The quest for divine mercy

I have started to read Pope Francis' document called, Misericordiae vultus (The face of mercy) that announces the Jubilee Year of Mercy that will begin on December 8 this year, Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, and will end on November 20, 2016, Solemnity of Christ the King.

I am going to read and re-read it to savor the many fine points it contains and that deserve to be given due attention. I am sure these fine points will trigger more helpful insights and considerations. I hope more and more people get to read it as well if only to join in this common quest for divine mercy that sometimes can be very elusive.

I believe this pontificate of Pope Francis would like to be known, more than anything else, as that of mercy and compassion. It's a papal thrust that I believe the world today needs most. But it's also one that sparks and stirs some controversies that really need to be resolved.

Already in paragraph 2 of the document, we are asked to constantly contemplate the mystery of mercy. With those words, we are somehow told that there is still much of divine mercy that needs to be discovered and learned, lived and spread. Each one of us and the whole Church in general have to be up to par with God's mercy.

What is implied is that our current ways of dispensing divine mercy, whether done individually or collectively, socially or politically, personally or sacramentally, confidentially or pastorally, attitudinally or legally, etc., may need some updating, an “aggiornamento” of sorts that characterized the spirit of Vatican II and is in fact always an ongoing concern.

We should never think that what we already have and are doing insofar as living the spirit of the mercy of God is concerned is already complete and perfect. This spirit of God's mercy is a living thing that, while it is already quite well known and made available to us in abundance, can still spring new surprises.

This is, of course, a very delicate matter that has to be approached, studied and acted on with utmost care and prudence. That's why I would strongly suggest a lot of moderation and restraint in expressing our views on the matter.

While everyone has the right to express his views, we should also not forget that many times the discussion is better left first in the hands of experts who are in a better position to sort out the issue.

It cannot be denied that the issue at hand is a very complex one that has to be approached from different angles. Thus, we should always presume good intentions in everyone who expresses his views, no matter how different or opposed his is to ours, or no matter how convinced we are that his positions are wrong.

Of course, it is also presumed and strongly suggested that anyone who wants to participate in the discussion is motivated by the best of intentions and equipped with all that he can get to support his claims. We should try to avoid reckless and trivial comments that can only muddle the discussion.

We need to pray a lot, asking for enlightenment from the Holy Spirit, and always making a good grip on our emotions and passions, lest they flare up unduly. We should be open to the idea that the Holy Spirit is always guiding us and is pointing us new ways to tackle new challenges, even if there are permanent and unchangeable things involved.

Yes, indeed, we need to re-examine which part of the current practices with respect to asking and dispensing divine mercy need to be purified and updated. The temper of the times have changed, the sensibilities of the people are not as they were even a few years ago.

We have to be wary of a new pharisaism, marked by rigid legalism and traditionalism, that can fall on us without noticing it.

This is always a possibility and can afflict those of us who are quite sure of ourselves so as to be close-minded instead of always being open-minded.

Pope Francis always talks about the God of surprises. We may already know him a lot, but what we don't know about him is much more than what we already know. We should always keep this caveat in mind. God will always open new ways while retaining the absolute truth which in the end is his great love and mercy for us.

Thus, we have to continually embark on a quest for divine mercy.*

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