Begin the Lenten season, Pope Francis talked about three things that keep us from the mercy of God, from entering the “Door of Mercy.”
first we can “bolt the door.” that is we can think that living with our sins of OK, no bog deal, it’s not as bad as everyone else. this closes us off from God!
Second, we can be too ashamed to admit our sins. But shame can be the sign that we don’t want to live in our sins and are looking for a way to end the slavery and estrangement from God
Third, we can move away from the door when we dwell on our sins and mireries, compounding the distance from God and increasing our depression.
The Holy Father calls us to three ways (isn’t that Catholic) to move into and through the “Door of Mercy.”
- PRAYER: opens us to God’s mercy and life
- CHARITY: overcomes the estrangement we have with others
- FASTING: frees our souls and hearts from dependency on anything except God
I found this a great consolation for this beginning of Lent. Let’s all try to live the message: God loves us, and Jesus to Risen!
fr leo