Friends of the Rosary,

Mercy comes before love. It perfects love.

Christ the Lord, through his disciples, is telling in the Gospel of Luke (Lk 6:36-38) today:

“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”

God is love (1 John 4:8), but we encounter Him first as mercy.

St. Thomas Aquinas explains that mercy is love responding to suffering and weakness (Summa Theologiae II-II, q.30).

God acted first. “While we were still sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).”

He forgave, pursued, and redeemed us. This is mercy preceding love.

With mercy, the heart softens, gratitude awakens, and then love grows.

Consider the sinful woman in Luke 7:

“Her many sins have been forgiven; hence, she has shown great love.”

Mercy and forgiveness ignited love.

St. Faustina recorded Jesus saying:

“The greater the sinner, the greater the right he has to My mercy.”

If someone feels distant from God, it is often because they think they must love perfectly before approaching Him.

The Gospel says the opposite: Come in your weakness, receive mercy, and love will grow.

Like the Prodigal Son, we are embraced before we can fully express our love.

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

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