Diocese of Toledo, Ohio

Browsing From the Pastor

Extending the Mercy that We Receive

   During this Extraordinary Jubilee Year, we are invited to focus our attention upon the Lord’s mercy for us and for all persons. All of us have done that which we regret. Regardless of our past, the Lord accepts and embraces us right where we are. The Lord has great plans for each of us, beginning now. We make the Lord’s acceptance of us our own as we receive His forgiveness as this is offered in a distinctive way in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. In this Sacrament, the Lord’s forgiveness is tailor-made for each of us. We are set free from all that would prevent the Lord from accomplishing His redeeming work in and through us.

   Performing the CORPORAL and SPIRITUAL WORKS OF MERCY expresses that for which the Lord’s redeeming love sets us free. The Corporal Works of Mercy include: feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, visit the sick, visit the imprisoned and bury the dead. The Spiritual Works of Mercy include: admonish the sinner, instruct the ignorant, counsel the doubtful, comfort the sorrowful, bear wrongs patiently, forgive all injuries and pray for the living and the dead. As we reflect upon the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy, we come to appreciate the truth that the Lord has concern for our total well-being. For example, if we are to be effective in preaching and teaching the Gospel, we need to tend to the physical and material needs of those to whom the Lord would lead us. When people are starving, lonely and homeless, we witness to our Faith by working to meet these needs in the Lord’s Name. As we do this, we contribute to a setting in which many may be receptive to the Faith of the Church as this is proclaimed and taught.

   Prayer equips us to be sensitive to the needs of others. As we pray for the well-being of persons, our attention is often drawn to specific persons who are hurting. As we continue to pray for the specific persons to whom our attention is drawn, it becomes clearer to us how these individuals are suffering. In and through prayer, we can gain the wisdom to realize both what we can do and also our limitations in reaching out to persons to whom our attention is drawn.

   At times, reaching out to others as the Lord wants us to do this calls for us to put a number of our own wants and even, for the time being, some of our needs on the back burner. This will influence how we spend our time, energy and financial resources.

   As we pray for specific persons, we also become aware of our limitations in regard to meeting particular needs that others might have. What a blessing it is that we have Catholic Charities to help us to meet a number of corporal needs that others might have. Our Diocese, by promoting vocations and catechetical formation as it does, supports our individual efforts to perform the Spiritual Works of Mercy.

   In our financial support for the Annual Catholic Appeal (ACA), we have a most excellent opportunity to extend the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy that we perform as individuals. Both as individuals and in working with one another to support the ACA, I hope that we will want to continue to do all that we can to extend Christ’s redeeming work in the world as this would come to expression in the corporal and spiritual works of mercy that we perform.  

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Nelson Beaver – Pastor

 

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