God invites us to join in his mission to spread his message of mercy everywhere with love in our heart. This mission is not for exclusive membership but welcomes everyone. He tells us not to be self-conceited and choosy about doing his work. His kingdom is not about self-fulfilment but humility, sacrifice and self-depreciation. He must increase, we must decrease. Doing God’s work is not exclusive of the privileged few but includes everybody. He invites us to walk the road of sacrifice and temperance, putting God’s things first before everything else. Self-depreciation doesn’t mean to undermine our worth as a human being but to recognize the omnipotence of God in our lives.
Jesus encouraged those who wanted to be his followers to recognize their obligation to the poor. In Luke 18:22-23, he told the young man, “ sell all you have and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven, and come follow me.” Let us be firm and committed in our mission in the service of God and his people as Jesus did. He is the model in our ministries.
In his mission of mercy, Jesus spent much of his time in the streets, towns and villages ministering to the needs of the poor. He was an itinerant preacher always “ on the go“, doing his Father’s will, driven by the urgency of his mission of mercy to the lost, the last and the least who were like sheep without a shepherd. ( Mt. 9:36). He was roofless but his condition did not deter him to continue his mission to serve and sanctify.
Who are the poor? We often think that poverty is only being foodless and roofless. But Mother Teresa of Calcutta said that; “ the poverty of being un-loved and un-cared for is the greatest poverty.” She further said that the poor is Jesus in disguise.
The call of Jesus is to open our doors, come down from our pedestals, entitlements, and privileged comfort zones, especially in these challenging times in our church. We still have much to learn about shepherding, lowliness, prayer and trust in God.
Pope Francis said that the Lord is knocking at the door of our heart. Have we put a sign; “ DO NOT DISTURB”. He further said that we must be good to those who cannot repay us. If we have no peace it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other. Mother Teresa said that we should not serve the poor like they were Jesus, but we should serve the poor because they are Jesus.
If everything else is lost and degraded in one’s life, there is one thing that holds and remains permanently, and that is the image of God in us. No matter how destitute or forlorn a person is, let’s give that person the dignity for he or she is a child of God and without God in our heart, our love is self-serving, meaningless and empty.
Today, many lie in the bed of suffering and by the roadsides waiting for liberating words and helping hands. Let us express our love in concrete action rather than in beautiful words and terminologies. The Divine Mercy is the best language in our conversation with the oppressed and persecuted, the most effective tool to soften the hardest of hearts and the most effective prayer to bring God’s healing power in the worst of human conditions.
Let us experience mercy in the joy of the gospel,
St. Faustina wrote Jesus words; “ Through the Chaplet you will obtain everything, if what you ask for is compatible to My Will. “ ( Diary 1731).
Pray the Divine Mercy every 3 p.m. Daily pray the Chaplet of Mercy for peace in our families and the world.