Year of Mercy Reflection

Friday, Jan. 22, 2016

Editor’s note: During the Year of Mercy, the Intermountain Catholic will publish a short reflection each week written by a variety of Catholics in the Diocese of Salt Lake City: priests, deacons, religious, seminarians, Utah Catholic Schools teachers/principals, lay ecclesial ministers, religious education teachers and others. We hope you enjoy these, and that they give insight into the myriad ways mercy can be incorporated into everyday life.

The Year of Mercy is an invitation – an invitation to love, kindness and unbounded generosity. Pope Francis is offering you the opportunity to encounter the incredible mercy of God. Encountering mercy means encountering God. It can transform your life, your relationships, your work and your ability to embrace and experience all of life. And be a new person with new ways of thinking, that all our daily activities should be for the building of the kingdom of God.

The best thing you can do as Catholics during this year of mercy is to go to Confession and be reconciled with your brothers and sisters and with God, try to be at peace in your relationship with God and with your friends. Try to walk daily in the presence of God by being more compassionate caring and loving, and to be a men and women of faith.

Let us exam our conscience and see whether or not we have been faithful to our Baptism.

Pope Francis called us to be more mindful of the poor, the refugee, the imprisoned and the needy; now we are asked to be more Christ-like, more simple, poor and compassionate,. 

This is a time of grace in which the faithful are asked to dedicate some time and effort toward the mentioned theme of the year. I am sure many of us would say, “I have been a good person, faithful to the Lord, practicing my faith. I love my church, I have always been fair to all people – now I am asked to go far beyond this to be merciful!” 

Things are not perfect; it seems all of us are in trouble. It can no longer be business as usual in this coming year of mercy.

Thank you, Pope Francis, for helping us and guiding us to be like Christ himself.

Msgr. Joubran BouMerhi

Pastor, St. Jude Maronite Catholic Church