Despite the numerous messages of love which have been given to us by our Lord, sometimes we still find ourselves in a position of excessive fear of God as opposed to trusting in his mercy.

Arising in the 1600's, this way of thinking was known as Jansenism, which was a heretical theology that required rigorous mortifications and extreme acts of penance to earn salvation. Unfortunately, in our times today, we still see some remnants of this extremist moral thought, a thought which ultimately tells us that we have to somehow make ourselves worthy of salvation.

However, Jesus' response to this problem was one of overwhelming love. In 1673, Jesus appeared to a French nun, Margaret Mary Alacoque, with a message of mercy for mankind. Jesus said to her, "Behold the Heart which has so loved men that it has spared nothing, even to exhausting and consuming Itself, in order to testify Its love." On our part, we have to be willing to accept the love which Jesus offers us, which calls us to continual conversion and to trusting in his mercy for the forgiveness of our sins.

But are we still somehow waiting for access to God? St. Augustine writes: “Access is possible: Christ is the door. It was opened for you when his side was opened by the lance. Remember what flowed out from his side: thus, choose where you want to enter Christ. From the side of Christ as he hung dying upon the Cross there flowed out blood and water, when it was pierced by a lance. Your purification is in that water, your redemption is in that blood."

Out of love for us, Jesus spent himself completely on the cross, even allowing the blood and water from his Most Sacred Heart to be poured out for our salvation and as a sign of his love for us. The door to experiencing that love is wide open. Will you enter in?

Yours in Christ,
Cameron Degani Seminarian ASF