by Kathryn Marcellino, OCDS
There are some errors we can fall into. Some are “presumption” (thinking we will be saved no matter what we do), having a lax consience (thinking things are not sinful that are not sinful), “despair” (thinking there is no hope for us personally) or being “scrupulous” (thinking things are sins that are not sins).
We want to avoid extremes. Our goal should be to have a correctly formed conscience that is based on the reality of what Jesus really said and not on opinions or feelings or possibly our emotional woundedness. No one is too great a sinner to be saved if he is repentant and goes to Jesus. There is hope for everyone if they put their hope in Jesus Christ. At the same time we need to persevere until the end to be saved as one can lose their salvation if they return to their sins and do not repent.
Isaiah 1:18: “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”
Blessed Pope John Paul II during his pontificate proclaimed the Sunday after Easter as Divine Mercy Sunday. It seems fitting after reflecting on Jesus’ death and resurrection (and how bad sin really is to demand such a sacrifice on Jesus’ part) that we also need to know of and trust in God’s great love and mercy.
The Bible says that all are “sinners and have fallen short of the glory of God”. God in his great love and mercy desires to forgive us for our sins and to bring us to Heaven. We are not entitled to go to Heaven just because we are a member of a church or have devout friends or relatives. Each person must work out their own salvation. We need to play by God’s rules and not our own rules or emotions or opinions. We need to forgive others so we can be forgiven and to what Jesus said to do at least to the best of our knowledge.
In any event, given all those hard sayings, Jesus did want us in these times to know and trust in his Mercy. His private revelations to St. Faustina about his Mercy have been accepted by the church and are in line with the Bible and Church teachings. By these private revelations it seems as if Jesus wants to really emphasize his Mercy in these times before the end of time when all will be judged. Jesus want us to turn or return to him and TRUST in his mercy.
Some of us may have given up on trying to conquer certain sins or excused ourselves for one reason or another. We need to be careful about rationalizing. The Bible does say that if we sin we become a slave of sin. Jesus can set us free from this slavery. We may get stuck in our sins and feel hopeless or lost or maybe unforgiveable but Jesus a greater savior than we are a sinner.
2 Cor. 12:9: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
Jesus wants to save us from our slavery to sin. He wants to heal us, forgive us, grant us his peace, and in fact that is why he came. He wishes to give us a new life in him.
Our contemporary culture might ignore sin and think it doesn’t exist. But the other extreme is that we think our sins are too horrible or bad to be forgiven. No matter what we have done or how horrible they could be, Jesus wants to forgive us and is ready to forgive us because of his great Mercy. He wants us to trust in his mercy. No matter what our sins are they can be forgiven if we come in prayer to Jesus with a repentent heart and a willingness to stop sinning; God will forgive us and give us a new start and wash away our sins.
God will forgive ours sins through prayer directly to God if there is true sorrow and repentance coupled with firm resolution to avoid this sin in the future. However, (given that we have an opportunity) we still need to go to confession for any serious sins committed especially before returning to Holy Communion. Jesus gave his apostles (and their descendents which are the present day bishops and priests through their ordination) the power to forgive sins in his name and wishes us to make use of this sacrament.
The message of Divine Mercy to St. Faustina was also to have a picture of Jesus of Divine Mercy in our home and to say the prayer often “Jesus, I trust in you.” St. Faustina’s spiritual director said that part of the message was that Jesus said: “I will save those cities and houses in which this Image will be found.” He also said: “I will likewise protect the persons who will honor and trust in My Mercy.”
Part of the message also is that one thing that truly offends God is that we are not putting our trust in him and his mercy (and we all are in need of it even the great saints.) No one can save themselves and we are all dependent on Jesus and his great mercy and love.
Just an aside, sometimes we do not realize that God already loves us. We do not need to earn God’s love and it is unconditional love. God knows we are not perfect and yet he wants to help perfect us so we can be like him and go to Heaven. He loves us while we are yet sinners… so we should not let our sins keep us from coming to God, but should rush to Jesus and ask for his help to overcome them. Like I said Jesus already loves us while we are still sinners and wishes us to come to him just as we are so he can help us. He is like the doctor for our soul, and to cure our disease of sin we need to go to him to be forgiven and healed. He waits with open arms no matter what we have done. He loves us so much and only wants what is best for us.
Here is a summary of the teachings on Divine Mercy given to St. Faustina from http://thedivinemercy.org/message/:
The Divine Mercy message is one we can call to mind simply by remembering ABC:
A – Ask for His Mercy. God wants us to approach Him in prayer constantly, repenting of our sins and asking Him to pour His mercy out upon us and upon the whole world.
B – Be merciful. God wants us to receive His mercy and let it flow through us to others. He wants us to extend love and forgiveness to others just as He does to us.
C – Completely trust in Jesus. God wants us to know that the graces of His mercy are dependent upon our trust. The more we trust in Jesus, the more we will receive.
Here are a few sayings from the Diary of St. Faustina called Divine Mercy in My Soul (which is online at http://www.saint-faustina.com/Diary/DMIMS1.shtml):
p. 529: “Jesus: My child, make the resolution to never rely on people. Entrust yourself completely to My will saying, ‘Not as I want, but according to Your will, O God, let it be done to me.’ These words spoken from the depths of one’s heart, can raise a soul to the summit of sanctity in a short time. In such a soul I delight. Such a soul gives Me glory…But understand that the strength by which you bear sufferings comes from frequent Communions. So approach this fountain of mercy often, to draw from the vessel of trust whatever you need.”
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