Merciful Like the Father: Pastoral–Catechetical Possibilities and Incentives for the Implementation of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy

Cjelokupno pastoralno–katehetsko djelovanje Crkve ne bi smjelo biti lišeno lica milosrđa. U svijetu u kojem živimo, a kojega obilježavaju mnoge stvarnosti koje ne idu u prilog kvalitetnomu životu i razvoju čovjeka u svim njegovim dimenzijama, Isusove učenice i učenici mogu darovani Izvanredni jubilej milosrđa shvatiti i prihvatiti kao blagoslov Neba. Pružena je mogućnost da se unatoč svjetskomu okruženju i mišljenjima, prosudi vlastita osoba i vlastite misli, riječi i djela u svjetlu milosrdnog Oca i riječi njegova Sina Isusa Krista, koje je ostavio u evanđeljima. Slavlje Izvanrednog jubileja milosrđa pruža iskreno procjenjivanje života i djelovanja te davanja iscijeljujućeg odgovora jesu li naš život i djelovanje Isusu– mjerljivo i Bogu–mjerljivo. Svaki član Isusove zajednice pozvan je Izvanredni jubilej milosrđa konkretizirati na nekoliko razina svojega života. Te razine su: osobna, obiteljska, župna i društvena razina. Kada se razmišlja o slavlju i aktualizaciji Izvanrednog jubileja milosrđa, važno je ne zaboraviti da i nakon proslave Izvanrednog jubileja milosrđa, milosrđe treba biti vidljivo na licima Isusovih učenica i učenika, u njihovu govoru, djelovanju i životu. Milosrđe je pastoralni postulat djelovanja Crkve, koje je ona dobila u nasljedstvo od samog njezina Osnivatelja i kao takav ne može se zaboravljati u određenom vremenu i prostoru, ako uistinu želi biti i ostati Isusova Crkva.The integral pastoral–cathechetical activity of the Church should not be without the face of mercy. The world in which we live is marked by many realities not conducive to living a good life and developing oneself multi–dimensionally. In this respect, today’s disciples of Jesus, both men and women, can choose to see and accept the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy as a blessing from Heaven. An opportunity has been provided, despite our living in a global environment affected by global viewpoints, for us to assess our own person, our thoughts, words and actions in the light of the Father’s mercy and the words of His Son. This is an opportunity for a genuine evaluation of our lives and activities, and also for healing, in our quest for the answer to the question: are our lives commensurate with Jesus’ life and with God’s kingdom? Each member of Jesus’ community is invited to make the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy a reality on several levels — the personal, family, parochial and social levels. In reflecting on the celebration and implementation of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy it is important not to forget that, even after the Jubilee has ended, mercy needs to be evident on the faces of Jesus’ disciples, both men and women, in their speech, activities and lives. Mercy is the pastoral postulate of the Church’s activity which she inherited from her Founder and as such must not be forgotten in any particular time or space, in so far as one truly wishes to be and remain the Church of Jesus