Our Gospel has most beautifully proclaimed the reality of the Father’s mercy unto us. Until November 20, 2016 we as a Church will remain in what is known at the “Year of Mercy.” During this “Year of Mercy” may we allow ourself to discover the Father’s mercy and thus to surrender ourself onto it as the prodigal son came to do inside of our Gospel.
The logo for this “Year of Mercy” is summed up inside of today's Gospel passage. We are told of the love of the shepherd who always goes in search of the lost sheep. Upon finding them the shepherd leads his sheep back to the flock. The Father, in His abundant mercy, comes out in search of each of us and continues to invite us back into relationship with Him.
Therefore in this logo we see Christ who is known as the Good Shepherd who goes in search of His lost sheep. Placed upon His shoulders is the lost soul who has fallen away. This displays unto us the love of Christ which goes in search for the lost and brings them towards reconciliation with the mercy of the Father.
We must also remember that Christ has taken all of humanity upon Himself. He took on our human flesh through His incarnation and all of this reached its culmination through Christ’s death upon the cross. In this image we notice that the eye of Christ has now been merged with the eye of the man who is held upon His shoulders. And so we can now say that Christ sees with the eyes of Adam and Adam with the eyes of Christ. Christ through the liberation of the cross has now become the new Adam and thus He continues to lift us out of our sinfulness and assures us of the joys of the Heavenly Kingdom.
Placed around this image is an early Church symbol known as the mandorla which comes in the shape of an almond. The purpose of this is to proclaim a moment that has transcended time and space. Within this we notice three different layers of colors. As Christ moves forward He is bringing this man upon His shoulders out of the darkness and into the light. Christ too wants us to join Him upon this journey of liberation. Let us not be content with the darkness of sin, but may we desire the liberation of the Father’s mercy.
Christ is necessary if we are to be freed from the burden of sin. Conversion is something that must be active like this image. We must allow Christ to take ahold of us and to move us forward leading towards this progression within the spiritual life. The Year of Mercy is something which is most serious, but if we are to feel its effects we must be willing to let go of our pride in order that Christ may take us upon His shoulders and carry us towards safety.
There is none of us here who is not in need of the Father’s mercy. We may act like it is not necessary or important, but we are in need of it. We are in need of the grace which flows forth from the Sacrament of Confession, we are in need of the healing effects against temporal punishment which are brought about through indulgences, and we should also pray for the grace of final perseverance.
