Word of Life May 2015 WOL-May2015: Bishop Jesus A. Cabrera,DD1

“But God, who is RICH IN MERCY, because of the GREAT LOVE He had for us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to LIFE WITH CHRIST” (Eph. 2:4-5). WOL-May2015: Bishop Jesus A. Cabrera,DD2

When God appeared to Moses on Mount Sinai, He revealed Himself as “the Lord, a God, merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Ex 34:6). WOL-May2015: Bishop Jesus A. Cabrera,DD3

To show the nature of His love, the Hebrew Bible uses a word that recalls a mother’s womb, WOL-May2015: Bishop Jesus A. Cabrera,DD4 the place where life begins.

God shows that for each thing He made, He is concerned as a mother is for her child. WOL-May2015: Bishop Jesus A. Cabrera,DD5

He cares for, is near to, protects, WOL-May2015: Bishop Jesus A. Cabrera,DD6

7 and looks after His creatures.

The Bible uses other terms to express other aspects of this love, for example, faithfulness, benevolence, goodness, and solidarity. WOL-May2015: Bishop Jesus A. Cabrera,DD8

Mary in her Magnificat also sings of “the Almighty’s mercy... from generation to generation” (see Lk 1:50). WOL-May2015: Bishop Jesus A. Cabrera,DD9

Jesus spoke to us of God’s love, revealing Him as a “father”, close and attentive to our every need and keen to pardon. WOL-May2015: Bishop Jesus A. Cabrera,DD10

“He makes His sun rise on both the evil and the good, and sends rain on both the righteous and the unrighteous” (see Mt. 5:45). WOL-May2015: Bishop Jesus A. Cabrera,DD11

His love is truly “rich” and “great,” as described in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. “ WOL-May2015: Bishop Jesus A. Cabrera,DD12

“But God, who is RICH IN MERCY, because of the GREAT LOVE He had for us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to LIFE WITH CHRIST” (Eph. 2:4-5). WOL-May2015: Bishop Jesus A. Cabrera,DD13

What Paul declares here is almost a cry of joy born from contemplation of the extraordinary God has done for us: WE WERE DEAD AND HE REVIVED US, GIVING US NEW LIFE. WOL-May2015: Bishop Jesus A. Cabrera,DD14

These words begin with the word “ But”, indicating the tragic condition of humanity crushed beneath its wrongdoing and sins, prisoner of selfish and wicked desires, under the influence of powers of evil, in open rebellion against God. WOL-May2015: Bishop Jesus A. Cabrera,DD15

This situation would have deserved God’s wrath (see Eph. 2:1-3). WOL-May2015: Bishop Jesus A. Cabrera,DD16

However, God, instead of punishing us - hence, to Paul’s utter amazement - gives humanity life again. WOL-May2015: Bishop Jesus A. Cabrera,DD17

God does not let Himself be governed by wrath, but by mercy and by love. WOL-May2015: Bishop Jesus A. Cabrera,DD18

Jesus already suggested that God acted like this in the parable of the Prodigal Son, in which the younger brother was welcomed back by his father with open arms after he had sunk low and was living under inhuman conditions, WOL-May2015: Bishop Jesus A. Cabrera,DD19

or in the parable of the Good Shepherd who goes in search of the lost sheep and puts it on His shoulders bringing it back home. WOL-May2015: Bishop Jesus A. Cabrera,DD20

Similarly, mercy and goodness is evident in the Good Samaritan who cares for the wounds of the man who had fallen victim into the hands of robbers (see Lk. 15:11-32; 3-7; 10:30-37). WOL-May2015: Bishop Jesus A. Cabrera,DD21

God, symbolized in parables as the merciful Father, has not only forgiven us but also has given us Life itself in His Son Jesus. WOL-May2015: Bishop Jesus A. Cabrera,DD22

That is, He has given us the fullness of divine life, thus, leading Paul to this hymn of gratitude. WOL-May2015: Bishop Jesus A. Cabrera,DD23

“But God, who is RICH IN MERCY, because of the GREAT LOVE He had for us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to LIFE WITH CHRIST” (Eph. 2:4-5). WOL-May2015: Bishop Jesus A. Cabrera,DD24

This Word of Life should make us feel the same joy and gratitude experienced by Paul and the first Christian community. WOL-May2015: Bishop Jesus A. Cabrera,DD25

To us, God shows Himself “rich in mercy” and “great love,” ready to forgive and trust us again. WOL-May2015: Bishop Jesus A. Cabrera,DD26

There is no situation of sin, suffering or solitude, where He does not make Himself present to accompany us on our way, giving us strength and the possibility to rise up and start all over again. WOL-May2015: Bishop Jesus A. Cabrera,DD27

Two years ago, in March 17, at Pope Francis’ first “Angelus”, he started speaking about God’s mercy, a theme characteristics of him. WOL-May2015: Bishop Jesus A. Cabrera,DD28

He said, “God’s face is that of a merciful father, ever-patient. He understands us, He waits for us. He does not tire forgiving us.” WOL-May2015: Bishop Jesus A. Cabrera,DD29

Pope Francis ended saying, “He is the loving Father who always has that heart of mercy for everyone”. WOL-May2015: Bishop Jesus A. Cabrera,DD30

If God is rich in mercy and great love, we too are called to do the same to one another. WOL-May2015: Bishop Jesus A. Cabrera,DD31

If He loves those who are bad, His enemies, we too ought to love the “unlovable”. WOL-May2015: Bishop Jesus A. Cabrera,DD32

Didn’t Jesus tell us, “Forgive... and you will be forgiven” (Mt. 5:7)? WOL-May2015: Bishop Jesus A. Cabrera,DD33

Did He not ask us to be merciful, just as our Father is merciful? WOL-May2015: Bishop Jesus A. Cabrera,DD34

Paul too invites his communities to clothe themselves “with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience” (Col 3:12). WOL-May2015: Bishop Jesus A. Cabrera,DD35

If we believe in God’s love, we, in turn, can also love by drawing closer to every situation of pain and need, WOL-May2015: Bishop Jesus A. Cabrera,DD36

forgiving, WOL-May2015: Bishop Jesus A. Cabrera,DD37

protecting Protecting WOL-May2015: Bishop Jesus A. Cabrera,DD38

and looking after the other person. WOL-May2015: Bishop Jesus A. Cabrera,DD39

In this way we bear witness, through our life, to how God is rich in mercy and great love! Fr.Fabio Ciardi WOL-May2015: Bishop Jesus A. Cabrera,DD Text by: