” (…) This justice, which is properly justice “to God’s measure,” springs completely from love: from the love of the Father and of the Son, and completely bears fruit in love. Precisely for this reason the divine justice revealed in the cross of Christ is “to God’s measure,” because it springs from love and is accomplished in love, producing fruits of salvation. The divine dimension of redemption is put into effect not only by bringing justice to bear upon sin, but also by restoring to love that creative power in man thanks also which he once more has access to the fullness of life and holiness that come from God. In this way, redemption involves the revelation of mercy in its fullness” (Dives in misericordia, 7).
We have started another Lent in our lives. The first part of it is penitential, it helps us to stand before God in the truth about our sin and our helplessness against it, because we cannot get rid of it by ourselves. “The ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough” we read in Psalm 49. God ‘s mercy is manifested in the fact that He does not leave us alone in a hopeless state of sin, but sends us his Son to save us. By dying on the cross, Jesus not only atone for our sins, but also restored us to life. He renews our hearts with his merciful love whenever when we regret.
How does the truth about your sin make you feel?
Are you aware of your weaknesses and sins, into which you most often fall?
Can you recognize your infirmity and ask Merciful Jesus to change your heart?
“Soul: Lord, the reason for my sadness is that, in spite of my sincere resolutions, I fall again into the same faults. I make resolutions in the morning, but in the evening I see how much I have departed from them.
Jesus: You see, My child, what you are of yourself. The cause of your falls is that you rely too much upon yourself and too little on Me. But let this not sadden you so much. You are dealing with the God of mercy, which your misery cannot exhaust. Remember, I did not allot only a certain number of pardons. (…) Have confidence, My child. Do not lose heart in coming for pardon, for I am always ready to forgive you. As often as you beg for it, you glorify My mercy” (Diary 1488).
