merciful like the father - experiencing the compassion of ......merciful like the father –...
TRANSCRIPT
Merciful like the Father
- experiencing the compassion of Jesus Christ
A six week reflection programme
Merciful like the Father – Personal Prayer and Reflection
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Indulgences The Holy Father has instructed that special indulgences be available for the faithful through the duration of the year. Here’s how to get one. For able-bodied Catholics:
Take a pilgrimage. Make a journey to your local Holy Door (a physical portal in your local cathedral, shrine or other designated Church) or to one of the Holy Doors in the four papal basilicas in Rome. Crossing through a Holy Door is a spiritual journey that signals, as the Holy Father said, “the deep desire for true conversion.”
Go to confession.
Receive the Eucharist “with a reflection of mercy.”
Make a profession of faith.
Pray for the pope and for his intentions.
For the elderly, confined and the ill:
Pope Francis said that they may obtain the indulgence by “living with faith and
joyful hope this moment of trial,”
Receiving the Eucharist or by attending Mass and community prayer, “even through the various means of communication.”
For those in prison:
The incarcerated may obtain the indulgence in their prison chapels. Said Pope Francis: “May the gesture of directing their thought and prayer to the Father each time they cross the threshold of their cell signify for them their passage through the Holy Door, because the mercy of God is able to transform hearts, and is also able to transform bars into an experience of freedom.” For the deceased:
Through the prayers of the faithful, indulgences may be obtained for the dead For all Catholics:
Perform a spiritual or corporal work of mercy. Pope Francis said that an indulgence may be obtained when a member of the “faithful personally performs” one of these merciful acts. “The experience of mercy, indeed, becomes visible in the witness of concrete signs as Jesus himself taught us,” he said.
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From Pope Francis’ letter, The Face of Mercy
‘It is indeed my wish that the Jubilee be a living experience of the
closeness of the Father, whose tenderness is almost tangible, so that
the faith of every believer may be strengthened and thus testimony to
it be ever more effective.’
‘We need constantly to contemplate the mystery of God’s mercy.
Mercy: the bridge that connects God and [humankind], opening our
hearts to a hope of being loved forever. It is a wellspring of joy, serenity
and peace. Mercy: the ultimate and supreme act by which God comes
to meet us. Mercy: the fundamental law that dwells in the heart of
every person who looks sincerely into the eyes of his brothers and
sisters on the path of life’.
How much I long that the year to come will be steeped in mercy, so
that we can go out to every man and woman, bringing the goodness
and tenderness of God! May the balm of mercy reach everyone, both
believers and those far away, as a sign that the Kingdom of God is
already present in our midst’.
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Contents
Introduction 5
Session 1 God waits for us 8
Session 2 God reaches out 13
Session 3 Jesus sees our need 17
Session 4 Jesus calls us to love 22
Session 5 Jesus calls us to reach out 26
Session 6 Jesus never gives up on any person 30
Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy 34
Prayer for the Year of Mercy 35
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Introduction
Welcome to this booklet for prayer and reflection, Merciful like the Father. In the gospel,
Jesus responds in a life-giving way to the people he meets in all sorts of circumstances.
And so we find that people searched him out and hoped in him and felt themselves
healed and soothed by him. This way of Jesus we might name ‘Mercy’ as Pope Francis
tells us, ‘Mercy: the fundamental law that dwells in the heart of every person who looks
sincerely into the eyes of his brothers and sisters on the path of life’. Jesus Christ is the
face of God’s mercy.
This Year of Mercy reflection booklet offers you an opportunity to come and see each
week, what Good News Jesus has for our lives. It is a time for you to pause and to hear
again what joy and mercy Jesus is offering us. It is a quiet space in the midst of your
week giving you the time to find the mercy of the gospels for your life. It is a chance to
tussle with what Jesus' Good News could mean for our world today.
There are 6 sessions in all, each consisting of a gospel story, an excerpt from a modern
spiritual writer, and a short prayer service drawing the time of prayer and reflection to
a close.
Each session focuses on an aspect of Jesus’ understanding of mercy, on how God is
merciful and how we are called to be merciful to others:
God waits for us;
God reaches out;
Jesus sees our need;
Jesus calls us to love;
Jesus calls us to reach out;
Jesus never gives up on any person.
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Where do you start?
Start where you are…as in any conversation, start as you are…take your time to
move into talking to God, just as you would take your time getting to know
another person. God awaits you…there is no hurry.
Start now – so often we think we must wait until we have this or that sorted,
worked out, thought out, before we can pray. Imagine a good friendship you have
– you can talk to this friend without wondering if they will judge you. So too with
God – talk to God without reserve, talk to God today.
How do you start?
Start with yourself – just like in going to meet a friend you get ready, take a few
moments to ready yourself to meet God.
Small things help! Choose a time that suits you…it might be early in the morning
or late in the evening. Generally it is easier to pray sometime after you have eaten,
rather than just immediately after the meal. Often it helps to choose a similar time
every day because then it becomes a habit.
Choose a place that suits you…it might be a chair in the room…it might be on a
cushion….it might be sitting on the floor – find a comfortable position so that you
don’t spend your time of prayer focussed on your discomfort.
Choose a way that tunes you into this time of prayer. Some people choose to focus
on a lit candle, or on the rhythm of their breathing, in order to become less
conscious of the thoughts flying around their minds, and to focus themselves to
pray. St. Ignatius used to suggest that you pause before you sit or kneel to pray,
just to be conscious of God being conscious of you. Prayer is a time to sit in the
gaze of God, sit in the loving look of God and listen to God.
What do you start with?
Yourself….take a few moments just to tell the Lord what is happening in your life
at the moment....
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The Word of God….take the Gospels, and read a small section. Reading it aloud
can be helpful. After reading, become conscious of what word or phrase caught
your attention….listen carefully to that piece…roll it around on your tongue and
in your heart. What about this is catching your attention? What does it say to you
about the story?…..what does it tell you about the people involved?…..does this
word or phrase have any relevance with your life at the moment…what does it say
to me?
Time and Pace
Take your time....let your pace be unhurried. We have enough busyness in our
lives. Take your time with the different parts of the reflection and prayer, not
rushing on to the next part.
Stillness and Sharing
There is a time for stillness and a time for listening to God and a time for speaking
to God. Do not be afraid of the stillness. It might take getting used to. The purpose
of this personal prayer and reflection time is to give us time and space to hear
Jesus' Good News.
Above all, relax, enjoy this time with Jesus,
and trust the Spirit of God alive in you.
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Session 1 God waits for us
Focusing Pope Francis has revealed something of the loving kindness of God
through his many gestures….embracing children, the sick, the
maimed….his concern for all who experience difficulties…..his criticism
of the legalistic and rule focused Christian or Vatican official….This year,
he calls us to know God’s mercy and to be people of mercy.
He reminds us time and again that Jesus is at the centre of our faith.
Sometimes we can lose sight of Jesus, and while we know that Jesus
came to bring the Good News, sometimes in the midst of the busyness
of our lives, and everything else, we can be unsure of what that Good
News is for us, today. In a particular way this year, we are focusing on
the mercy that God offers us and our world.
This year, Pope Francis invites us in a special way to open our hearts and
minds and eyes to who Jesus’ God is…He encourages us to look at who
Jesus reveals God to be….and what Good News that is for our lives. This
reflection booklet, Merciful like the Father, is a chance for each one of
us in our personal lives to hear what Jesus’ Good News is for us.
There are will take six sessions, each offering you some time to reflect
on and pray with a gospel passage....we will take time to see what the
Gospel is saying to us, today. We will take time to reflect on an excerpt
from the writings of a contemporary spiritual writer which might add
something to our thoughts from the gospel….and then we will close with
a short time of prayer.
Praying with the Gospel
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It can be helpful to read this aloud….in all you will read the passage three times
– I invite you just to notice each time the word or phrase
that catches your attention....and in the silence between the readings, to savour
this word...... there is no right or wrong word or phrase to focus on…trust what
catches your attention….and let whatever phrase or word you are drawn by, hold
you, and let this word/phrase echo within you....
From the Gospel of Luke Lk 15
'While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity. He ran
to the boy, clasped him in his arms and kissed him tenderly. ….
PAUSE
…. the father said to his servants, "Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put
a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the calf we have been fattening, and
kill it; we are going to have a feast, a celebration, because this son of mine was dead and
has come back to life; he was lost and is found." And they began to celebrate.
PAUSE
… his father came out to plead with the elder son; …… The father said, "My son, you are
with me always and all I have is yours. But it was only right we should celebrate and
rejoice, because your brother here was dead and has come to life; he was lost and is
found."' PAUSE
Now take a moment just to savour the word or phrase that caught your
attention... PAUSE
Listen to or read the gospel for the second time and again notice what
word or phrase catches your attention...it might be the same as the first
time, it might be a different word or phrase... PAUSE
Take a moment just to savour the word or phrase that caught
your attention... PAUSE
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Listen to the gospel for the third time and notice again what word or
phrase catches your attention...it might be the same as the first time, it
might be a different word or phrase... PAUSE
Take a moment just to savour the word or phrase that caught your
attention... PAUSE
Holding preciously the word from the gospel that has caught your
attention, I speak to God about the word
A moment to reflect
Who are the characters in this gospel story? Who are we focussed on in these
excerpts? What do I learn about them? What is the Good News in this gospel
passage? Would anyone like to say what strikes them?
We hear that 'While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was
moved with pity’. What does this mean for the younger son? What does it
mean for me, for us today? What moved with pity might mean for us?
The father says ‘But it was only right we should celebrate and rejoice,’…..how
does that sound to us? How would we respond?....what does it mean to hear
Jesus tell us God’s response to the one who was lost? How does that feel for
us?
From The Return of the Prodigal Son – Henri J. M. Nouwen pgs 93-5
What gives Rembrandt’s portrayal of the father such an irresistible power is that the
most divine is captured in the most human. I see a half-blind old man with a moustache
and a parted beard, dressed in a gold-embroidered garment and a deep red cloak, laying
his large stiffened hands on the shoulders of his returning son. … Rembrandt chose to
portray a very still father who recognises his son, not with the eyes of the body, but with
the inner eye of his heart. …. PAUSE
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The near-blind father sees far and wide. His seeing is an eternal seeing, a seeing that
reaches out to all of humanity. It is a seeing that understands the lostness of women and
men of all times and places, that knows with immense compassion the suffering of those
who have chosen to leave home, that cried oceans of tears as they got caught in anguish
and agony. The heart of the father burns with an immense desire to bring his children
home. … PAUSE
....in what way does it speak to me? What puzzles me? Attracts me?
Closing Prayer Time
May the light of this candle be a flame of hope for us.
May it kindle in us a desire to grow closer to God,
who is always merciful and close to us.
Reflection - From the Pope Francis’ letter, The Face of Mercy 9
In the parables devoted to mercy, Jesus reveals the nature of God as that of a Father who
never gives up until he has forgiven the wrong and overcome rejection with compassion
and mercy. We know these parables well, three in particular: the lost sheep, the lost
coin, and the father with two sons (cf. Lk 15:1-32). In these parables, God is always
presented as full of joy, especially when he pardons. In them we find the core of the
Gospel and of our faith, because mercy is presented as a force that overcomes
everything, filling the heart with love and bringing consolation through pardon.
PAUSE
We hope in God who has carved us on the palms of his hands
We hope in you, God.
We hope in God who promises not to forget us,
even if a woman should forget her own child
We hope in you, God.
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We hope in God who goes out after the lost sheep
We hope in you, God.
We hope in God who has counted the hairs on our head
We hope in you, God.
We hope in God who welcomes all people home,
like the father welcomed home his prodigal son
We hope in you, God.
Mindful of the God, who calls us to lives of compassion and mercy,
together we say, Our Father
Jesus, you bring hope to our world.
Strengthen us in our challenges,
and give us the courage and hope to be people who wait,
with one another in our parishes and in our communities.
We make this prayer through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
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Session 2 God reaches out
Focusing Take a moment just to see what stayed with you from last week’s
prayer……and to prepare yourself to be aware of God’s loving gaze on
you today
Praying with the Gospel
It can be helpful to read this aloud….in all you will read the passage three times
– I invite you just to notice each time the word or phrase
that catches your attention....and in the silence between the readings, to savour
this word...... there is no right or wrong word or phrase to focus on…trust what
catches your attention….and let whatever phrase or word you are drawn by, hold
you, and let this word/phrase echo within you....
Mark 1: 40 - 42
A leper came to him begging him, and kneeling he said to him, “If you choose, you can
make me clean.” PAUSE
Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, “I do
choose. Be made clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.
PAUSE
Now take a moment just to savour the word or phrase that caught your
attention... PAUSE
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Listen to or read the gospel for the second time and again notice what
word or phrase catches your attention...it might be the same as the first
time, it might be a different word or phrase... PAUSE
Take a moment just to savour the word or phrase that caught
your attention... PAUSE
Listen to the gospel for the third time and notice again what word or
phrase catches your attention...it might be the same as the first time, it
might be a different word or phrase... PAUSE
Take a moment just to savour the word or phrase that caught your
attention... PAUSE
Holding preciously the word from the gospel that has caught your
attention, I speak to God about the word
..
A moment to reflect
What is the Good News in this gospel passage?
For whom is it Good News?
For whom is it not Good News?
In what ways is this passage comforting for you?
In what ways is this passage challenging for you?
Reflection from The Return of the Prodigal Son–Henri Nouwen
For most of my life I have struggled to find God, to know God, to love God. I have tried
hard to follow the guidelines of the spiritual life—pray always, work for others, read the
Scriptures—and to avoid the many temptations to dissipate myself. I have failed many
times but always tried again, even when I was close to despair.
PAUSE
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Now I wonder whether I have sufficiently realized that during all this time God has been
trying to find me, to know me, and to love me. The question is not “How am I to find
God?” but “How am I to let myself be found by him?” The question is not “How am I to
know God?” but “How am I to let myself be known by God?” And, finally, the question
is not “How am I to love God?” but “How am I to let myself be loved by God?” God is
looking into the distance for me, trying to find me, and longing to bring me home.
PAUSE
in what way does this reading speak to you?....what do you find comforts
you?...do you find anything in it unsettling?
Closing Prayer Time
As the mist tiptoes down over the hill, Lord,
may your gentle touch tiptoe deep within us,
treading softly
through the hardened pathways of our hearts and lives,
easing and opening us
with the gentle touch of your grace.
Reflection
The compassionate heart is in communion with all of life and is willing
to enter into suffering with the heart of Christ. Compassion includes
awareness, attitude and action. A deeper and clearer look at
compassion, the central quality of Christ, enables us to accompany the
hurting ones of our personal lives and the larger world with loving
kindness. Compassion also teaches us how to live as a person of
unbounded love. Joyce Rupp
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Responsory
When another frustrates or annoys
May we be alert to the compassion of Jesus
When familiarity breeds contempt or disrespect
May we be alert to the compassion of Jesus
When busyness or getting the task done become paramount
May we be alert to the compassion of Jesus
When life deals a harsh blow
May we be alert to the compassion of Jesus
I offer to God the prayers of my heart.....
Mindful of the God, who calls us to lives of compassionate love, I pray Our
Father
Transform us, Lord,
transform us into disciples of compassion
eager to respond to your call
and attentive to the needs of others.
We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen
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Session 3 Jesus sees our need
Focusing The title of our session is Jesus sees our need. So for a moment, I think
about what do I most need?….what is the need in my life that I want
Jesus to respond to?
Praying with the Gospel
It can be helpful to read this aloud….in all you will read the passage three times
– I invite you just to notice each time the word or phrase
that catches your attention....and in the silence between the readings, to savour
this word...... there is no right or wrong word or phrase to focus on…trust what
catches your attention….and let whatever phrase or word you are drawn by, hold
you, and let this word/phrase echo within you....
Luke 18:9-14a
He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous
and regarded others with contempt: PAUSE
“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like
other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 1I fast twice a
week; I give a tenth of all my income.’ PAUSE
But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating
his breast and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down
to his home justified rather than the other; PAUSE
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Now take a moment just to savour the word or phrase that caught your
attention... PAUSE
Listen to or read the gospel for the second time and again notice what
word or phrase catches your attention...it might be the same as the first
time, it might be a different word or phrase... PAUSE
Take a moment just to savour the word or phrase that caught
your attention... PAUSE
Listen to the gospel for the third time and notice again what word or
phrase catches your attention...it might be the same as the first time, it
might be a different word or phrase... PAUSE
Take a moment just to savour the word or phrase that caught your
attention... PAUSE
Holding preciously the word from the gospel that has caught your
attention, I speak to God about the word …..
A moment to reflect
For whom is there Good News in the story?
If I am the Pharisee, what is my take on the story?
If I am a tax collector, what am I now taking from the story?
How do I now feel, on hearing the story?
Why do I think that Jesus did what he did?
What does the story ask of me?
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Reflection From Pope Francis’ Letter, The Face of Mercy 8
Jesus, seeing the crowds of people who followed him, realized that they were tired and
exhausted, lost and without a guide, and he felt deep compassion for them (cf. Mt
9:36). On the basis of this compassionate love, he healed the sick who were presented
to him (cf. Mt 14:14), and with just a few loaves of bread and fish, he satisfied the
enormous crowd (cf. Mt 15:37). What moved Jesus in all of these situations was
nothing other than mercy, with which he read the hearts of those he encountered and
responded to their deepest need. PAUSE
… The calling of Matthew is also presented within the context of mercy. Passing by the
tax collector’s booth, Jesus looked intently at Matthew. It was a look full of mercy that
forgave the sins of that man, a sinner and a tax collector, whom Jesus chose – against
the hesitation of the disciples – to become one of the Twelve.
PAUSE
What did the reading say to you?
Does this reading shed any further light for us on the gospel?
Why is Pope Francis drawing our attention to Jesus’ mercy?
Closing Prayer Service
Healing God,
Draw us into your presence,
into your loving gaze at all people,
into your vision of the world,
into your presence here with me now.
Reflection - Let your God love you
Be silent.
Be still.
Alone. Empty
Before your God
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Say nothing.
Ask nothing.
Be silent.
Be still.
Let your God
Look upon you.
That is all.
He knows.
He understands.
He loves you with
An enormous love.
He only wants to
Look upon you
With His Love.
Quiet.
Still.
Be.
Let your God –
Love you. Edwina Gateley
Responsory1
We are called to show forth the loving kindness and compassion of our God.
Where we strive for peace
and try to show love in our communities and workplaces.
The mercy of God is present in our world.
1 http://institute.mercy.org.au/_uploads/fckpg//spirituality/Resources/
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Where differences are resolved and transgressions forgiven:
The mercy of God is present in our world.
Where those forced from their homeland are made welcome:
The mercy of God is present in our world.
Where the aged and sick are cared for with reverence and compassion:
The mercy of God is present in our world.
When the rights of children
and those unable to speak for themselves are protected:
The mercy of God is present in our world.
When those who are weighed down by anxiety
or crippled by depression are given new hope:
The mercy of God is present in our world.
United with our brother, Jesus, we pray for God’s kingdom as
I pray, Our Father......
May we have the heart of the tax collector,
always conscious of the love and mercy you show us:
and may we respond with loving mercy to others,
open to their need.
We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen
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Session 4 Jesus calls us to love
Focusing Today the gospel from Luke is very familiar to us, the story of the Good
Samaritan. So I open my heart and mind to listen very attentively to hear
the story as Luke tells it......and what God is saying to me through his
word today....
Praying with the Gospel
It can be helpful to read this aloud….in all you will read the passage three times
– I invite you just to notice each time the word or phrase
that catches your attention....and in the silence between the readings, to savour
this word...... there is no right or wrong word or phrase to focus on…trust what
catches your attention….and let whatever phrase or word you are drawn by, hold
you, and let this word/phrase echo within you....
Luke 10:29b-37
So he asked Jesus, “Who are my neighbours?” Jesus replied: As a man was going down
from Jerusalem to Jericho, robbers attacked him and grabbed everything
he had. They beat him up and ran off, leaving him half dead. PAUSE
A priest happened to be going down the same road. But when he saw the man, he
walked by on the other side. Later a temple helper came to the same place. But when
he saw the man who had been beaten up, he also went by on the other side.
PAUSE
A man from Samaria then came traveling along that road. When he saw the man,
he felt sorry for him and went over to him. He treated his wounds with olive oil and
wine and bandaged them. Then he put him on his own donkey and took him to an
inn, where he took care of him. The next morning he gave the innkeeper two silver
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coins and said, “Please take care of the man. If you spend more than this on him, I
will pay you when I return.” PAUSE
Then Jesus asked, “Which one of these three people was a real neighbour to the man
who was beaten up by robbers? ”The teacher answered, “The one who showed pity.”
Jesus said, “Go and do the same!” PAUSE
Now take a moment just to savour the word or phrase that caught your
attention... PAUSE
Listen to or read the gospel for the second time and again notice what
word or phrase catches your attention...it might be the same as the first
time, it might be a different word or phrase... PAUSE
Take a moment just to savour the word or phrase that caught
your attention... PAUSE
Listen to the gospel for the third time and notice again what word or
phrase catches your attention...it might be the same as the first time, it
might be a different word or phrase... PAUSE
Take a moment just to savour the word or phrase that caught your
attention... PAUSE
Holding preciously the word from the gospel that has caught your
attention, I speak to God about the word …..
A moment to reflect
What does this story tell us about Jesus' awareness of others?
What does this story tell us about God? About being a neighbour?
Jesus said, ‘Go and do the same’. What does this mean for us today?
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From Pope Francis’ letter, The Face of Mercy 8
With our eyes fixed on Jesus and his merciful gaze, we experience the love of the Most
Holy Trinity. The mission Jesus received from the Father was that of revealing the
mystery of divine love in its fullness. “God is love” (1 Jn 4:8,16) PAUSE
... This love has now been made visible and tangible in Jesus’ entire life. His person is
nothing but love, a love given gratuitously. The relationships he forms with the people
who approach him manifest something entirely unique and unrepeatable. The signs he
works, especially in favour of sinners, the poor, the marginalized, the sick, and the
suffering, are all meant to teach mercy. Everything in him speaks of mercy. Nothing in
him is devoid of compassion. PAUSE
Does it shed any light on the gospel for me?
Closing Prayer Time
Lord, untether us from our version of things
and let us meet you anew
and hear your call afresh.
Stretch our hearts and lives
in the direction of the your generous abundant heart.
Prayers adapted from Maureen Kelly
In this Year of Mercy may we open our hearts and our lives to God’s Mercy.
May we be steeped in the love of God who consoles, pardons and instils hope.
Who seeks mercy?
Your people hunger for food and love,
for education and adequate health care,
for freedom and safety.
Your people thirst for justice and yearn for peace.
May we be steeped in God’s mercy.
Through us may the balm of God’s mercy reach out to others.
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Who seeks mercy?
Your people long to be known,
they long for a homeland, for right relationships, for welcome. They
long to see your face.
Your people suffer from ills of body, mind and spirit.
May we be steeped in God’s mercy.
Through us may the balm of God’s mercy reach out to others.
Who seeks mercy?
Your people are imprisoned in unjust structures
and political regimes,
in dangerous relationships,
in demeaning work environments.
Your people seek compassion, comfort,
companionship and counsel.
May we be steeped in God’s mercy.
Through us may the balm of God’s mercy reach out to others.
Take a moment to think of one practical way in which I can respond in love to
another’s plight….I commit to doing that one thing during the coming week….
God calls each of us by name, calling us to love as he loved.
As sisters and brothers of Jesus Christ,
I remember all those with whom we share the world,
I bring to mind all peoples on every island and continent throughout
the world, as I pray...Our Father
Lord, we bring before you
the parish to which we belong
the work of service we undertake in your name,
the group of us gathered here.
Empower us in your Spirit. Amen.
Merciful like the Father – Personal Prayer and Reflection
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Session 5 Jesus calls us to reach out
Focusing The Gospel passage might not seem too familiar to us…or that is both
familiar and different perhaps to what we expect…….this gospel passage
reminds us of what makes the Christian different....so once again, I try
to listen with fresh ears to hear what the Lord is saying to us tonight
through this gospel ... and what God is saying to each of us through his
word today....
Praying with the Gospel
It can be helpful to read this aloud….in all you will read the passage three times
– I invite you just to notice each time the word or phrase
that catches your attention....and in the silence between the readings, to savour
this word...... there is no right or wrong word or phrase to focus on…trust what
catches your attention….and let whatever phrase or word you are drawn by, hold
you, and let this word/phrase echo within you....
Luke 6:32-36
“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those
who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you?
For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what
credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love
your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great,
and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the
wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
PAUSE
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Now take a moment just to savour the word or phrase that caught your
attention... PAUSE
Listen to or read the gospel for the second time and again notice what
word or phrase catches your attention...it might be the same as the first
time, it might be a different word or phrase... PAUSE
Take a moment just to savour the word or phrase that caught
your attention... PAUSE
Listen to the gospel for the third time and notice again what word or
phrase catches your attention...it might be the same as the first time, it
might be a different word or phrase... PAUSE
Take a moment just to savour the word or phrase that caught your
attention... PAUSE
Holding preciously the word from the gospel that has caught your
attention, I speak to God about the word ….
A moment to reflect
Where is the Good News in this story?
For whom is it not Good News?..in the times of Jesus? in our times?
What does it ask of us as followers?
What might it mean to be merciful as the Father is merciful? What
would that mean in our society today?
From Pope Francis’ letter, The Face of Mercy 9
From another parable, we cull an important teaching for our Christian lives. In reply to
Peter’s question about how many times it is necessary to forgive, Jesus says: “I do not
say seven times, but seventy times seven times” Mt 18:22.
PAUSE
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He then goes on to tell the parable of the “ruthless servant,” who, called by his master
to return a huge amount, begs him on his knees for mercy. His master cancels his
debt. But he then meets a fellow servant who owes him a few cents and who in turn
begs on his knees for mercy, but the first servant refuses his request and throws him
into jail. When the master hears of the matter, he becomes infuriated and, summoning
the first servant back to him, says, “Should not you have had mercy on your fellow
servant, as I had mercy on you?” (Mt 18:33). …..
PAUSE
Jesus affirms that mercy is not only an action of the Father, it becomes a criterion
for ascertaining who his true children are. In short, we are called to show mercy
because mercy has first been shown to us. Pardoning offences becomes the clearest
expression of merciful love, and for us Christians it is an imperative from which we
cannot excuse ourselves. At times how hard it seems to forgive! And yet pardon is
the instrument placed into our fragile hands to attain serenity of heart.
PAUSE
To let go of anger, wrath, violence, and revenge are necessary conditions to living
joyfully. Let us therefore heed the Apostle’s exhortation: “Do not let the sun go down
on your anger” (Eph 4:26). Above all, let us listen to the words of Jesus who made
mercy an ideal of life and a criterion for the credibility of our faith: “Blessed are the
merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” (Mt 5:7): the beatitude to which we should
particularly aspire in this Holy Year. PAUSE
Does the reading from Pope Francis illuminate the gospel story or vice
versa? What strikes you on hearing this passage?
Closing Prayer Time
Prophetic Spirit,
free us from our vested interests,
untether us from our pettiness and small-mindedness,
that we might hear your hopes for our world.
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Reflection St Clare’s Benediction
Blessed are the poor…
not the penniless, but those whose hearts are free.
Blessed are the poor…
Blessed are those who mourn…
not those who whimper, but those who raise their voices.
Blessed are those who mourn…
Blessed are the meek…
not the soft, but those who are patient and tolerant.
Blessed are the meek…
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice…
not those who whine, but those who struggle.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice…
Blessed are the merciful…
not those who forget, but those who forgive.
Blessed are the merciful…
Blessed are the pure in heart…
not those who act like angels,
but those whose lives are transparent.
Blessed are the pure in heart…
Blessed are the peacemakers…
not those who shun conflict, but those who face it squarely.
Blessed are the peacemakers…
Blessed are those who are persecuted for Justice…
not because they suffer, but because they love.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for Justice…
Adapted from J. Rutler
Gathering the prayers of my heart, I pray, Our Father
Disciple us, Lord
as once you discipled Peter and his companions:
teach us what it means to follow you
and give us the courage and tenacity to walk with you. Amen
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Session 6 Jesus never gives up on any person
Focusing Today our prayer is with a passage from Luke, perhaps a passage that
we have heard before but may not have thought too much about....
Praying with the Gospel
It can be helpful to read this aloud….in all you will read the passage three times
– I invite you just to notice each time the word or phrase
that catches your attention....and in the silence between the readings, to savour
this word...... there is no right or wrong word or phrase to focus on…trust what
catches your attention….and let whatever phrase or word you are drawn by, hold
you, and let this word/phrase echo within you....
Luke 23:39-43
One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah?
Save yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he
said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are
getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
PAUSE
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus
answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
PAUS E
Now take a moment just to savour the word or phrase that caught your
attention... PAUSE
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Listen to or read the gospel for the second time and again notice what
word or phrase catches your attention...it might be the same as the first
time, it might be a different word or phrase... PAUSE
Take a moment just to savour the word or phrase that caught
your attention... PAUSE
Listen to the gospel for the third time and notice again what word or
phrase catches your attention...it might be the same as the first time, it
might be a different word or phrase... PAUSE
Take a moment just to savour the word or phrase that caught your
attention... PAUSE
Holding preciously the word from the gospel that has caught your
attention, I speak to God about the word
A moment to reflect
Is there Good News in this story?...what is it?
Why does one of the criminals insult Jesus?
Why does one of the criminals rebuke the other? What does it tell us
about their thinking about life, about God?
What does Jesus promise us, by responding to the criminal’s request?
From The Return of the Prodigal Son – Henri J. M. Nouwen pgs 130-1
In the parable [of the Prodigal Son], the father not only gives his departing son
everything he asks, but also showers him with gifts on his return. And to his elder
son he says: “All I have is yours.” There is nothing the father keeps for himself. He
pours himself out for his sons. PAUSE
He does not simply offer more than can be reasonably expected from someone who
has been offended; no, he completely gives himself away without reserve. Both sons
are for him “everything.” In them he wants to pour out his very life. The way the
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younger son is given robe, ring, and sandals, and welcomed home with a sumptuous
celebration, as well as the way the elder son is urged to accept his unique place in
his father’s heart and to join his younger brother around the table, make it very clear
that all boundaries of patriarchal behaviour are broken through. This is not the
picture of a remarkable father. This is the portrayal of God, whose goodness, love,
forgiveness, care, joy, and compassion have no limits at all. ……
PAUSE
In order to become like the Father I must be as generous as the Father is generous.
Just as the Father gives his very self to his children, so must I give my very self to my
sisters and brothers. PAUSE
What implications does this have for you, for us, in trying to live the
Christian life?
Closing Prayer Time
Surprise us, Lord,
with the beauty of our world.
Let us see afresh
the wonder of you,
the wonder of ourselves,
the wonder of others,
the wonder of our world.
Surprise us, Lord, again.
Excerpt from Pope Francis’ letter, The Face of Mercy 1
As we can see in Sacred Scripture, mercy is a key word that indicates God’s action
towards us. He does not limit himself merely to affirming his love, but makes it visible
and tangible. Love, after all, can never be just an abstraction. By its very nature, it
indicates something concrete: intentions, attitudes, and behaviours that are shown in
daily living. PAUSE
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The mercy of God is his loving concern for each one of us. He feels responsible; that is,
he desires our wellbeing and he wants to see us happy, full of joy, and peaceful. This is
the path which the merciful love of Christians must also travel.
As the Father loves, so do his children. Just as he is merciful, so we are called to
be merciful to each other. PAUSE
Open us to recognise what you are creating in our communities
Open our eyes, Lord.
Open us to what you are sowing in our hearts.
Open our eyes, Lord.
Open us to see what you doing in our young people.
Open our eyes, Lord.
Open us to what you are revealing in our world today.
Open our eyes, Lord.
Open us to hear what you are saying through people around us
Open our eyes, Lord.
Open us to meet you where you are walking now
through the streets of our towns and villages.
Open our eyes, Lord.
Open us to hear what you are doing anew in our world.
Open our eyes, Lord.
As the nights shorten and the days lengthen,
may we walk in the light:
God’s light that helps us to see the way,
that guides us as journey,
that warms and comforts the distressed
and encourages the weary.
May we be carriers of the hope and joy of mercy
to all whom we meet,
drawn ever closer to the merciful heart of God. Amen.
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The Corporal and Spiritual works of mercy.
It is my burning desire that, during the Jubilee, the Christian people may reflect on the
corporal and spiritual works of mercy. Let us rediscover these corporal works of mercy,
let us not forget the spiritual works of mercy. It will be a way:
To reawaken our conscience, too often grown dull in the face of poverty.
To let us enter more deeply into the heart of the Gospel where the poor have a
special experience of God’s mercy.
To know whether or not we are living as his disciples.
Pope Francis: The Face of Mercy 15
During these Lenten days, we take some time to reflect on the works of mercy - they are
the mark of the Christian. How do I incorporate the way of being merciful into my way of
life? What are the works of mercy that I need to practise more?
Corporal Works of Mercy:
Feed the hungry
Give drink to the thirsty
Clothe the naked
Welcome the stranger
Comfort the sick
Visit the imprisoned
Bury the dead
Spiritual Works of Mercy:
Advise the sinner
Share faith with those who do not know or have forgotten God
Counsel the doubtful
Comfort the afflicted
Forgive offences
Bear patiently those who do us ill
Pray for the living and the dead.
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Prayer for Holy Year of Mercy
Lord Jesus Christ,
you have taught us to be merciful like the heavenly Father,
and have told us that whoever sees you sees Him.
Show us your face and we will be saved.
Your loving gaze freed Zacchaeus and Matthew from being enslaved by money;
the adulteress and Magdalene from seeking happiness only in created things;
made Peter weep after his betrayal,
and assured Paradise to the repentant thief.
Let us hear, as if addressed to each one of us,
the words that you spoke to the Samaritan woman: “If you knew the gift of God!”
You are the visible face of the invisible Father,
of the God who manifests his power above all by forgiveness and mercy:
let the Church be your visible face in the world, its Lord risen and glorified.
You willed that your ministers would also be clothed in weakness
in order that they may feel compassion for those in ignorance and error:
Let everyone who approaches them feel sought after, loved, and forgiven by God.
Send your Spirit and consecrate every one of us with its anointing,
so that the Jubilee of Mercy may be a year of grace from the Lord,
and your Church, with renewed enthusiasm,
may bring good news to the poor,
proclaim liberty to captives and the oppressed,
and restore sight to the blind.
We ask this of you, Lord Jesus,
through the intercession of Mary, Mother of Mercy;
you who live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Amen
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