Richard A. Sokerka
As the Church’s Jubilee of Mercy heads toward its completion in November, Pope Francis is taking every opportunity to reflect on the theme of the Jubilee of Mercy: “Merciful like the Father.”
He told pilgrims at his general audience last week that to be “merciful like the Father” is not just “a slogan for effect, but a life commitment.”
Think about that — a lifelong commitment.
That’s a really tall task for all of us. Yet, Pope Francis reminds us that “every Christian is called to be a witness of mercy.”
For us to be merciful, the Holy Father tells us we need to do two things: forgive and give.
“All Christians must forgive! Why? Because they have been forgiven. All of us, each one of us, have been forgiven,” the Pope said, explaining that “if God has forgiven me, why shouldn’t I forgive others?
When it comes to giving, he said that God will be even more generous with those who were generous on earth.
“Merciful love is the only path to take,” Pope Francis said.
To stay on that path and make a lifelong commitment to be merciful like the Father, every day of our lives we need to be a little more merciful and giving and a little less hasty to be judgmental and to stifle impulses that lead to anger and selfishness. Then and only then, will we live our lives in love.