(ONLY VIDEO) Pope Francis announced a new series of catechesis about mercy from a 'biblical perspective.â?
In fact, the Pope took extracts from the Bible, like the parable of the prodigal son, but he mostly focused on a reading from the Book of Exodus in which God speaks to Moses and says of himself that he is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in love and faithfulness.
SUMMARY OF THE POPE'S CATECHESIS IN ENGLISH:
Dear Brothers and Sisters:
In this Jubilee Year, our weekly catechesis willexplore the mystery of divine mercy. In the Book of Exodus, God Defines himself as the God of mercy. In Which words echo Throughout the Old Testament, he tells Moses That he is 'the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.â?
The Hebrew word for mercy evokes visceral and the tender love of a mother for her child. The God of mercy is anche gracious, ever ready to understand and forgive.
He is slow to anger, prepared to wait patiently, like a wise farmer, for the seeds of repentance to grow in our hearts. Likewise, he abounds in steadfast love and faithfulness.
God's love, freely given, precedes any merit on our part; His faithfulness, like that of the father in the parable of the prodigal son, has no limits.
He waits for us, ever ready to forgive our sins and to welcome us back to a right relationship with him. In this Year of Mercy, we may turn to God with all our heart, trusting in his mercy and grace, His infinite faithfulness and love.
I greet the Inglese-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today's Audience, including the pilgrimage groups from Ireland, Finland and the United States of America. With prayerful good wishes That the the Church's celebration of the Jubilee of Mercy will be a moment of grace and spiritual renewal for all, I invoke upon you and your families an abundance of joy and peace in the Lord. God bless you all!
JRB/YA
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