The Psalm Response cuts right to the heart of a deep and urgent need in our souls: to call upon the Lord for the forgiveness and mercy we need as we acknowledge our sins.
Mass Readings – Wednesday of the 4th Week of the the Year
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Tag Archives: Mercy
Daily Mass: Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned. Catholic Inspiration
Psalm 51 speaks from the depths of our hearts, reminding us of those times when we have fallen short of our Christian calling, yet inspiring us to drawn near to Christ for the healing of our hearts.
Mass Readings – Friday of the 3rd Week of the Year
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Daily Mass: The compassion of Jesus. Catholic Inspiration
As Jesus heals the leper in the Gospel of Luke, we witness the profound compassion of the Lord, who longs for our TOTAL healing – body, mind, heart and soul. May we draw near to Christ for this healing and in turn seek to be agents of healing whenever possible.
Mass Readings – Friday after Epiphany
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Daily Mass: Our hope is in the mercy of God. Catholic Inspiration
The Psalm response reminds us that our hope is not founded in our strength, our wealth or our abilities…it is founded upon the mercy of God. May this mercy give us the wisdom to turn to the Lord for our needs this day!
Mass Readings – Wednesday of the 30th Week of the Year
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30th Sunday of the Year: O God, be merciful to me a sinner!
Study: Consider a time when you experienced mercy. What did it feel like?
Pray: Are you struggling to be merciful to someone right now? Ask the Lord for help!
Serve: Is there an act of mercy you can do for someone in need today? How can you make it happen?
Mass Readings – 30th Sunday of the Year
The readings this Sunday could have been chosen for the Year of Mercy. Take a look:
- 1st Reading – “The Lord is a God of justice, who knows no favorites…”
- Psalm – “The Lord hears the cry of the poor.”
- 2nd Reading – “The Lord stood by me and gave me strength.”
- Gospel – Two men went to the Temple to pray…and the one who said, “O God, be merciful to me a sinner” was heard!
As Pope Francis constantly reminds us, the name of God is Mercy. Jesus shows us repeated examples of the mercy and love of the Father, inviting us to both receive God’s grace and then live with mercy toward one another.
It’s a simple message, direct and to the point. Yet we know from our own experience how hard it can be to practice mercy in our world today! We suffer injury, offense, misunderstanding and hassle in our daily interactions with one another. People get under our skin. We get angry. We lose our focus.
And thus this simple message continues to speak to our hearts, heal our souls, and guide us into the grace that comes when we foster forgiveness and pursue peace. Mercy is a practical application of the Great Commandment to love one another; mercy becomes our homework for holiness by which we put the example of Jesus into our own daily practice.
God’s mercy washes us clean and heals the wounds caused by sin. As we seek the Lord’s mercy in our lives, may we allow this gift of mercy to move through us and touch the lives of those we meet.
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Catholic Inspiration Archives
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Note: This post was first published on October 17, 2016.
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Daily Mass: We stop judging others and acknowledge our sins. Catholic Inspiration
The Letter to the Romans is a powerful expression of St. Paul’s thought. In this passage we discover the danger of judging others and glossing over our own sins. Rather, we acknowledge our need for the Savior and embrace the grace of the Cross.
Mass Readings – Wednesday of the 28th Week of the Year
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Daily Mass: Sin, forgiveness and God’s love. Catholic Inspiration
The interaction between Jesus and the woman in the Gospel of Luke reveals the healing power of God’s love when we receive the Lord’s forgiveness for our sins.
Mass Readings – Thursday of the 24th Week of the Year
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24th Sunday of the Year: The Prodigal Son.
Study: Recall a time when you experienced a moment of profound forgiveness. How did it change you?
Pray: Are you holding on to anger and resentment? Pray for God’s mercy to soften your heart.
Serve: Is there someone you know in need of mercy? Is there some way you can help others, especially when they are caught up in shame, embarrassment, or the awkwardness of their weaknesses and sins?
Mass Readings – 24th Sunday of the Year
We hear in the Gospel of Luke the familiar parable of the The Prodigal Son. It’s worth a moment to touch on a few key points from this passage:
- The younger son asks for his inheritance before his time (what kind of person does this?)
- The younger son completely wastes the entire inheritance; he has no excuse
- The younger son hits “rock bottom” and figures it’s better to be a servant with his dad than starving with the pigs
- The Father’s mercy is overwhelming: ring, robe, sandals, fatted calf, and a party
- The older son is furious – this is not justice!
- The Father is also merciful to his older son as he teaches him about mercy
What a powerful parable! In our daily lives the need for forgiveness is so compelling that it is vital to dwell on the divine mercy of God and recall our need to return to the Lord in our moments of weakness and sin.
Like both brothers in the parable, we all sin and fall short of God’s grace; yet like the brothers, we also have a Father who loves and welcomes us whenever we seek to turn back. Both brothers could speak to their Father – in either humility or anger – and the Father responds to both with tenderness.
Today I would like to suggest two key points for our reflection in the light of this passage:
- How are my sins keeping me from God and others in my life?
- What steps do I need to take to return to the Lord and receive his grace?
God longs to welcome us back, and when we can humbly embrace our mistakes and sins we discover a grace beyond anything imaginable. May we have the courage to examine our hearts and return to the Lord – the source of all mercy.
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Note: This post was first published on September 5, 2016.
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Daily Mass: Christ reconciles us to God. Catholic Inspiration
Jesus Christ knows our hearts – the good, the bad and the ugly – and he offers mercy through his sacrifice on the Cross that we might have life. Take his hand!
Mass Readings – Saturday of the 22nd Week of the Year
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Calling, Yongsung Kim, Oil on Canvas.
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Daily Mass: An insight into God’s generous grace. Catholic Inspiration
The Lord’s parable about the landowner who hires workers throughout the day offers us an insight into how God continues to extend grace and mercy to us throughout our lives.
Mass Readings – Wednesday of the 20th Week of the Year
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Catholic Inspiration Archives
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Catholic Inspiration – Podcast Archives of Homilies & Talks- 29th Sunday of the Year: What will we make with the gift of our lives?
- Daily Mass: Will we stand up for the Lord?
- Daily Mass: Do not be afraid!
- Daily Mass: The Lord has made known his salvation
- Daily Mass: We are guided by the Fruits of the Spirit
- Daily Mass: Let your mercy come to us, O Lord
- Daily Mass: The lesson of the sign of Jonah
- Study, Pray, Serve: 29th Sunday of the Year
- 28th Sunday of the Year: We respond to God's banquet invitation
- Daily Mass: We are blessed when we hear and observe the Word of God
