Three Services of Reconciliation inspired by Misericordiae Vultus – The Face of Mercy
A
Song Be Merciful, O Lord (Michael Joncas)
All sing: Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned
Opening Prayer
Let us pray,
All say: God of infinite mercy,
Pour out your generous wisdom upon us as we face up to our shortcomings. Help us see ourselves through your eyes of compassion and to make an honest confession.
We ask this in the name of Jesus, companion of sinners. Amen.
Introduction
Pope Francis has called for an Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy from 8 December 2015 to the Solemnity of Christ the King in November 2016. These excerpts from the Document – Misericordiae Vultus – form the core of our reflection and preparation.
M.V. 9. ‘In the parables devoted to mercy, Jesus reveals the nature of God as that of a Father who never gives up until he has forgiven the wrong and overcome rejection with compassion and mercy. We know these parables well, three in particular: the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the father with two sons. In these parables, God is always presented as full of joy, especially when he pardons. In them we find the core of the Gospel and of our faith, because mercy is presented as a force that overcomes everything, filling the heart with love and bringing consolation through pardon.’
Brief Reflection
The parables of mercy were addressed to ordinary people whose understanding of God and God’s mercy was limited by their culture and religious tradition. Jesus opened up another window of understanding through these stories which challenged these often imposed views and beliefs. Jesus also presented his alternative perspective by using people that behaved or appeared out of character. Shepherds were not regarded as very trustworthy yet this shepherd put himself out to find the one who had strayed away. A story about a woman shows that Jesus included all people in his teaching and did not dismiss the influence of the female in this work of mercy. The story of the prodigal threatened the established code of family, inheritance and loyalty. Yet in all these events we see mercy breaking down barriers and expectations, crossing over seemingly insurmountable canyons and seeping into every corner of the lives of men and women. What do these parables of mercy have to say to us today? What are the taboos in our time that God’s mercy can lift? What do we need to let go of so that this irrepressible force of love and compassion can soften our hearts? Are we up for the challenge in this jubilee year of turning upside down our own understanding of mercy?
Examination of Conscience
Luke 15:4
‘What man among you with a hundred sheep, losing one, would not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the missing one till he found it?’
I don’t place an equal value on all in my care. Déan trócaire is trua
I don’t reach out to those who are lost. Déan trócaire is trua
I don’t put myself out for others. Déan trócaire is trua
Luke 15:10
‘I tell you there is rejoicing among the angels of God over one repentant sinner’
I find it hard to let go of a hurt or a grudge. Déan trócaire is trua
I find it hard to believe in the joy of confession. Déan trócaire is trua
I find it hard to be happy when someone repents. Déan trócaire is trua
Luke 15:21
He ran to the boy and clasped him in his arms and kissed him tenderly
I don’t show forgiveness when I am hurt. Déan trócaire is trua
I don’t show my tenderness out of fear. Déan trócaire is trua
I don’t show affection by way of punishment. Déan trócaire is trua
Song Lord, Show Us Your Mercy (Jeanne Cotter)
All sing: Lord, show us your mercy and love (2)
Act of Sorrow
Individual Confession and Absolution
The Lord’s Prayer Our Father (Ronan McDonagh)
M.V. 9. ctd. As we can see in Sacred Scripture, mercy is a key word that indicates God’s action towards us. He does not limit himself merely to affirming his love, but makes it visible and tangible. Love, after all, can never be just an abstraction. By its very nature, it indicates something concrete: intentions, attitudes, and behaviours that are shown in daily living. The mercy of God is his loving concern for each one of us. He feels responsible; that is, he desires our wellbeing and he wants to see us happy, full of joy, and peaceful. This is the path which the merciful love of Christians must also travel. As the Father loves, so do his children. Just as he is merciful, so we are called to be merciful to each other.
You might like to take a prayer card with you after the service that will be a reminder of the ongoing work of mercy and reflection.
Final Prayer
Let us pray,
All say: God of tenderness and compassion,
We thank you for the grace of your mercy
We celebrate the joy of your forgiveness
We commit to sharing your generosity with others.
Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Greetings to you, O Holy Queen. We salute you, Mother of mercy. You are our life, our sweetness and our hope. As we struggle in our humanity with the difficulties of life we turn to you with tearful eyes and heavy hearts. Let your merciful eyes look kindly upon us and point us with your look of love towards the fruit of our womb, Jesus, O merciful, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Amen.
Song Salve Regina (Chant)
Salve, Regina, Mater misericordiæ,
vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve.
Ad te clamamus exsules filii Hevæ,
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes
in hac lacrimarum valle.
Eia, ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos
misericordes oculos ad nos converte;
Et Jesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui,
nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.
O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria.
B
Opening Song Amazing Grace (Traditional)
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now I’m found
Was blind, but now I see.
‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace my fears relieved.
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.
Opening Prayer
Let us pray,
Compassionate and understanding God, loving creator of all, we ask your help as we confess our sins. Open our hearts to your boundless love and mercy. Give us the courage to walk into your loving embrace where we can be restored and renewed. We ask this, through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Introduction
Pope Francis has called for an Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy from 8 December 2015 to the Solemnity of Christ the King in November 2016. These excerpts from the Document – Misericordiae Vultus – form the core of our reflection and preparation.
M.V. 9. ctd. ‘We cull an important teaching for our Christian lives. In reply to Peter’s question about how many times it is necessary to forgive, Jesus says: “I do not say seven times, but seventy times seven times” (Mt 18:22). He then goes on to tell the parable of the “ruthless servant,” who, called by his master to return a huge amount, begs him on his knees for mercy. His master cancels his debt. But he then meets a fellow servant who owes him a few cents and who in turn begs on his knees for mercy, but the first servant refuses his request and throws him into jail. When the master hears of the matter, he becomes infuriated and, summoning the first servant back to him, says, “Should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?” (Mt 18:33). Jesus concludes, “So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart” (Mt 18:35).’
Brief Reflection
At the beginning of the Jewish New Year – Rosh Hashanah – the people believe that God decides what will happen in the year ahead. They trust that God will balance a person’s good deeds against their bad ones during the past year and will decide their fate accordingly. The Days of Awe last for 10 days beginning with Rosh Hashanah during which Jewish people are expected to seek out those they have offended during the previous year and to make it up to them. [The season of Advent is the start of the Church’s New Year and 10 days from the first Sunday of Advent will bring us to the 8th of December – the opening of the Jubilee of Mercy]. The Jubilee of Mercy gives us the opportunity to begin again in our relationship with God and with others. If we reflect on the teaching of Jesus in the parable of the ‘ruthless servant’ we will see that mercy offered is meant to be mercy shared. We also learn that mercy cannot be quantified or limited as the God of ‘second chances’ inspires to expand our horizons of mercy.
Song God of Second Chances (David Haas)
All sing: Come now, O God of second chances; open our lives to heal
Remove our hate, and melt our rage. Save us from ourselves.
Come now, O God and grant compassion; open our hearts to love
May we let go of all our hurt, help us to move on.
Matthew 18:22
Not seven, I tell you, but seventy seven times
I can be less than generous in my forgiving. Lord have mercy
I can be calculating in showing mercy. Lord have mercy
I can be cruel in my judgement of others. Lord have mercy
Matthew 18:33
Should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?
Sometimes I am blind to my own faults. Lord have mercy
Sometimes I am merciless to others. Lord have mercy
Sometimes I am hard in punishing others. Lord have mercy
Matthew 18:35
And that is how my father will deal with each one of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart
I fail to forgive in my mind. Lord have mercy
I fail to forgive from my soul. Lord have mercy
I fail to forgive with my heart. Lord have mercy
Reflection from the Mystics – Anthony of Egypt (Father Pius Sammut O.C.D.)
‘It happened one day that one of the brethren in the monastery of Abba Elias was tempted. Cast out of the monastery, he went over the mountain to Abba Anthony. The brother lived near him for a while and then Anthony sent him back to the monastery from which he had been expelled. When the brothers saw him they cast him out yet again, and he went back to Abba Anthony saying, “My Father, they will not receive me.” Then the old man sent them a message saying, “A boat was shipwrecked at sea and lost its cargo; with great difficulty it reached the shore; but you want to throw into the sea that which has found a safe harbour on the shore.” When the brothers understood that it was Abba Anthony who had sent them this monk, they received him at once. ‘
Act of Sorrow
Individual Confession and Absolution
The Lord’s Prayer Our Father (Ronan McDonagh)
M.V. 9. ctd. ‘As we can see in Sacred Scripture, mercy is a key word that indicates God’s action towards us. He does not limit himself merely to affirming his love, but makes it visible and tangible. Love, after all, can never be just an abstraction. By its very nature, it indicates something concrete: intentions, attitudes, and behaviours that are shown in daily living. The mercy of God is his loving concern for each one of us. He feels responsible; that is, he desires our wellbeing and he wants to see us happy, full of joy, and peaceful. This is the path which the merciful love of Christians must also travel. As the Father loves, so do his children. Just as he is merciful, so we are called to be merciful to each other.’
You might like to take a prayer card with you after the service that will be a reminder of the ongoing work of mercy and reflection.
Final Prayer
Let us pray,
All say: Lord, we thank you for the gift of your forgiveness that lightens our step and lifts the burden of guilt from our shoulders.
Lord, we thank you for the gift of your mercy that now enables us to open our hearts to others in a spirit of reconciliation.
Lord, we thank you for the gift of compassion that helps us to forgive ourselves and move on as people renewed and reborn.
Bless our journey of mercy and support us every step of the road.
We ask this in the name of Jesus, the source of forgiveness. Amen.
All sing: Come now, O God of second chances: may we forgive ourselves,
May we become your living sign: children of God’s love.
C
Opening Song Bless The Lord, My Soul (Taizé)
All sing: Bless the Lord my soul and bless God’s holy name.
Bless the Lord my soul who leads me into life.
Opening Prayer
Let us pray,
Generous and loving God,
you have invited us to take this step on our pilgrimage of mercy. Help us to open the eyes of our hearts to see our human weaknesses and failings. Through the spirit of mercy give us the grace to confess them without fear. We ask this, through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Introduction
Pope Francis has called for an Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy from 8 December 2015 to the Solemnity of Christ the King in November 2016. These excerpts from the Document – Misericordiae Vultus – form the core of our reflection and preparation.
M.V. 3 ‘At times we are called to gaze even more attentively on mercy so that we may become a more effective sign of the Father’s action in our lives. For this reason I have proclaimed an Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy as a special time for the Church; a time when the witness of believers might grow stronger and more effective.’
Misericordiae Vultus – The Face of Mercy (3)
Brief Reflection
Another help on our inner journey of preparation is the logo of the Jubilee of Mercy designed by Father Marco Rupnik S.J. in which Jesus is depicted as the Good Shepherd carrying on his shoulders Adam representing all humanity. Jesus is the merciful one who goes out to look for the lost and carries them home on his shoulders. A very striking feature of the logo is that Jesus and Adam share a common eye indicating that both see life from each other’s perspective –Jesus and all humanity see eye to eye with each other. Learning to see ourselves and our sisters and brothers through the same compassionate eye through which boundless mercy and forgiveness flows is a day to day challenge.
The logo is also in the shape of an eye on a background of various shades of blue from a dark inner core to a lighter blue at the edge. These shades of blue indicate the movement of Christ who carries humanity out of darkness into light. Can we make that journey as we experience God’s mercy and learn to be merciful in return?
The hands and feet of Jesus show the red marks of suffering which is the price of reconciliation and the frame of the cross supports the redeeming figure of Jesus.
As we reflect on our need for healing let us draw strength from the cross of Christ on which a promise of paradise was made. Mercy offered and accepted brings about change.
Jesus Remember Me (Taizé)
All sing: Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom
Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom.
Examination of Conscience
Micah 7:19
You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea
I drag up hurts from the past. Lord have mercy
I put people on a guilt-trip. Lord have mercy
I find it hard to forgive myself. Lord have mercy
Psalm 103
The Lord is compassion and love, slow to anger and rich in mercy
He does not treat us according to our sins nor repay us according to our deeds
I have been cruel to others by rationing mercy. Lord have mercy
I have failed to share the compassion I receive. Lord have mercy
I have been revengeful and spiteful. Lord have mercy
Luke 10:33
But a Samaritan while travelling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity
I don’t always see the needs of others. Lord have mercy
I often fail to see the effects of my greed. Lord have mercy
I sometimes can’t see my duty to the poor. Lord have mercy
Reflection on forgiveness (David Whyte – Readers’ Circle 2011-2012)
‘To forgive is to put oneself in a larger gravitational field of experience than the one that first seemed to hurt us. We re-imagine ourselves in the light of our maturity and we re-imagine the past in the light of our new identity, allowing ourselves to be gifted by a story larger than the story that first hurt us and left us bereft. At the end of life, the wish to be forgiven is ultimately the chief desire of almost every human being. In refusing to wait; in extending forgiveness to others now; we begin the long journey of becoming the person who will be large enough, able enough and generous enough to receive, at the very end, that absolution ourselves.’
Act of Sorrow
Individual Confession and Absolution
The Lord’s Prayer Our Father (Ronan McDonagh)
Conclusion
You have now crossed the threshold of mercy and experienced the gift of reconciliation. This grace is offered again and again when we reach out to those who we have offended and in turn accept the apology of others who are sorry for what they have done to us. In this way the motto for the Year – ‘Merciful Like the Father’ – will be brought to life not only in our lives but in the lives of all with whom we have contact.
You might like to take our Jubilee of Mercy pack with you after the service that will be a reminder of the ongoing work of mercy and reflection.
Final Prayer
Let us pray,
All say: Lord, we thank you for the grace of crossing the threshold of mercy in the sacrament of reconciliation.
Through the eyes of mercy help me:
to see the needs of others
to see the other point of view
to see myself and others as you see us.
We ask this in the name of Jesus, the healer of our souls. Amen.
Pope Francis invokes the help of Mary, the Mother of Mercy for this Jubilee.
M.V. 24 ‘May the sweetness of her countenance watch over us in this Holy Year, so that all of us may rediscover the joy of God’s tenderness.’ (M.V. 24)
All say: Greetings to you, O Holy Queen. We salute you, Mother of mercy. You are our life, our sweetness and our hope. As we struggle in our humanity with the difficulties of life we turn to you with tearful eyes and heavy hearts. Let your merciful eyes look kindly upon us and point us with your look of love towards the fruit of our womb, Jesus, O merciful, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Amen.
Song Holy Mary Full of Grace (Paul Décha)
Music and the Jubilee of Mercy
The 2016 Diocesan Music programme for Second Level Schools – Emmanuel – contains four selections for use during the Jubilee. Jeanne Cotter’s setting of Psalm 85 – Lord, Show Us Your Mercy is gentle and reassuring. Prayer For Mercy presents four settings of the Kyrie/Lord Have Mercy from various traditions – Plainchant, Polyphonic, Irish Traditional and Contemporary with suggested texts in between. Trevor Thomson’s Let Your Mercy Wash Over Us is pleading and insistent. The Anthem for World Youth Day 2016 which will take place in Kracow, Poland is Blest Are The Merciful. It has a catchy refrain which will be sung by millions of young people from all over the world in their preparations and during their time in Kracow.