The Novena of Divine Mercy began on Good Friday (I'm a little late, :-/ ) This beautiful devotion focuses on the greatest love we can know: God's merciful love. A love we do not deserve but one that he gives us so freely and in abundance. His mercy is so great that it is often referred to as "an ocean." God calls us each day to love him more and more. To throw ourselves into his care with childhood abandonment. To have a deep and lasting security in the knowledge of his love for us. He asks us to trust in Him. To trust in his love, in his mercy, and in his plan for our soul. All of this - all of this love - is shown to us in one drop of Jesus' blood that was shed on Good Friday and so, the Church begins on that day to pray for God's mercy on the world. "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has visited and brought
redemption to his people. He has raised up a horn for our salvation within the
house of David his servant, even as he promised through the mouth of his
holy prophets from of old: salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all
who hate us, to show mercy to our fathers and to be mindful of his holy covenant
and of the oath he swore to Abraham our father, and to grant us that,
rescued from the hand of enemies, without fear we might worship him in
holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
And you, child, will be called prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God by which the daybreak from on high will visit us to shine on those who sit in darkness and death's shadow, to guide our feet into the path of peace."
–noun, plural -cies for 4, 5.
1. compassionate or kindly forbearance shown toward an offender, an enemy, or other person in one's power; compassion, pity, or benevolence: Have mercy on the poor sinner.
2. the disposition to be compassionate or forbearing: an adversary wholly without mercy
3. the discretionary power of a judge to pardon someone or to mitigate punishment, esp. to send to prison rather than invoke the death penalty.
4. an act of kindness, compassion, or favor: She has performed countless small mercies for her friends and neighbors.
5. something that gives evidence of divine favor; blessing: It was just a mercy we had our seat belts on when it happened.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Corporal Works of Mercy
These seven acts of charity, that we engage to aid the body, are based on Christ’s prophecy of the Last Judgment:
- Feed the hungry
- Give drink to the thirsty
- Clothe the naked
- Shelter the homeless
- Visit the sick
- Visit those in prison
- Bury the dead
Mt 25:34 “Then the King will say to those at his right hand, ’Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ’Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink?’ And the king will answer them, ’Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of my brethren, you did it to me.’”
The seven charitable practices toward our neighbor’s soul:
- Convert the sinner
- Instruct the ignorant
- Counsel the doubtful
- Comfort the sorrowful
- Bear wrongs patiently
- Forgive injuries
- Pray for the living and the dead
Comments for this post
