One God of love and mercy...

God is always calling everyone to conversion. He is a Merciful God, that wants we change our stone hearts in a new hearts. He does not want violence, but faith, because faith works through the spirit of forgiveness. One of the attributes of God is mercy, and maybe mercy is the most important characteristic of God with love. «God is love and mercy».

The Gospel shows ever the justice of God, because «God is love and mercy» (cf. Luke 13:1-9). His justice goes far beyond our justice. Jesus, in the Gospel, questions the idea we have of God's punishment. The attitude of God, in this sense, is no more than a sign, a pedagogical measure used by Him to makes us aware of our sin. And God often converts a sinner by granting Him unexpected. favors... «God is love and mercy». Remember when God, in the Old Testament speaks to Moses and says: «Moses! Moses! I have seen the humiliation of my people... I know their suffering... I have for my people a beautiful spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey (cf. Exodus 3:1-8,13-15). God always offer to us a new life, a new condition of life. He wants to convert our hearts. Our Merciful God wants to be with us and He is always waiting for our convertion.

Specially during the Lent station, every year, Our Lord gives us a new opportunity to change. We have at hand the works of mercy. When God reveal his name to Moses, He tells: «I am who I am», that means: «God is the One who is», who alone exists without any limitation... Because this reason, we know that his love and mercy are unlimited. We, like believers have the task of show and distribute the love and marcy of God with the fourteen works of mercy. Remember that we have seven corporal works of mercy and seven spiritual:

The seven corporal works of mercy are:

1. Feed the hungry.

2. To give drink to the thirsty.

3. To clothe the naked.

4. To shelter the homeless.

5. To visit the sick.

6. To visit the imprisoned.

7. To bury the dead.

The seven spiritual works of mercy are:

1. To counsel the doubtful.

2. To instruct the ignorant.

3. To admonish sinners.

4. To confort the afflicted.

5. To forgive offenses.

6. To bear wrongs patiently.

7. To pray for the living and the dead.

If we practice the works of mercy, we show the people the love of Christ, that is the rock of our faith. We don't have idols, we have only one God of love and mercy that invites us always to conversion, to be disciples and missionaries, agents of salvation... the salt of the earth (Matt 5:13), the light, the yeast. 

The first disciple and missionary that lives the love and marcy is Mary Mother of Mercy. She is our teacher to learn of her how practice the works of mercy. She gives us Jesus and His divine mercy. We, like her sons and daughters two... are privileged to give the love of mercy of our beloved brother Jesus to everyone we meet.

Fr. Alfredo.