The mercy of God - 3

The princes of the earth disdain even to look upon those rebel subjects who come to ask their pardon; but God does not so act with us when we return to Him: Return to me, saith the Lord, and I will receive thee (Jer. iii. 1).

I. The princes of the earth disdain even to look upon those rebel subjects who come to ask their pardon; but God does not act thus in our regard: He will not turn away his face from you if you return to him (2 Par. xxx. 9). God cannot turn His face from those who return to cast themselves at His feet: no, for He Himself invites them and promises to receive them as soon as they come: Return to me, saith the Lord, and I will receive thee (Jer. iii. 1). Turn to me, saith the Lord, and I will turn to you (Zach. i. 3). Oh, the love and tenderness with which God embraces the sinner who returns to Him! This is precisely what Jesus Christ would have us understand by the Parable of the lost sheep, which, when the shepherd had found, he laid it on his shoulders rejoicing (Luke xv. 5), and called his friends to rejoice with him: Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost (Luke xv. 6). And St. Luke adds: There shall be joy in heaven upon one sinner that doth penance. This was more fully explained by the Redeemer in the Parable of the Prodigal Son, saying that He is that Father Who, when He beholds His lost son returning, runs to meet him, and before he can speak embraces and kisses him; and in embracing him almost swoons away through tenderness for the consolation He experiences: Returning to him, he fell upon his neck and kissed him (Luke xv. 20).

O my Jesus, hear me, and pardon me for the sake of the Blood Thou hast shed for me. We therefore beseech Thee, assist Thy servants whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy precious Blood. O Mary, my Mother, look with pity upon me; turn thine eyes of mercy towards us, and draw us entirely to God.

II. The Lord promises that if sinners repent He will even forget their sins, as if they had never offended Him. If the wicked do penance... living he shall live...I will not remember all his iniquities that he hath done (Ezech. xviii. 21). He even goes so far as to say: Come and accuse me, saith the Lord; if your sins be as scarlet, they shall be made as white as snow (Is. i. 18). As if He said: Sinners, come and accuse me! If I do not pardon you, reprove Me, upbraid Me with having been unfaithful to My promises! But no; God knows not how to despise an humble and contrite heart.

The Lord glories in showing mercy and granting pardon to sinners. And therefore shall he be exalted sparing you (Is. xxx. 18). And how long does He defer this granting pardon? Not an instant: He grants it immediately. Weeping, says the Prophet Isaias, thou shalt not weep; he will surely have pity on thee (Is. xxx. 19). Sinners, exclaims the Prophet, you have not long to weep; at the first tear the Lord will be moved to pity: At the voice of thy cry, as soon as he shall hear, he will answer thee (Is. xxx. 19). God does not treat us as we treat Him. We are deaf to the calls of God, but as soon as he shall hear, he will answer thee. The very instant you repent and ask forgiveness, God answers and grants your pardon.

O my God, against whom have I rebelled? Against Thee, Who art so good, against Thee Who hast created me, and died for me. After so many acts of treason Thou hast borne with me. Ah! the thought of the patience Thou hast had with me ought to make me live always on fire with Thy love. And who would have borne so long as Thou hast the injuries which I have done Thee? Miserable, indeed, shall I be, if I ever again offend Thee, and condemn myself to hell! I already see that Thy mercy can bear with me no longer. I am sorry, O Sovereign Good, for having offended Thee. I love Thee with my whole heart: I am resolved to give Thee all the remainder of my life. Hear me, O Eternal Father, through the merits of Jesus Christ, and give me holy perseverance and Thy love.