PROVIDENCE — In a world where division and many concerns exist — whether they be about the nation’s economic outlook, ongoing wars, the polarization of opinions, even divisions within the Church — something to help ease those concerns is needed to help people accompany others in their journeys through life.
“Our world is hurting,” said Bishop Bruce A. Lewandowski. “Every day we encounter wounds in the lives of our families, neighbors, and parishes: families divided by immigration struggles, communities strained by political and ideological conflict, economic burdens that weigh heavily on the young, families, and the elderly, and deep questions about human identity, sexuality, and the meaning of life.”
“As Catholics, people can feel caught in the middle, trying to live the Gospel while navigating a society that often misunderstands or rejects it,” he said.
They feel tension between tradition and change, truth and tolerance, courage and compassion, and even within the Church, people wrestle with how to move forward faithfully and fruitfully.
To help the faithful meet the challenges of today’s world, Bishop Lewandowski is launching a three-week initiative to guide the faithful in showing what he believes is in much shorter supply than is desperately needed: mercy.
The bishop is inviting all people of good will to join him on MERCY21, a 21-day journey to reflect on spiritual exercises and pray for mercy beginning on Sunday, Sept. 14, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, and ending with the Memorial of Saint Faustina on Sunday, October 5.
Each day, participants will be guided in a reflection on mercy, a practical way to exercise mercy, and also receive a prayer for mercy by email. Together, these daily REPs (Reflection, Exercise, Prayer) will draw from the 7-Spiritual Works of Mercy, the 7-Corporal Works of Mercy, and the 7-Principles of Catholic Social Teaching.
Mercy is a fundamental aspect of Christian life and a core component of Catholic social teaching.
Pope St. John XXIII called mercy “the Church’s medicine.” Pope St. John Paul II famously emphasized the importance of Divine Mercy, stating, “There is nothing that man needs more than Divine Mercy.”
“As people of faith, we believe that prayer is an essential part of our response to the challenges in our world,” the bishop said. “It my hope that it will make our little corner of the world a better place where mercy is more readily given and received.”
Participants can sign up through the diocesan website or through social media to receive a reflection, a suggestion for exercising/practicing mercy, and a prayer daily. Repetition of these practices is essential to integrating the showing of mercy into our daily lives, the bishop suggested.
To learn more and to participate in “MERCY21,” please visit: https://provd.io/mercy21.
