An Extraordinary Lent for an Extraordinary Jubilee

We are a little more than half way through the season of Lent. This season holds different meanings and has a different value and significance for each of us. For some, Lent might be a morose time, for others it might be that inconvenient time when one must engage in some kind of fast; some might think of it as a time for reparation and renewal, while others see it as not having any personal significance. No matter what our attitude to Lent, we are all certain about one thing: It is a time of mercy. If one reads the scriptures daily one will encounter a recurrence of the theme of mercy. Homilies too are likely to be based on a similar theme. The importance given to confession during Lent, which is essentially openness to mercy, puts beyond doubt the intrinsic connection between Lent and mercy.

This year being the Jubilee of Mercy makes Lent a particularly significant and unique period. The Holy Father had requested that it be “lived more intensely as a privileged moment to celebrate and experience God’s mercy” (Misericordiae Vultus, 17). The entire season of Lent is designed to foster an experience of mercy and a consequent conversion. Every Lenten practice, be it fasting, penance, almsgiving or prayer, is directed to bringing about a change in the heart of the believer. The goal of Lent is similar to what the Pope hopes will be the outcome of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy: a time when the witness of believers might grow stronger and more effective (MV, 3). Primarily, the Jubilee of Mercy and Lent call us to a living experience of the closeness of the Father, whose tenderness is almost tangible, so that our faith may be strengthened and thus bear more effective testimony to it.

So what does the Jubilee Year mean for Lent?

1. The Jubilee is a time for reflection on and practice of mercy. The Holy Father calls the faithful to contemplate the mystery of mercy. Mercy, he points out, reveals the mystery of the Trinity; it is the action of God coming to meet us; it is the fundamental law in the heart of every person moved by the condition of his/her brothers and sisters and finally it is the bridge that connects God to man (MV, 2).

            Lent, by nature, fosters such contemplation and encourages such action. Scripture is one of the best means for listening to the Voice of God and contemplating His summons to authentic mercy. Scripture also gives us guidelines for actions that please God and have their foundation on mercy. For example, the Good Samaritan (Lk 10:25-36) and forgiving one’s brother before offering gifts at the altar (Mt 5:23-24).

2. The Jubilee invites us to experience the love of the Most Holy Trinity by fixing our eyes on Jesus and his merciful gaze. Jesus’ mission was to reveal the mystery of divine love in its fullness. “God is love” (1 Jn 4:8, 16) and this love has now been made visible and tangible in Jesus. Everything he did and said was meant to teach mercy (MV, 8). Mercy is a recurring theme in Lent and it is in Jesus that we find the prototype of mercy. The Jubilee extends its invitation to experience the love and mercy of God through Jesus. Jesus’ words and actions were media through which he communicated the love and mercy of God. Therefore, we are called to a deeper and richer encounter with Jesus who is the face and revelator of the Father’s mercy (MV, 1).

            The Lenten spirit of fasting, prayer, almsgiving and reception of the sacraments allow us to become open to God’s unconditional love and ineffable mercy. This is the mercy of the Father who wants to be close to those who have the greatest need of his forgiveness. Cultivating a steady time for personal prayer – a one-to-one encounter with Jesus, is a must if we truly desire to taste and learn Jesus’ lifestyle of mercy.

3. The parable of the servant who was forgiven his large debt but who in turn did not forgive the one indebted to him puts these words in to the mouth of the master, “Should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?” (Mt 18:33). This parable contains a profound teaching. Jesus affirms that mercy is not only an action of the Father but also a criterion for ascertaining his true children. We are called to show mercy because mercy has first been shown to us. Pardoning offences become the clearest expression of merciful love, and for us Christians, it is an imperative from which we cannot excuse ourselves. But forgiveness is not an easy thing. It involves humility and can cause pain to the individual but it is the instrument that allows us to attain serenity of heart. Joyful living requires a letting go of feelings of anger, wrath, violence and revenge (MV, 9).

4. The Jubilee calls us to open our hearts to those living on the peripheries of society. Firstly, we are called to open our eyes to their misery, their wounds caused by denying them dignity and recognizing their compelling cry for help. On the level of praxis, we are called to heal these wounds, assuage them with the oil of consolation, bind them with mercy and cure them with solidarity and vigilant care (MV, 15). This is not an easy task. We must cast off our layers of pride and indifference, prepare ourselves to get ‘dirty’ with the problems and condition of the poor and exploited. The corporal and spiritual works of mercy are aids. They pre-requisite a merciful presence. This ‘merciful presence’ in fact, takes on greater value than the action of mercy. Many among the suffering are looking for ‘merciful presence’ more than ‘merciful assistance’.

Pope Francis emphasizes the merciful dimension of Christian life. Authentic Christian life is a reflection of the lifestyle of Jesus, and His lifestyle was permeated by love and mercy. The Pope reiterates the authentication of belief by practice. He invites us to be credible witnesses to mercy, professing it and living it as the core of the revelation of Jesus Christ (MV, 25).

Lent is a season when we try to live more authentically by bridging the gap between speech and action. We open ourselves to listen and receive God’s word and become aware of our need for His presence, love and mercy. We are wary of being accused of hypocrisy and align our steps with the steps of Jesus Christ, our model. The Jubilee of Mercy has bestowed on Lent a renewed vigour and has emphasized and brought to the fore a vital aspect of its character.

I will conclude with the words of Pope Francis: “This is the opportune moment to change our lives! property, their dignity, their feelings and even their very lives. To stick to the way of evil will only leave one deluded and sad. True life is something entirely different. God never tires of reaching out to us. He is always ready to listen... All one needs to do is to accept the invitation to conversion and submit oneself to justice...” (MV, 19).    

This is the time to allow our hearts to be touched! When faced with evil deeds, even in the face of serious crimes, it is the time to listen to the cry of innocent people who are deprived of their