Cardinal Pietro Parolin celebrates the Mass on Divine Mercy Sunday in suffrage for Pope Francis, and recalls that mercy offers Christians the golden thread that unites our lives to one another and to Christ.
By Devin Watkins
At Mass on the second day of the Novemdiales, or “nine days” of mourning for the late Pope Francis, Cardinal Pietro Parolin invited Christians to look to Christ’s infinite mercy for peace in the world and in our hearts.
In his homily, the 70-year-old Italian-born Cardinal drew inspiration from the day’s Gospel, which recalls the fear and sadness of the Apostles as they huddled in the Upper Room after Jesus’ death.
He said this image represents the Church’s state of mind at this moment, as Christians mourn the late Pope, who died on Easter Monday and was buried on Saturday.
“The grief at his departure, the sense of sadness that assails us, the turmoil we feel in our hearts, the sense of bewilderment,” he said, “we are experiencing all of this, like the Apostles grieving over the death of Jesus.”
Yet, said Cardinal Parolin, Christ comes precisely in this darkness to reveal Himself in the glory of His resurrection and illumine our hearts.
“Pope Francis reminded us of this since his election and often repeated it to us, placing at the centre of his pontificate that joy of the Gospel,” he said.
Many young people were present at the second Novemdiales Mass, which took place during the scheduled Jubilee for Teenagers.
Cardinal Parolin urged young people to welcome the joy of Easter, even amid the pain of loss, reminding them that Jesus always gives us the “courage to live.”
Recalling the Feast of Divine Mercy, the Cardinal said Pope Francis’ teaching put great emphasis on God’s mercy, which has no limits and works to raise us up and renew us.
“Our affection for him, which is being manifested in this time,” he said, “must not remain a mere emotion of the moment. We must welcome his legacy and make it part of our lives, opening ourselves to God’s mercy and also being merciful to one another.”
Mercy, added Cardinal Parolin, “takes us back to the heart of faith,” and helps us interpret our relationship with God and our identity as the Church according to God’s categories, rather than those of the world.
“The good news of the Gospel is first and foremost the discovery of being loved by a God who has compassionate and tender feelings for each one of us, regardless of our merits,” he said. “It also reminds us that our life is woven with mercy: we can only get back up after our falls and look to the future if we have someone who loves us without limits and forgives us.”
Cardinal Parolin, who served as Secretary of State under Pope Francis, noted that only mercy heals and creates a new world, extinguishing the fires of hatred and violence.
“The risen Lord directs His disciples, His Church, to be instruments of mercy for humanity for those willing to accept God’s love and forgiveness,” said the Cardinal. “Pope Francis was a shining witness of a Church that bends down with tenderness towards those who are wounded and heals with the balm of mercy.”
The late Pope, he added, believed strongly that peace is not possible without recognition of one another and mutual forgiveness.
Turning to employees of the Roman Curia and Vatican City State, Cardinal Parolin thanked them for their untiring service to the Holy See.
“We entrust ourselves to the Blessed Virgin Mary, to whom he was so devoted that he chose to be buried in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major,” concluded Cardinal Parolin. “May she protect us, intercede for us, watch over the Church, and support the journey of humanity in peace and fraternity.”
