December 5, 2021 - A Merciful Life

This is part 2 of the Advent series, "Blessed by God: A Full Life." The blessings that God bestows upon us are unmerited favors. The greatest blessing is salvation in Christ. Sharing life and love with God gives us a full life. This series examines some of the benefits of receiving this blessing. A merciful life begins with the initiative of God to call us to repentance, to remove any obstacle that hinders us from advancing on the journey of faith. It means to be reconciled to God. In the Gospel reading (cf. Luke 3:1-6), Saint John the Baptist is a prophet of God who is preparing the people for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. The traditional steps of repentance are an examination of conscience, contrition for our sins, a firm purpose of amendment, confession of our sins, and receiving God’s healing mercy. Next Sunday will examine how reconciliation with God leads to being a joyful disciple who wants to be reconciled with others and to engage in works of mercy.