3/9/2016

OnTheNameofGodisMercy|Millennial

Millennial
YoungCatholics,AnAncientFaith,ANewCentury

OnTheNameofGodisMercy
MARCH9,2016GUESTCONTRIBUTOR

(hps://millennialjournal.les.wordpress.com/2016/03/190104573b2ae1ed1f8634bd08120
579e93b8fcea.jpg)

TheNameofGodisMercy(hp://amzn.com/0399588639)isanextendedinterviewwithPope

http://millennialjournal.com/2016/03/09/onthenameofgodismercy/

1/4

3/9/2016

OnTheNameofGodisMercy|Millennial

TheNameofGodisMercy(hp://amzn.com/0399588639)isanextendedinterviewwithPope
Francis,turnedintoabook,exploringhisreectionsonandexperiencesofGodsheavenlymercy.
Init,heelaboratesonthereasonshecalledforthisJubileeYearofMercy(hp://mercy.adw.org)
thatwearenowcelebrating.Thebookcameoutearlierthisyear,andIvejustnishedreadingit.I
encourageeveryoneelsetoreaditaswell.Atonly100shortpagesinlength,itisaccessible,
encouraging,andchallengingallatthesametime.
Throughoutthequestionsandresponsescontainedinthisbook,PopeFrancisturnsagainand
againtothemeswehaveheardhimemphasizesincethebeginningofhisponticate.Hetalks
abouthowimportantitisforustorecognizeandbeconsciousofourownsinfulness,because
doingsohelpsdrawusclosertoGod.HetalksaboutthemercifulnatureofGod,whoseeksto
healandforgiveoverandoveragain.Heexploresthewaysinwhichwecanopenourselvesto
receiveGodsforgivenessandtheLordsinsistentopennesstobeforgiving,tothepointthathe
seeksoutanytinycrackwherehecanenterinandreachus.Francisemphasizesthatthismessage
ofmercyisatthecoreoftheGospelandtheheartoftheChurch,andhespeakstothewaysthe
Churchcan(anddoes)reachactivelyoutwardwithmercy.Hespeaksextensivelyaboutthe
SacramentofConfession.Hebringsuptheexperienceofthefamily.Andheoersguidanceon
livingtheHolyYearofMercy.
Someofthequotesbelowreallystoodouttome,soIamsharingthem.AttheboomisanindexI
createdofsomeofthekeythemesthatstoodouttomealongwithrelevantpagenumbers.

AFewQuotesfromTheNameofGodIsMercy
Answeringthequestion,Whatismercyforyou?
Etymologically,mercyderivesfrommisericordis,whichmeansopeningonesheartto
wretchedness.AndimmediatelywegototheLord:mercyisthedivineaitudewhichembraces,
itisGodsgivinghimselftous,acceptingus,andbowingtoforgive.(pp.89)
OnConfession:
Wearesocialbeings,andforgivenesshasasocialimplication;mysinwoundsmankind,my
brothersandsisters,andsocietyasawhole.Confessingtoapriestisawayofpuingmylifeinto
thehandsandheartofsomeoneelse,someonewhointhatmomentactsinthenameofJesus.(pp.
2122)
Onrecognizingourneed:
TheChurchFathersteachusthatashaeredheartisthemostpleasinggifttoGod.Itisthesign
thatweareconsciousofoursins,oftheevilwehavedone,ofourwretchedness,andofourneed
forforgivenessandmercy.(p.32)
OnGodsdesiretoencounterus:

http://millennialjournal.com/2016/03/09/onthenameofgodismercy/

2/4

3/9/2016

OnTheNameofGodisMercy|Millennial

OnGodsdesiretoencounterus:
Godwaits;hewaitsforustoconcedehimonlythesmallerglimmerofspacesothathecanenact
hisforgivenessandhischaritywithinus.Onlyhewhohasbeentouchedandcaressedbythe
tendernessofhismercyreallyknowstheLord.ForthisreasonIhaveoftensaidthattheplace
wheremyencounterwiththemercyofJesustakesplaceismysin.(p.34)
Atonepoint,FrancisoersabeautifultestimonyfromBlessedPopePaulVI:
FormeithasalwaysbeenagreatmysteryofGodtobeinwretchednessandtobeinthepresence
ofthemercyofGod.Iamnothing.Iamwretched.GodtheFatherlovesme,hewantstosaveme,
hewantstoremovemefromthewretchednessinwhichIndmyself,butIamincapableofdoing
itmyself.AndsohesendshisSon,aSonwhobringsthemercyofGodtranslatedintoanactof
lovetowardme.Butyouneedaspecialgraceforthis,thegraceofaconversion.OnceI
recognizethis,GodworksinmethroughhisSon.(Bl.PaulVI,quotedpp.3940)
OntheChurchduringtheJubileeYearofMercy:
IhopethattheJubileewillservetorevealtheChurchsdeeplymaternalandmercifulside,a
Churchthatgoesforthtowardthosewhoarewounded,whoareinneedofanaentiveear,
understanding,forgiveness,andlove.(p.53)
Onthepossibilityofstartingover:
Themostimportantthinginthelifeofeverymanandeverywomanisnotthattheyshouldnever
fallalongtheway.Theimportantthingistogetbackup,nottostayonthegroundlickingyour
wounds.TheLordofmercyalwaysforgivesme;healwaysoersmethepossibilityofstarting
over.HelovesmeforwhatIam,hewantstoraisemeup,andheextendshishandtome.Thisis
oneofthetasksoftheChurch:tohelppeopleperceivethattherearenosituationsthattheycannot
getoutof.Foraslongaswearealiveitisalwayspossibletostartover,allwehavetodoislet
Jesusembraceusandforgiveus.(p.60)
Onbeingadisciple:
Jesussendsforthhisdisciplesnotasholdersofpowerorasmastersofalaw.Hesendsthemforth
intotheworldaskingthemtoliveinthelogicofloveandselessness.(p.93)
OnthemostimportantthingsabelievershoulddoduringtheHolyYearofMercy:
HeshouldopenuptotheMercyofGod,openuphisheartandhimself,andallowJesustocome
towardhimbyapproachingtheconfessionalwithfaith.Andheshouldtryandbemercifulwith
others.(p.97)
Ongivingwhatwehavereceived:
Wehavereceivedfreely,wegivefreely.WearecalledtoserveChristtheCruciedthroughevery
marginalizedperson.WetouchtheeshofChristinhewhoisoutcast,hungry,thirsty,naked,
imprisoned,ill,unemployed,persecuted,insearchofrefuge.ThatiswherewendourGod,that
iswherewetouchtheLord.(p.98)

http://millennialjournal.com/2016/03/09/onthenameofgodismercy/

3/4

3/9/2016

OnTheNameofGodisMercy|Millennial

iswherewetouchtheLord.(p.98)

IndexofThemes
Icompiledthisindexwhilereadingthroughthebook.Thepagenumberspointbacktoquotesor
passagesexploringeachtheme.
Consciousnessofoursinfulnessx,8,32,35,39,51,58,59,67,70,81,84
Openingtoreceiveforgiveness/Godsopennesstoforgivex,10,25,3135,32,3334,51,70,86
ThemercifulnatureofGodxi,xv,5,8,10,25,51,52,59,65,70
Churchreachingoutwardxi,6,17,33,52,53,67,80
Healingwounds/woundednessxi,6,15,53,59,67
Guidancefordisciples5,67,87,93,97,98,99
MercyascoreofGospel,Church7,51,52,59
TheloveofGodisforsinners7,8,10,17,51,59
Receivingmercytogiveit13,67,98
SacramentofConfession13,17,2128,22,23,33,59
Apostolateoftheear(mercifullistening)17,99
Socialimplicationofsin21,80
QuoteTestimonyfromBl.PaulVI39
HolyYear53,97,9799
MercyintheFamily87
MichaelOwensistheCoordinatorofEvangelizationfortheArchdioceseofWashington.
ThisentrywaspostedinBlog.Bookmarkthepermalink.
BlogatWordPress.com.|TheHealthyLivingTheme.

http://millennialjournal.com/2016/03/09/onthenameofgodismercy/

4/4