“Mercy has no religion. Mercy belongs to everyone.”
This is what Archbishop Emeritus of Manila Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales D.D. reiterated in his homily during the closing of the Jubilee Year of Mercy in the Archdiocese of Manila yesterday, November 13, held at the Manila Cathedral – Basilica.
The Archbishop Emeritus of Manila led the celebration of the mass together with Papal Nuncio Giuseppe Pinto, Bishop Antoine Chbeir of Latakia in Syria, Bishop Montfort Stima of Mangochi in Malawi. Other priests and religious, including the Carmelites, the Dominicans and the Augustinians also graced the closing mass.
Cardinal Rosales quoted Pope Francis’s thoughts in Misercordiae vultus to encourage everyone to love and be “merciful like the Father.” “The mission of Jesus is to reveal to us humans the mystery of the love of God in its entirety… In many of us the love of God is set in His mysterious ways...,” Cardinal Rosales said.
“Our God is love. Our God is mercy… We know that mercy is for everyone through the first book of the Bible – the Book of Genesis… We were created to bring the image of God to everyone, to bring the love of God to everyone…,” Cardinal Rosales added.
Cardinal Rosales also spoke about the ‘Miracle of Mercy’ which happens every time we imitate the actions of Jesus Christ and his loving concern to all the people, especially to the poor and the weak.
“Whom shall we have mercy on? Jesus himself was merciful to everyone, even to the weak, the homeless, the hungry, the thirsty and the naked… Show mercy to others and you will know God more…”
The current Archbishop of Manila, Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle was not around during the closing of the Year of Mercy because of some commitments he made in Rome but he issued a message that was read by Rev. Fr. Reginald Malicdem, the Rector of the Manila Cathedral – Basilica and also the Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Manila.
In the message, Cardinal Tagle offered some points for reflection. He said that “Jesus will never close the door of his heart to those who seek his mercy.” He encouraged everyone to continue the pilgrimage of mercy by encountering the hungry, the homeless, the sick, the imprisoned and our other less-fortunate brothers, ‘for it is in this pilgrimage with the poor that we will meet Jesus.’
He also encouraged all people to not be afraid to acknowledge their faults and ‘to ask pardon to the people we have hurt’ and to understand the weaknesses and pains of other people.
The Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy began last December 08, 2015, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception and will end on November 20, 2016, the Solemnity of Christ the King.
Pope Francis made three invitations to all Catholics for this Jubilee Year: first, to receive the mercy of God through confession; second, to extend and give our mercy to the people who have sinned against us and; third, to proclaim and become a missionary of God’s mercy to the rest of the world.