1. ST MARY’S BEAULY OPENING SESSION THURSDAY, 3 RD DECEMBER, 2015.

2.  A Jubilee Year is when the Universal Catholic Church takes approximately a year to focus on forgiveness and healing in a special way.  Catholics are encouraged to join together in prayer, go to confession and share the genius and values of “Catholicity” with others.

3.  The Holy Year of Mercy is an opportunity to encounter the incredible mercy of God.  God is known to be a God of mercy and compassion. Understanding mercy is often difficult for people as we tend to be a generation of “I’ll get him for that” and “I hope they get what they deserve.” Many have developed a nature of harsh criticism. God, however, is merciful to even the worst offenders / sinners. This means that even though He knows of our guilt, He doesn’t always issue the punishment deserved. Romans 3:23-24 says “...all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God...”Romans 3:23-24  Encountering mercy, therefore, means to encounter God. It can transform your life, your relationships, your work and your ability to embrace and experience the entirety of life.  The Holy Year of Mercy is an invitation to practically demonstrate:  Love  Kindness  Unbounded generosity.

4.  Realizing the extraordinary acts of God’s love which is for us all, no matter where we are in life.  Witnessing the power of God’s mercy and becoming an instrument of that mercy.

5.  Pope Francis called for this Year of Mercy, seeing the great need for mercy and healing in the world, to focus on forgiveness and healing in a special way.  The Year of Mercy will focus on studying and reflecting on mercy, receiving mercy and being merciful towards others.  Pope Francis has asked us as individuals and as a Church “to be a witness of mercy” by reflecting on and practicing the spiritual and corporal works of mercy. (Announcement of the Year of Mercy).

6.  Like any Jubilee Year, a person can receive a plenary indulgence for the Year of Mercy. A plenary indulgence removes all of what is called “temporal punishment” due to sins that have already been forgiven.  Every sin, mortal or venial, is in some way a rejection of the best version of ourselves and a rejection of God.  Temporal punishment is the natural consequence of that sin, the necessary purification following forgiveness of sin.

7.  “MERCY?” – THIS IS THE NAME OF GOD  You encounter God:  In the Church  At the Confessional  At Home  In your Neighbour, the sick, the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, the imprisoned, the homeless, etc.  The offender – tripartite sense in forgiveness – God, Nature and Human.

8.  Accepting Pope Francis’ invitation for the Year of Mercy is an incredible opportunity to experience an in-depth and integral spiritual growth which will reflect in your life.  The Catechism (No. 2447) says that, “the works of mercy are charitable actions by which we come to the aid of our neighbour in his ‘/her’ spiritual and bodily necessities.”

9.  Pray Pope Francis’ Year of Mercy prayer daily. It is a quick and easy way to participate in the Jubilee Year.  Go to confession. We cannot give what we do not have. Experience God’s mercy first-hand.  Forgive someone. Do you have a difficult relationship in your life? Share God’s mercy with that person.  Read a good Catholic book about mercy. “The Joy of the Gospel” by Pope Francis is a good one.  Pick one spiritual and one corporal works of mercy. Do not try to do them all at once. Take one of each and focus on sharing mercy simply.  Pray the Divine Mercy Novena, starting on Good Friday. It is a typical nine-day novena to invoke Jesus’ mercy.  Take a pilgrimage. A spiritual shrine or site to spend some time with God. As a parish we think of the Pluscarden.

10.  “BE YOU, THEREFORE, MERCIFUL AS YOUR FATHER ALSO IS MERCIFUL”.  WE CAN DO IT. OR DO YOU NOT BELIEVE WE CAN?  WHAT DO YOU SAY? – YES OR NO?  GOD BLESS YOU.  Fr. MAXIMILIAN.