God’s exceeding great mercy: June 7, 2026

Today’s world, with its many fears and anxieties, tensions and wars, presents an increasingly urgent need for peace in the hearts of both individuals and peoples. Amid the vortex of violence that poisons relationships and destroys lives, the mercy of God asks to be allowed into our hearts with its amazing power of renewal. It is this mercy that is capable of turning our lives around, opening the way to love and forgiveness as distinctive features of the face of God manifested through us.

God’s exceeding great mercy

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I am pleased to greet all of you who are participating in the sixth edition of the World Apostolic Congress on Mercy which was so strongly desired by my Venerable Predecessor, Saint Pope John Paul II. On this occasion, I would like extend a special greeting to His Excellency Archbishop Gintaras Grušas of Vilnius, who is welcoming to his diocese so many pilgrims of mercy from all over the world, as well as to His Excellency Mr Gitanas Nausėda, the President of the Republic of Lithuania, and not least to His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, who has graciously accepted to be present.

Saint Augustine writes in the Confessions that his only hope is in God’s exceeding great mercy (10, 40). Indeed, it is a source of great joy and true hope when we experience how merciful God is towards each one of us and how good it is for us to renew our trust in his mercy.

Today’s world, with its many fears and anxieties, tensions and wars, presents an increasingly urgent need for peace in the hearts of both individuals and peoples. Amid the vortex of violence that poisons relationships and destroys lives, the mercy of God asks to be allowed into our hearts with its amazing power of renewal. It is this mercy that is capable of turning our lives around, opening the way to love and forgiveness as distinctive features of the face of God manifested through us.

Dear friends, God never tires of showing His mercy. His love, as the Psalmist says (cf. Psalm. 136), endures forever, and how much our world is crying out for mercy at every level! But the peace that we so deeply desire cannot be attained without mercy. Let us therefore join our trust in the infinite mercy of God with our own personal commitment to build a more welcoming and merciful society, beginning with our families.

My hope is that you will live these days in Vilnius intensely, so that you may take back to your communities the richness of all that you have experienced in this international gathering. From the bottom of my heart, I impart the Apostolic Blessing of the most merciful God upon each one of you and on your families.

On the friar, you can listen to our homilies (based on the readings of the day) and reflections. You can also ask us to pray for you or to pray for others. You can subscribe to our website to be informed whenever we publish an update.

About Author

thefriarwebmaster

See author's posts