Once, unbeknownst to me, while feeding our farm animals, I accidently stepped on a rotten goose egg. It burst & painted the back of my clothes with smelly goo. Afterwards, I visited some neighbors. Once inside their homes I began to notice the awful smell. Later, I noticed the goo on my clothes. I thought very poorly of our neighbors' cleanliness when I was the one at fault.

As humans, intentionally or not, we cause problems for ourselves and others. It is easy to focus on the errors of others. We don't always notice the harm that we cause. Even when we willingly stumble, Jesus forgives us and helps us not to repeat our faults. To err is human, to forgive is divine.

Jesus became human to help us act more divinely. We are called to act more mercifully, more compassionately than humans ordinarily act. In an angry and vengeful world, compassion and mercy are not highly valued. As Christians, we can never forget that we are saved by and sent forth to be agents of Divine Mercy. The measure we apply to others is the measure the Lord will apply to us.

How grateful are we for God's forgiveness?

How willing are we to forgive and help others?

Fr. Mike Ronayne