Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy #5

# THE CONCENTRIC OVALS

The next element that stands out in the Logo is the concentric ovals that we find...do you notice that it is not merely one regular oval but a set of ovals one differentiated from the other with differing shades. 

The concentric ovals are symbolic of the dynamic nature of our relationship with Christ, because in that relationship Christ carries us, transports us...there is a movement that is seen in the progression of the concentric shapes. 

As we said, the one who is carried is symbolic of humanity, that is representing each of us. The One who carries is Christ,who carries us out of sin towards salvation; out of death towards new life! That is what the mercy of God does to us, taking us from sin to salvation, from death to new life. 

The Call: The progression of the shapes also has another pertinent invitation, to go deeper into our life, our identity and our call. 'Put out into the deep', calls Jesus and that is the message, that we do not remain complacent with a shallow level of living our life, instead go deeper and deeper into the gift and task that our life is! In short, our life is a journey, a constant movement, a call to grow towards a state of holistic and salvific relationship with the Merciful Lord.

MERCILENT 2016 - 29th February

BE PLIABLE: dare to change

Monday, 3rd week in Lent
2 Kgs 5: 1-15; Lk 4: 24-30

One of the toughest call we have as human persons is to be pliable in the hands of our Lord. We falter from our original nature of being children of God and deviate into a life that is so unbecoming of the chosen children of God. The Merciful Lord never writes us off, instead God offers us the opportunity to return to Godself. At times what the Lord expects from us, may be something very trivial (as Naman was asked to do, in the first reading today). At times it may be quite demanding (to be questioned by the one who is no different from you, like Jesus did to the Pharisees)...but what matters is our readiness to change, our nature of being pliable in the hands of our Lord.

Changing is not so easy- it involves leaving our comfort zones, it involves leaving things that seem to gratify us, it involves a kind of sense of accomplishment we might have in carrying out something. None of these matter, when it comes to surrendering ourselves in the hands of the Lord and doing just what the Lord wants of us! We know what the Lord wants of us; let us not feign ignorance. We know, yes! But the question is, do we dare?

The Mercilent Attitude for today: Submit to the directions of the Lord and dare to make changes in your behaviour.