Harvest season is a special time for bringing gifts to God in thanksgiving for all that He has done and would do; it is also a special period in the catholic church calendar to show love, show mercy to the less privileged around us and to our neighbors everywhere, especially in this Jubilee Year of Mercy, as inaugurated by Pope Francis.
In this year’s Harvest of Great Mercy, we have been encouraged to remember to keep our own part of our ‘Covenant with God’ observing the Hour of Mercy, spreading honor to the Divine Mercy and redeeming our pledges.
The Hour of Mercy
Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska (Diary 1572) said,
“As often as you hear the clock strike the third hour, immerse yourself completely in my mercy, adoring and glorifying it; invoke its omnipotence for the whole world, and particularly for poor sinners; for at that moment mercy was opened wide for every soul”
Three conditions which have to be met for prayers at this hour to be answered are:
1. They are to be addressed to Jesus Christ.
2. They are to be said at three o’ clock in the afternoon.
3. They are to appeal to the value and merits of Christ’s Passion.
The Lord Jesus promised, “In this hour you can obtain ‘everything’ for yourself and for others for the asking; it is the hour of grace for the whole world-mercy triumphed over justice”
Spread honor to the Divine Mercy
One of the essential elements of the Divine Mercy devotion is spreading honor to the Divine Mercy since Christ himself has commanded us to.
He has promised, “Souls who spread the honor of My mercy I shield through their entire life as a tender mother shields her infant, and at the hour of death I will not be a judge for them but the Merciful Savior” (Diary 1075)
The Lord Jesus said: “I desire trust from my creatures” (Diary, 1059) and He expects us to exercise mercy through deeds, words, and prayers.
Furthermore, “You are to show mercy to your neighbors always and everywhere. You must not shrink from this or try to excuse or absolve yourself from it” (Diary, 742)
Spreading honor to the Divine Mercy does not require many words, but always the Christian attitude of faith, of trust in God, and of becoming ever more merciful.
Christ expects those who worship him to perform at least one act of love of neighbor in the course of each day.
Redeeming our pledges
As a show of commitment and support to the growth and spread of the gospel in this harvest season, an alter call was made where Christ’s faithful’s stepped out in faith and trust and made certain declarations in front of the alter of the Most High.
‘And with all his abundant wealth through Christ Jesus, my God will supply all your needs’ (Philippians 4:9)
Harvest season is never complete without making a commitment to God either financially, morally or spiritually. Special graces are indeed attached to those who after sowing seeds in this period, wait patiently for a bountiful harvest.
In this year’s harvest of Great Mercy, in one of our country’s most turbulent times, we pray the good Lord who made heaven and earth, would provide us, as He has always done, with all the necessities of life in order to stand firm in resolve to reciprocate His mercy, we ask this and many more, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen!