In this meditation Fr Javier del Castillo invites us to reflect on a passage from the Second Reading of the Mass of the Fourth Sunday of Lent.

God, who is rich in mercy,

because of the great love he had for us,

even when we were dead in our transgressions,

brought us to life with Christ — by grace you have been saved —,

raised us up with him,

and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus,

that in the ages to come

He might show the immeasurable riches of his grace

in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2:4-10

Our greatest hopes lie in the richness of the mercy of God-- in His infinite amount of mercy, grace, and forgiveness-- which is always available to us.

God will always forgive us, but to receive forgiveness is up to us. We should not stay away from His mercy, from the Sacraments, out of feelings of guilt. If we are challenged by guilt or a lack of humility, a good way to be open to forgiveness, as Fr Casillo explains, is by forgiving others and by doing it sooner and more generously each time. In this way we begin to open ourselves to receiving mercy in our lives.

"If a thief moved the heart of Christ on the cross, how could a Christian, you or I, not move the heart of Christ much more so." Let us pray: "Make me Lord, today, capable of receiving your forgiveness."

Mary, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope, pray for us!

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