This past Tuesday was a joyous day in the Church. I sensed a permeated joy that I had not experienced in the Church overall for some time. It was the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, which is always a joyful day, but this year, it was also the start of the Jubilee of Mercy, which the Holy Father has set this liturgical year to be. The Holy Father sensed that the world was in need of mercy, and even in the Church, he sensed perhaps we needed to practice and understand mercy better, and so he decided to make God's Mercy a special focus this year.
During this year, ideally we will hear a lot about the different aspects of mercy from the pulpit from our priests. We will hear how God is merciful, how it is demonstrated by Him in the Old Testament, by Christ in the New, by the Blessed Mother (who is the "Mother of Mercy"), by the Saints, in the life of the Church, and how we should receive and live it, especially in the spiritual and corporal works of mercy, and by going to Confession. However, our priests cannot do it all; we need to become better educated and merciful ourselves. We need to study the Bible and the Tradition of the Church on Mercy (plenty of resources available), commit ourselves to go regularly to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, practice the works of mercy, to forgive ourselves and others, and seek to be reconciled to God and our neighbors.
Also during the year, indulgences (which mean some or all punishment for sin is remitted) will be granted to those who, between one and 20 days, do all of the following; pass through a designated Holy Door (I am happy to say Saint Joseph the Worker Shrine in Lowell is one such place in the Archdiocese of Boston!), perform one of the seven spiritual and/or seven corporeal works of mercy, go to Confession, receive the Eucharist, and pray for the intentions of the Holy Father. All of this must be done with a firm resolve not to sin, even the most venial of sins. Again, more information on this is available out there which I encourage everyone to avail themselves of.
Besides all of what I just mentioned, it is also the liturgical season of Advent, which is always a season of hope. (I have attached a picture of the Advent candles at the Shrine.) In a certain sense, Advent is more real to us than Christmas, because here in life as live it, there is often more waiting and yearning (Advent focus) than there is receiving and fulfillment (Christmas focus). In Advent, we focus both on Christ's coming at the end of time, as well as the Christmas mystery of Him becoming man, and plan to receive Him in our hearts as we focus on both mysteries.
So right now, there is a understandably, and rightly, a lot of joy in the Church.
Now, as one might expect this blog to do, I have to add my own two cents to this, my own sense of sober realism. I pray, though, that as I do so, that none of the joy of the Jubilee nor of Advent will be taken away in those who read this. That is not the intended effect. But here it goes, here is my thought.
This may be our "last chance". I just have a sense that God, through this Jubilee, is giving humanity one final chance to turn to Him and be saved before the necessary purification begins, faith is shaken, and those who are not strong in the faith are lost forever.
Some could say the chastisement has already begun seeing all the tragedies in the world recently. Scripture and the Tradition of the Church are clear that an Antichrist will arise. Paragraph 675 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church says that the Church "must pass through a final trial that will shake the faith of many believers".
I feel that after this Jubilee, there will be real tough times for the Church. It could very well be the final trial that the Catechism speaks of, or it might just be another age of persecution. I do not know, and anyone who pretends to should not be heeded because Our Lord said that no one knows the hour except the Father (Matthew 24:36) .
I could be wrong. I pray I am, and that any chastisement or purification will be withheld until the whole Church and the whole world receives the mercy of God, and is living it. I just do not feel that will be the case. I guess, we shall see.
In closing, I will once again turn to Saint Joseph. I have spoken in many previous posts about lines from the Litany to him. Any litany, though, in the Catholic tradition, begins with lines that seek the intercession and mercy of God. It is these beginning lines of the Litany with which I will conclude this post. May this Jubilee year be a year of grace and growth for all of us.
Lord, have mercy
Christ, have mercy
Lord, have mercy
Jesus, hear us; Jesus, graciously hear us
God, the Father of heaven, have mercy on us
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us
Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us
Holy Mary, pray for us
Saint Joseph, pray for us
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