A correspondent sent the following, which I offer for your consideration:
Our Lord speaking to St. Faustina in the Diary of Divine Mercy:
“He who refuses to pass through the door of My mercy must pass through the door of My justice. (Diary 1146).”
Have you passed through a Holy Door where you are?
The Jubilee Year of Mercy will close 20 November 2016 with (according to the Novus Ordo Calendar) the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe – in the traditional calendar the 24th and Last Sunday after Pentecost.
The clock keeps ticking.
We are going to get God’s Justice whether we want it or not.
His Mercy, however, is ready for the asking!
But we have to seek it.
There is nothing that any little mortal can do that is so bad that God cannot forgive it, provided that she is sorry for her sins and wants to amend her life. The sinner, in the Sacrament of Penance, is cleansed of all sin. It is taken away. It is no more. It is not merely covered over or ignored. It is gone. He is washed clean in the Blood of the Lamb. Though his sins were as red as scarlet, they are made clean. His slate is cleansed. He or she will retain the memory of the sins, but not the guilt before the throne of the Just Judge, the King of Fearful Majesty.
When was the last time you heard those words?
”
God, the Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of his Son has reconciled the world to himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins; through the ministry of the Church may God give you pardon and peace, and I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, + and of the Holy Spirit.
…
Misereatur tui omnipotens Deus, et dimissis peccatis tuis, perducat te ad vitam æternam. Amen.
Indulgentiam, absolutionem, et remissionem peccatorum tuorum tribuat tibi omnipotens et misericors Dominus. Amen.
Dominus noster Jesus Christus te absolvat: et ego auctoritate ipsìus te absolvo ab omni vinculo excommunicationis, (suspensionis), et interdicti, in quantum possum, et tu indiges. Deinde ego te absolvo a peccatis tuis, in nomine Patris, et Filii, + et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.
Passio Domini nostri Jesu Christi, merita beatæ Mariæ Virginis, et omnium Sanctorum, quidquid boni feceris, et mali sustinueris, sint tibi in remissionem peccatorum, augmentum gratiæ, et præmium vitæ æternæ. Amen.
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When my family visited Baltimore in August, on Sunday we went to the Basilica of the Assumption for Mass and entered through the Door of Mercy. Regular confession (at least once a month) has become part and parcel for me.
“He who refuses to pass through the door of My mercy must pass through the door of My justice. (Diary 1146).”
Just to underscore the quote, Father, those words are attributed by St. Faustina to Jesus and not Francis.
I have been blessed to be able to go through four Doors of Mercy this year. Monthly confession has become a habit for me as well.
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Well, you know, I’m ‘lucky.” The parish in my town was designated as one with “holy doors.” So any time I went to Mass this past year or dropped in during the day to pray, I passed through the holy door of mercy. Even more, Father told us at Mass this past Sunday, that heck, it wasn’t the POPE who made our doors holy. Ever since this church was built, Father says, it is we the people who pass through them who make the doors holy. Coming in, going out, we are bringing the holiness with us. The year of Mercy isn’t coming to a close, no sir, our doors will always be holy.
I think all of the holy doors in the LA archdiocese have closed as of last weekend. I don’t know if this is true worldwide but I read an article last week that mentioned they were closing on the Nov 13th.
Why?
I’ve been fortunate enough to pass through a Door of Mercy dozens of times this year. I’m an attorney and the cathedral in my diocese is across the street from our courthouse, so I stop there to pray every time I leave court.
Those are beautiful words to hear.
No.
Those words of absolution are some of the sweetest words a person can ever hear. One doesn’t just leave the Confessional, one floats out with a happy heart.
They have holy doors outside Rome? Now they tell me. I rang my cathedral to see if it had a holy door, but no. However if I wanted to come and pray, “all the doors are holy”. I think I like that, although I rang off feeling somewhat abashed, like Tetzel after a conversation with Luther.
However, it’s all good. The material I did receive urged, among other things, confession and adoration and I found a parish where I could do that.
About three weeks ago from a priest I first met when he was in the college seminary, who was ordained in May. I was at his ordination classmate’s parish for a monthly event and had no idea he was one of the confessors. It was the first time I’d seen him since his ordination and confession was a treat; the best part is living in a diocese with many young men discerning their vocation.
I managed to meet all the requirements for the holy door indulgence twice over the year and was very happy. Usually with me something on the list is lacking but I made extra sure this time. I need mercy. I often wonder what it would feel like!
Grant, I thought there was supposed to be one in every diocese. But I am probably wrong.
Of ‘doors’ and ‘gates’, wide-open or narrow, I think it is worth remembering these words of Our Lord’s on the topic:
“Enter ye in at the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there are who go in thereat. How narrow is the gate, and strait is the way that leadeth to life: and few there are that find it! Beware of false prophets, who come to you in the clothing of sheep, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” Matthew 7: 13-15 (Douay-Rheims)
Twice attempted, neither time completed fully. Forgot the reception of the Eucharist the first time, and 15 minutes before Mass is not a lot of time to squeeze in multiple confessions is what happened for the second.
I will place my hope in His mercy, that He sees my heart and my effort and will take care of what I lack in details…
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I also heard that the Holy Doors closed on 11/13, which surprised me since the YOM ends on 11/20. Third Sunday is our normal Confession weekend, so we planned to go on 11/20 after TLM Mas in the Crypt. Admittedly, waiting until the last minute isn’t the best plan, but closing the doors a week early seems a bit unmerciful. Isn’t that like saying “you can get an indulgence praying in a cemetery the week of All Saints” and then the evening of All Saints saying “nah, how about just today?”
Maybe the rumors are false and the door will be open Sunday. We’ll see.
Since I sing in the cathedral choir, I’ve been able to pass through the doors of mercy pretty much every Sunday this jubilee year. Have attempted plenary indulgences for all my dead near relatives. It’s been one consolation during this troubling time in the Church.
The Holy Doors chosen here are over in a congested area. Will God hold it against someone with anxiety if they are not able to go walk through the doors? It would be possible with support but there simply isn’t anyone to ask who hasn’t been asked and is too busy, has been too busy. This happens when there are few Catholics in the small circle of friends. I’ve wanted to go, but cannot do it by myself. Now it will be too late. There is more going on that merely the anxiety although that is practically enough to prevent action, so toughing it through hasn’t worked for me. :(
KAS, since God is omniscient, He knows about this problem. It would make sense that He would weight (not weigh) the intent very heavily, especially given that this is a sort of ceremonial thing set up by the Church for a while for a specific purpose as well as for a teaching purpose (I am not really expressing what I mean by ceremonial so don’t stomp me). The bottom line is, speaking as someone with multiple health problems that often keep me from doing things like going to Mass (I have made it to Mass about 15 times this year so far), God sees this and he appreciates your perseverance and your perseverance in other ways too.