Called To Witness....
Lent is a time for great reflection! We anticipate the Easter season, a time of hope and new life, but do we really understand our participation in the salvation of souls?
The collective witness of Simon of Cyrene (who carried the cross), Veronica (who wiped Jesus’ face), and Joseph of Arimathea (who provided a burial place for Him) reminds us that Christ is counting on others, friends and strangers. His earthly ministry has ended – until He comes again – but He seeks obedience, kindness and mercy from us today. Jesus is looking for friends!
Scripture gives us examples of people who befriended Jesus when His teachings were under attack. The sin of our first parents, Adam and Eve, and the events of the Old Testament are proof that God has worked tirelessly to heal the world’s distorted image of Him. This love and sacrifice continued through Christ’s work in the New Testament. But misinformation still remains a problem in His Church.
During the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, French pride and the Protestant Reformation were creating a “perfect storm.” The Jansenist heresy taught joyless moral rigorism, emphasizing fear, judgment and condemnation. Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation began a movement aimed to reform practices in the Roman Catholic Church, primarily related to the authority of popes and practices of indulgences. Luther maintained that (salvation) was granted by faith alone; he avowed that good works and the sacraments were not necessary in order to be saved. Jesus called upon three friends to relate his mercy and love in the midst of these incorrect faith practices. He revealed the devotion of His Sacred Heart to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. Christ disclosed the importance of the Eucharist to St. Alphonsus Ligori, who fought for the liberation of rigid moral theology. And to St Therese of Lisieux, the “Little Way,” He shared the message of a call to holiness and love, not sacrifice. Jesus is calling each of us to be His helpful friend. Are you ready to respond?
My husband, Dick, and I were returning home from evening Mass and witnessed a desperate situation. It was dark, and we were traveling a very busy two-lane highway when we noticed a driver swerving in front of us. This horror went on for 10 miles as erratic behavior worsened. The driver periodically drove on the wrong side of the highway, or down the centerline. We slowed down, put the flashers on, called 911, and began to pray. It wasn’t if this car was going to cause an accident, but rather when. We felt helpless, and so did everyone on the road with us. Was this person having a heart attack, diabetic issues, or impaired by alcohol or drugs? Several people were nearly run off the road before a head-on collision at 55 miles an hour occurred. Both drivers walked away unharmed, but a drug charge was made. When you feel helpless, prayer brings comfort and protection!
God is asking each of us to be merciful to everyone. We never know what is happening in someone’s life – creating a desperate moment that takes others down the road with them. In this Jubilee of Mercy we focus our prayers on those who need it most. There is an opportunity to seek mercy through pilgrimages to places with Holy Doors, receiving grace from indulgences that were once abused. In 2001, Pope John Paul II designated the Sunday after Easter as Divine Mercy Sunday. Please be a friend to Jesus! Witness His love to others, and share His Divine Mercy! Jesus is trusting in you! Amen!
