Both Blessed Pope John Paul II, as well as the first canonized saint in the new millennium—Saint Faustina Maria Kowalska— stated unequivocally, that the greatest virtue or attribute in God is His infinite mercy.
All throughout the Bible, but especially the New Testament, but most specifically in the Gospels, we see displayed marvelously the Mercy of God!
Jesus is the Incarnation of the Mercy of God. The examples are abundant! Jesus forgives the woman with more than six husbands, the Samaritan woman at the well. Mercy!!! (Jn. 4) Jesus comes to the rescue of the woman caught in adultery, who was just about to be stoned to death. “Whoever is without sin, let him cast the first stone….” Mercy again! Jesus forgives a woman who was a prostitute and possessed by seven demons— Saint Mary Magdalene. Mercy has no limits in Jesus as we see Him forgiving Zacheus, the tax collector. This little man was ready to climb a sycamore tree just to see Jesus. He showed his repentance by giving half of his money to the poor and four times as much money to anybody he might have defrauded. Jesus rejoiced by saying that today salvation has come to the house of Zacheus!
The Gospel accounts and teachings of Jesus are replete with the idea of Jesus’ infinite mercy. However, let us focus on one breath-taking manifestation of Jesus’ mercy— THE CONVERSION OF THE GOOD THEIF!!!
LUKE 23:33-43. THE CONVERSION OF THE GOOD THIEF ON THE CROSS. Points for meditation:
1. The good thief had lived a very sinful life.
2. Stealing, killing, and a revolutionary-responsible for starting conflicts!
3. CURSING JESUS. He starts out with his companion by cursing Jesus out!!!
4. CONVERSION! This good thief by being with Jesus was transformed.
5. MERCY AND LOVE. He heard Jesus forgive. Mercy is the love of God forgiving the sinner. It is always available!
6. “Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.” The first word of Jesus on the cross was mercy and
forgiveness!
forgiveness!
7. HEART MOVED! His hard heart was softened by the Sacred and merciful Heart of Jesus.
8. BEGGED FORGIVNESS. The thief humbly and with a contrite heart begged for forgiveness. “Lord remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”
9. MERCY. Jesus is so merciful that His Heart is always moved instantaneously to forgive a repentant heart. The repentant thief was forgiven in a heartbeat. “God is slow to anger and quick to forgive.” We should try to be slow to anger and rich in mercy and quick to
forgive. Jesus also said: “Be merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful.” Mercy is a two-way street. If we want to experience the mercy of the Heart of Jesus then we must be merciful to others.
forgive. Jesus also said: “Be merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful.” Mercy is a two-way street. If we want to experience the mercy of the Heart of Jesus then we must be merciful to others.
10. SAINT. Here we have the first canonized saint. Jesus canonized the thief. “Amen I say to you today you will be with me in Paradise.” As Archbishop Fulton Sheen so astutely remarked, “And the thief died a thief because he stole heaven.”
Today you will be with me in Paradise
