Magis Catholic

Reflecting on a message from Our Lady of Atonement

Forgiveness is divine. When we pray to God, we ask Him to forgive our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Jesus assures us that God desires mercy and He is open to those who ask for it. Mercy is God’s weapon in conquering evil.

But how does it work exactly?

Mercy propels us forward. It is as essential to us as breathing. Mercy brings us face-to-face with the humanity in others as well as our own. It reveals to us that we make mistakes too, no one is infallible. We have all have fallen short in the eyes of God.

And yet, even in our lowest of lows, God meets us with His Divine Mercy. Jesus entered the world to save God’s people. He came to call the sinners back to Him. He is the Good Shepherd who goes out into the fields, seeking His lost sheep. He knows that sin is destructive, and how it is a lack of love at its core. He came to repair the severed bonds. Through His cross, God assures us that he is able. He transforms, conquers, endures, pursues, persists, and prevails. He restores our dignity, previously broken by sin. He calls us as His own. Our anger towards sin and its effects, no matter how righteous it is, has been bought and covered by the blood of the Lamb.

The cross is a reminder that sin exists, and the empty tomb is a reminder that God overcomes. His Holy Sacrifice fully satisfies divine justice. Through Him, we regain access to God. We become children of our Father, who runs to embrace us as we come home. He forgives us first because His very nature is love. His face is mercy.

And what is love if it’s not merciful?

We forgive so that we can keep on loving. Human beings, as we are, we are limited by our own brokenness. Forgiveness doesn’t come naturally to us, it is often difficult and is riddled with pain. God understands this. He calls us to forgive anyway.

He tells us to not be afraid to imitate His own heart. He points us to His Son on the cross. He wants us to have the heart of His Son: pierced, broken, and given for others.

Even though we love imperfectly and we forgive imperfectly, it’s okay. There is much rejoicing in heaven with one sinner who repents. Imagine the celebration during your change of heart. All that matters to God is that we surrender and we follow, confident that our God is the God of the Resurrection. What is impossible to Him?

It is the Lord who will accomplish whatever is lacking in us. He completes our love. His love is patient and kind, it holds no record of wrongs, it bears all things, endures all things. And this kind of love – this mercy – never fails.

Reflection inspired by Our Lady of Atonement of Baguio Cathedral