Loving Jesus: Divine Mercy

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Pathways to Discipleship

Pathways to Discipleship: Loving Jesus

Session 5: Divine Mercy

Loving Jesus: Divine Mercy

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Pathways to Discipleship

Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us,

that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent,

but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself.

Amen.

OPENING PRAYER (Divine Mercy Chaplet Closing Prayer)

Loving Jesus: Divine Mercy

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Pathways to Discipleship

The sixth habit of the 12 Habits of a Disciple:

Forgives others and asks for forgiveness.

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Our hope is that we will:

• Learn the ways Jesus teaches us to repent of our sins and reconcile with God, and to forgive others of their sins
• Trust in and share God’s Divine Mercy

Loving Jesus: Divine Mercy

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Pathways to Discipleship

Loving Jesus: Divine Mercy

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Pathways to Discipleship

• God created each of us out of love
• He gifted us with free will to choose good or evil
• Sadly, we all fall into sin, which weakens the bonds of love between each other and with God

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“I am with you always,” said Jesus (Mt 28:20).

In his mercy, God offers us a way back into communion with him and with one another.

Divine Mercy is God’s healing love.

DIVINE MERCY

Loving Jesus: Divine Mercy

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Pathways to Discipleship

• We sin when we turn away from the ever-present love of God
• The Ten Commandments (see Ex 20:1-17) give us a good reference for living in God’s love.

“If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments” (Mt 19:16-17).

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• Jesus also taught his followers:

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“You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder’; and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment” (Mt. 5:21-22).

SIN

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Pathways to Discipleship

Sin has both immediate AND eternal consequences

• “Ripples” of our sin affect others
• Our actions may lead others into sin

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Our inclination to sin and evil results from the original sin of Adam and Eve.

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Loving Jesus: Divine Mercy

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Pathways to Discipleship

What does the parable of the Prodigal Son teach us about sin, forgiveness, and reconciliation?

GOD’S MERCY IS GREATER THAN SIN

The ultimate act of God’s mercy toward humankind was accomplished through the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus the Christ!

Loving Jesus: Divine Mercy

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Pathways to Discipleship

JESUS CALLS US TO REPENTANCE

Forgiveness of sins is a central part of Jesus’ healing ministry.

Jesus tells us, “…repent for the kingdom of heaven has come near” (Mt. 4:17).

“When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’” (Mk. 2:5)

Loving Jesus: Divine Mercy

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Pathways to Discipleship

FORGIVENESS OF SIN

• Forgiving sins is a power that God alone possesses. Jesus passed this power on to his apostles and to the Church when he said:

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“Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them;

if you retain the sins of any, they are retained” (Jn 20:22-23).

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• The Church continues Jesus’ ministry of forgiveness of sins to this very day in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. We prepare for this sacrament through an examination of conscience and through our authentic self-awareness.

Loving Jesus: Divine Mercy

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Pathways to Discipleship

Loving Jesus: Divine Mercy

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Pathways to Discipleship

“So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift” (Mt 5:23-24).

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Pathways to Discipleship

• Take a moment to reflect on the opening video. What is your response to the testimony? Share your thoughts with the group.
• What are your thoughts about God’s “Divine Mercy”? How can it be challenging to accept God’s forgiveness and loving embrace?
• How is confessing sins to a priest and hearing the words of absolution beneficial?
• What does a sincere and unconditional apology sound like?

Loving Jesus: Divine Mercy

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Pathways to Discipleship

WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE TO FORGIVE OTHERS WHO SIN AGAINST US?

• “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” We extend God’s Divine Mercy to those who have harmed us.
• We are open to reconciliation, holding no grudge, wishing no harm, and not expecting or demanding an apology.
• When forgiveness is difficult, we pray to God to give us the grace to be merciful and forgive.
• Forgiveness is beneficial for our own souls. When we forgive someone, we release the power they have over us to feel anger, hurt or revenge.

Loving Jesus: Divine Mercy

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Pathways to Discipleship

FORGIVING OURSELVES

Forgiving ourselves can be hard, but unforgiveness of ourselves is an affront to God. We refuse to trust in God’s love and mercy for us, forgetting that we are beloved children of God.

• When we are repentant, God forgives us of even the worst sins and desires to heal us.
• When we struggle with forgiving ourselves, we can recognize the need to pray for the grace to trust in God and his mercy and a willingness to be healed.
• Forgiving ourselves will lead to greater interior peace.

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Loving Jesus: Divine Mercy

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Pathways to Discipleship

RECONCILING WITH OTHERS

• Reconciliation occurs when repentance and forgiveness meet, restoring peace, love, and communion.
• We reconcile with God through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
• Jesus gave us a formula for reconciling with one another:

“If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector” (Mt 18:15-17).

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Loving Jesus: Divine Mercy

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Pathways to Discipleship

LIVING DIVINE MERCY

• The Sacred Heart of Jesus poured out mercy upon the whole world through his death on the cross.
• Saints through the ages have recognized the infinite value of God’s mercy. We associate devotion to the Divine Mercy of God with St. Faustina, a Polish nun whose devotion to the Divine Mercy has spread throughout the world.

SPOTLIGHT DISCIPLE: ST. MARIA FAUSTINA KOWALSKA (1905-1938)

Loving Jesus: Divine Mercy

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Pathways to Discipleship

• “A zealous messenger of the Merciful Jesus” (Pope Benedict XVI)
• She brought the message of Divine Mercy to the world in a difficult period between the two World Wars
• She lived her consecrated life quietly and humbly, yet she had an intense prayer life in union with Our Lord, who instructed her to write down his messages to her
• These messages are preserved for us through her Diary

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Pathways to Discipleship

• What benefits are there from choosing to forgive even when reconciliation is not possible? How does our own unforgiveness harm us?
• What wisdom do you see in Jesus’ three steps for reconciliation outlined in Matthew 18:15-17? What are the downsides of not following these three steps within Christian communities?
• What does it mean to say and believe, “Jesus, I trust in you”?
• St. Faustina reminds us to trust in Jesus’ endless mercy, and to live life mercifully toward others. What is the importance of this message in our lives and in our world today? How can you be more open to receiving and sharing Christ’s Divine Mercy?

PRACTICE TOGETHER

We receive Divine Mercy from the Lord, which aids us in living in relationship with others. We grow in virtue as we share mercy in our interactions with others.

Simple questions friends and loved ones may ask:

“How can I better love you?”

“What is one thing I can do to be a better friend to you?”

Imagine yourself asking a friend or loved one these questions. How might you encourage them to freely answer these questions?

Discuss your thoughts with your group.

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Pathways to Discipleship

DISCIPLESHIP NEXT STEP

Contemplate God’s Divine Mercy for you and practice sharing his mercy with others. Here are some ideas:

• Examine your conscience regularly, working toward a daily examination. Apologize to God with an Act of Contrition or in your own words. You have a fresh start each morning to walk in God’s merciful love:

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning” (Lam 3:22-23).

• If you struggle with forgiveness of others or yourself, you may benefit from the assistance of a trusted Christian friend, a spiritual director, a priest or counselor. God desires you to be free of this burden.

Loving Jesus: Divine Mercy

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Pathways to Discipleship

REMINDERS FOR NEXT WEEK

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Pathways to Discipleship

• Read or listen to Session 6: Carrying Our Cross before our next meeting.
• Thanks to those who brought snacks!

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CLOSING PRAYER (Prayer by St. Faustina)

O Jesus, stretched out upon the cross, I implore You, give me the grace of following faithfully the most holy will of Your Father in all things, always and everywhere. And when this will of God seems to me very harsh and difficult to fulfill, it is then I beg You, Jesus, may power and strength flow upon me from Your wounds, and may my lips keep repeating – Your will be done, O Lord . . .

O most compassionate Jesus, grant me the grace to forget myself that I may live totally for souls, helping You in the work of salvation, according to the most holy will of Your Father . . . [Diary, 1265] Amen.

St. Faustina, pray for us.

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Pathways to Discipleship