With Pope Francis’ passing this week and Mercy Sunday is upon us, let’s take a look at some of Pope Francis’ profound reflections on God’s mercy and boundless love:
- “God forgives not by decree but with a caress. Jesus too goes beyond the law and forgives by caressing the wounds of our sins” (Daily Meditation, 7 April 2014).
- “God never tires of forgiving; we it is who tire of asking for his mercy” (March 28 Mass).
- “Jesus Christ is the face of the Father’s mercy” (Bull, Misericordiae Vultus, 1, April 11, 2015, Mercy Sunday).
- “Mercy [is] the bridge that connects God and man, opening our hearts to the hope of being loved forever despite our sinfulness” (Misericordiae Vultus, 2).
- “Mercy will always be greater than any sin; no one can put limits on God’s love who is ever ready to forgive” (Misericordiae Vultus, 3).
- “The confessional is not a torture chamber, but the place where the Lord’s mercy motivates us to do better” (Interview with Fr. Antonio Spadaro, SJ, September 30,2013).
- “A touch of mercy transforms everything. It is the most profound feeling we can have… it changes the world… A little bit of mercy makes the world less cold and more just” (Angelus, March 17, 2013).
- “The Lord forgives all things… If the Lord did not forgive everything, the world would not exist” (ibid.).
