(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Saturday lead a prayer vigil for Divine Mercy, in which he spoke of the many faces of the mercy of God.
The prayer vigil took place on the eve of Divine Mercy Sunday and coincided with the 11th anniversary of Pope St. John Paul II’s death.
Listen to Devin Watkins’ report:
Thousands of people gathered in St. Peter’s Square on Saturday in the Octave of Easter for the celebration of a prayer vigil for Divine Mercy.
In remarks prepared for the occasion, Pope Francis reflected on the ‘vast ocean’ that is the mercy of God, saying “so great and infinite is his mercy, to the point that it is greatly challenging to describe it in all its entirety”.
Turning to the testimony of Scripture, Pope Francis noted that the Bible expresses God’s mercy as nearness to His people and in the expression of tenderness, especially in the prophet Hosea.
The Holy Father went on to name the many faces of God’s mercy.
“How many expressions there are of God’s mercy! This mercy comes to us as closeness and tenderness, and because of this, comes also as compassion and solidarity, as consolation and forgiveness. The more we receive, the more we are called to share it with others; it cannot be kept hidden or kept only for ourselves. It is something which burns within our hearts, driving us to love, thus recognizing the face of Jesus Christ, above all in those who are most distant, weak, alone, confused and marginalized.”
The prayer vigil coincided with the 11th anniversary of Pope John Paul II’s death on Divine Mercy Sunday, 2 April 2005.
Pope Francis himself will visit the Shrine of Divine Mercy during the 28th World Youth Day to take place this summer in Krakow, Poland.
(from Vatican Radio)…