From way up north comes a brief message for Lent, in which Bishop Berislav Grgić reminds the faithful of his Territorial Prelature of Tromsø of the works of mercy, seven spiritual and seven corporal.
“Dear faithful in the Church of Tromsø!
Pope Francis has declared an Extraordinary Year of Mercy. The year began on the feast of the Immaculate Conception on 8 December 2015 and ends on 20 November 2016 on the feast of Christ the King. The Pope wants the Church in the Holy Year to live in the light of Jesus’ words from the Gospel of Luke: “Be merciful just as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:36). In particular, the Pope urges us all to rediscover the seven spiritual works of mercy and the seven temporal or corporal works of mercy.
The seven spiritual works of mercy:
- To instruct the ignorant
- To counsel the doubtful
- To comfort the afflicted
- To admonish sinner
- To forgive offences
- To patiently bear wrongs
- To pray for the living and the dead, and for the persecuted
The seven temporal or corporal works of mercy:
- To feed the hungry
- To give drink to the thirsty
- To clothe the naked
- To shelter the homeless
- To visit the sick and the imprisoned
- To ransom the captive
- To bury the dead
In Tromsø we endorse this invitation and want to stand with the entire Catholic Church throughout this Holy Year, especially now in Lent, because we know:
“God loved the world so much, that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him, may not die but have eternal life”(John 3:16)
“Through His Son’s death and resurrection God reconciled the world to Himself and sent the Holy Spirit for the forgiveness of sins” (ritual for confession).
“I give you a new commandment: love one another; you must love one another just as I [Jesus] have loved you” (John 13:34).
To Mary, Mother of the Lord and of the Church, I entrust all of us in this Lent, so that she may lead us to her Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.
Tromsø, 27 january 2016
Msgr. Berislav Grgić
Bishop-prelate of Tromsø”
