Footsteps to Mercy: Feb. 19

We're sharing the first week of the Marian Fathers' new Lenten booklet, Footsteps to Mercy. - UPDATE: This book has sold out! Please sign up for our monthly eNewsletter so you can find out when we have more books like this.

"Be holy, for I, the Lord, your God, am holy."

"Be holy, for I, the Lord, your God, am holy." Wow, doesn't that sound like a tall order? What is God asking of you here? Relax, because this request is much simpler than it seems. God created you in His image and likeness, which means that you are in the image of His goodness and - when in the state of grace - in the likeness of His holiness.

Sin - the loss of His grace - disfigures His likeness, His holiness in us. For this reason Jesus tells us in today's Gospel that we will be held accountable for what we do - or don't do - for the least of those among us. We are created to love as He loves, without counting the cost. That is holiness. If we do not have this holiness in us, we cannot inherit the kingdom "prepared for [us] from the foundation of the world" (Mt 25:34).

Why? Because if you did not recognize Him in those around you, and did not love them on this earth while you had the opportunity to, how could you spend all of eternity loving Him? The Father does not stand over you as a taskmaster, but as a good Father. He wants to see you reflect His goodness to those around you. That is the call of holiness.

Today's Readings:

Scripture:

Lv 19:1-2, 11-18;
Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 15;
Mt 25:31-46

Read Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska,
1556

See the first week of meditations to date.
LENT

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On the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (June 16), we ask, "What is the difference between the devotion of the Sacred Heart and the Divine Mercy message?"

We will not presume to outline here the whole teaching of St. Catherine's masterpiece, The Dialogue. Rather we will focus on the theme of Divine Mercy as it appears in the book.

"Our Lady, I know that you are very gracious and cannot help loving us whom your Son and your God has loved with the greatest love. Who can tell how often you allay the ire of the Judge when the virtue of divine justice is about to strike?"