“Know that if you neglect the matter of the painting of the image and the whole work of mercy, you will have to answer for a multitude of souls on the day of judgment” Divine Mercy in My Soul
What is expected of us as Apostles of Mercy?
I believe there is no doubt that the soul’s first and primary duty and mission is to get one’s self to Heaven. How can we lead others to God if we are not ourselves striving towards sanctity?
“The only real sadness, the only real failure, the only great tragedy in life, is not to become a saint.” French Catholic novelist Leon Bloy
“No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house.” Matthew 5:15
To turn a bushel basket upside down and put a candle under it was to hide its light from view. When you hide your light under a bushel is someone who figuratively does the same with their faith. Do this and you will answer to God.
To be an Apostle of Mercy is to turn that bushel basket over and place your light upon it giving light to all who are near. It doesn’t matter if you feel your light is a tiny cable the size of a single birthday candle. Try this experiment to see the effect of even the dimmest light. Wait until deep dark this evening, turn off all your lights. Let it get very dark, then light the smallest candle you can find. What happens? Inevitably, the darkness flees. Even the smallest light breaks the darkness and can be seen from great distances.
The human eye is attracted to light. It just is. In a dark forest a small firelight will draw the eye of everyone in the area.
This is what we are called for as Apostle s of Mercy. To be a light that turns heads. To be that light we must be working on our sanctification – as God’s Divine Mercy and Grace touch our soul, it is the sparks that sets the flame. It is then that we are called to turn that basket over and light the darkness.
To hide your light is to allow another soul to continue to walk in the darkness. If that soul stumbles and falls, it is me who is culpable.
Be the light for a dark world. Be a saint – remember, even a small light burns brightly in the darkness. And, a small spark can turn into a huge blaze with the right breath.