybestoweduponher,was
thefirsttoacknowledgeherlowliness(cf.Lk1:48)andtocallherselftheLordshumbleservant(cf.Lk1:38).
FromtheVatican,4October2015
FeastofSaintFrancisofAssisi
FRANCISCUS
[Originaltext:Italian]
CopyrightLibreriaEditriceVaticana

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