Have Mercy on us, Oh Lord!
Today is Mercy Sunday! A day filled with many graces for all of us, especially sinners desirous of returning to the Lord. It seemed Jesus wanted to make this point as we awoke of a blanket of white snow on the ground! I thought immediately of Isaiah 1:18
Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool.
Yes, truly this the the Lord's desire for us today. Father Gunter spoke of the Lord Mercy through a conversion story this morning. He chose to share the story of Claude Newman. (
The whole story can be found here)
Claude Newman
Claude was a simple black man, uneducated, who was sent to live with his grandmother at the age of 13. His grandmother soon married and abusive man who, even after becoming separated continued to come and abuse her. Claude decided to end the situation by killing him. He is arrested and placed on death row.
After obtaining a metal which attracted him worn by another prisoner of a lady with outstretched arms, Mary appeared to him and asked him to call a priest. The priest, Fr. O'Leary, came and began to teach him catechism and soon he was received into the Church, 4 days before his scheduled execution!
He was eager to be with Our Lady in Heaven but was granted a 2 week reprieve and his execution was postponed. He offered this time of separation for a fellow prisoner whose heart was very hardened towards him and towards the Church. After these two weeks, Claude was executed and soon the other prisoner also, but this man as he was being strapped into the electric chair had a vision of Claude (with Our Lady) who showed him his prepared place in hell if he did not repent and the man was concerted and received the Sacrament of Confession before his death.
And so, we see the Love of God and His desire to seek souls for Heaven. As Pope Francis continues to remind us from his first Angelus message:
Let us not forget this word: God never ever tires of forgiving us! “Well, Father what is the problem?”. Well, the problem is that we ourselves tire, we do not want to ask, we grow weary of asking for forgiveness. He never tires of forgiving, but at times we get tired of asking for forgiveness.
Let us never tire, let us never tire! He is the loving Father who always pardons, who has that heart of mercy for us all. And let us too learn to be merciful to everyone. Let us invoke the intercession of Our Lady who held in her arms the Mercy of God made man. (
Click for his entire Angelus message)
Have a wonderful day wrapped in His Mercy and Love!!!
Happy Easter! (Today marks the last day of the Easter Octave)
and Happy Mercy Sunday!!!