BAGAC, Bataan, January 20, 2017 – “When Jesus sends us on a mission, it would be difficult and dangerous,” warned Papal envoy Philippe Xavier Ignace Cardinal Barbarin, Archbishop of Lyon, France in the last day of the 4th World Apostolic Congress of Mercy held here in Las Casas de Acuzar, Bagac, Bataan.Cardinal Barbarin underscored the necessity of the living the Divine Mercy: “The Divine Mercy is the essential nucleus of our faith; it is so important in divine work.”
“God’s mercy is reflected in mankind’s history, as God said, ‘I saw the misery of my people,’ it is impossible for him not to come to us,” explained the Cardinal.
He explained in five points of God’s mercy:
First, God loves us with all his heart. In the story of the prodigal son, he is like the father, looking and waiting for his son.”
Second, mercy is the world of Christ.
Third, mercy is the anger of God who is “slow to anger”.
“God becomes angry at us because we need it,” explained Cardinal Barbarin.
Fourth, God’s great love is without limits. “It is like an overflowing fountain of love flowing to the world.”
Fifth, God will remain faithful to us.
Cardinal Barbarin likened the Church to a hospital. Like the story of the good Samaritan, we are called to take care of those who are sick, the suffering, the poor, those in despair, or those dependent on alcohol.
“The Church is the mercy of God because the mercy of God is in Jesus and we are the Body of Christ,” explained the Cardinal.
Being sent on mission, the Cardinal warned that it’s not easy.
Quoting from Matthew, “I’m sending you as lambs among wolves”, the Cardinal narrated instances whenever Christians were sent on a mission, martyrs were produced.
Nevertheless, he assures us of Jesus’ abiding presence: “I shall be with you until the end of time.” (Matt. 28, 20)
The Cardinal warned, “Jesus wants to save every human being, even those we don’t like.”
He enumerated personages in the bible whom people did not like – Zacchaeus, the Samaritan woman, the Canaanite woman, and the woman caught in adultery, among others.
“In the story of the adulterous woman for instance, the Pharisees didn’t like her. But Jesus said, ‘Those without sin cast the first sto
ne.’ When they left, Jesus turned to the woman and asked, ‘Where are your accusers?’ And the woman replied, ‘No one, Lord.’ Aside from showing mercy to the woman, Jesus was also looking for the others, but they left. He also wanted to forgive them. Jesus wants to forgive without limits,” explained the Cardinal.
“Today, to be merciful is to contemplate the mercy of God, to imitate Jesus because he is within us, and to keep his work in the world. So, you need not be discouraged before this great challenge,” assured the Cardinal. (Fr. Lito Jopson / CBCP ECSC Media)
No comments:
Post a Comment