The apostolic visit of the Holy Father to America has drawn not only a big attention of the media and the international community but, surprisingly as some say, it has also revealed the respect and friendly approaches of believers and non-believers alike, to the man whom we, Catholics, acknowledge as the Vicar of Christ on Earth. The Holy Father is visiting the nation which is still considered as “a superpower.” A few months ago the Time magazine defined a “superpower” “as a country that wields enough military, political and economic might to convince nations in all parts of the world to do things they otherwise wouldn’t. In the key categories of power, the U.S. will remain dominant for the foreseeable future. These facts show why America is still the world’s only superpower, and why that won’t change anytime soon.”
We could easily say that the New York based publication is biased in its research and suppositions but let’s not waste time to dispute the Time’s article. Instead let us turn our attention to the collect, our opening prayer for this Eucharist: “O God, who manifest your almighty power above all by pardoning and showing mercy…”
My Dear Sisters and Brothers! If there is anyone who can be defined as “a superpower” it is our God. In the context of faith we call it almighty power but in the secular context it is called superpower. However the essential difference lies in the perception of how such almighty power or superpower are exercised. As I quoted from the Time magazine, which represents a secular context, a “superpower” “wields enough military, political and economic might to convince nations in all parts of the world to do things they otherwise wouldn’t. The prayer which I have already recalled is the acknowledgement and recognition of the Church’s faith context that “God’s almighty power is shown above all by pardoning and showing mercy.”
I presume that for many of us is it still easier to see God’s almighty power in the creation of the Universe, in the miracles performed by Jesus, in the healings which still occur when people pray with faith and trust. However our Church, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, has come to understand and appreciate mercy as the most explicit expression of God’s almighty power. The mercy we speak of here has nothing to do with ignoring or downplaying the situation, it is not saying: “Don’t worry, you are OK.” I believe that God knew that we could manipulate this terminology that’s why Jesus has given us some teachings to get the point across in regards to mercy. I will use just one of those teachings, the parable of the Good Samaritan. Why do we say that the Samaritan showed mercy to the man beaten by the bandits? Because he noticed the misery of the injured man and he acted in a concrete way when he took care of the Jew. The first person who deserves the title of the Good Samaritan is our God who upon having seen our misery caused by our sins acted in a concrete way when he sent his only Son, Jesus Christ, not to condemn us but to come to our rescue. God’s almighty power isn’t about controlling or bulling but it is about giving us, the people who are still exiled from our heavenly homeland, all God has got to get us into God’s presence, where the beatific vision is the source of eternal happiness. God couldn’t give us more than of Jesus Christ.
Dear Friends! Let’s leave Americans entertain the thought of being “a superpower.” We know and we believe that, fortunately for the world, the real almighty power is our Heavenly Father’s mercy and pardoning. So let us pray again: “Father, bestow, we pray, your grace abundantly upon us and make those hastening to attain your promises heirs to the treasures of heaven. Amen.”
We could easily say that the New York based publication is biased in its research and suppositions but let’s not waste time to dispute the Time’s article. Instead let us turn our attention to the collect, our opening prayer for this Eucharist: “O God, who manifest your almighty power above all by pardoning and showing mercy…”
My Dear Sisters and Brothers! If there is anyone who can be defined as “a superpower” it is our God. In the context of faith we call it almighty power but in the secular context it is called superpower. However the essential difference lies in the perception of how such almighty power or superpower are exercised. As I quoted from the Time magazine, which represents a secular context, a “superpower” “wields enough military, political and economic might to convince nations in all parts of the world to do things they otherwise wouldn’t. The prayer which I have already recalled is the acknowledgement and recognition of the Church’s faith context that “God’s almighty power is shown above all by pardoning and showing mercy.”
I presume that for many of us is it still easier to see God’s almighty power in the creation of the Universe, in the miracles performed by Jesus, in the healings which still occur when people pray with faith and trust. However our Church, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, has come to understand and appreciate mercy as the most explicit expression of God’s almighty power. The mercy we speak of here has nothing to do with ignoring or downplaying the situation, it is not saying: “Don’t worry, you are OK.” I believe that God knew that we could manipulate this terminology that’s why Jesus has given us some teachings to get the point across in regards to mercy. I will use just one of those teachings, the parable of the Good Samaritan. Why do we say that the Samaritan showed mercy to the man beaten by the bandits? Because he noticed the misery of the injured man and he acted in a concrete way when he took care of the Jew. The first person who deserves the title of the Good Samaritan is our God who upon having seen our misery caused by our sins acted in a concrete way when he sent his only Son, Jesus Christ, not to condemn us but to come to our rescue. God’s almighty power isn’t about controlling or bulling but it is about giving us, the people who are still exiled from our heavenly homeland, all God has got to get us into God’s presence, where the beatific vision is the source of eternal happiness. God couldn’t give us more than of Jesus Christ.
Dear Friends! Let’s leave Americans entertain the thought of being “a superpower.” We know and we believe that, fortunately for the world, the real almighty power is our Heavenly Father’s mercy and pardoning. So let us pray again: “Father, bestow, we pray, your grace abundantly upon us and make those hastening to attain your promises heirs to the treasures of heaven. Amen.”
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