It is always a joy to minister to young penitents, especially those who are preparing for their First Communion. Most would often carry a piece of paper with their misdemeanors written on it, and they would read them as if they were reciting in class. Some of them would say, “Father, bless me for I have sinned. These are my sins: I disobeyed my parents three times. I cursed five times. I stole guavas from our neighbor. I copied my classmate’s answers during an exam. I do not like listening to priests.” Psalm 103:10 says, “He has not dealt with us as our sins merit, nor requited us as our wrongs deserve.” This is what mercy is all about: NOT getting what we deserve. Our transgressions deserve punishment. But God forbears them and gives us his gift of forgiveness as we try to find our way back to him. Whenever we go to the Lord with our list of sins, he also offers us a list of countless reasons why we deserve his love and mercy.

“Lord, great and awesome God, you who keep your merciful covenant toward those who love you and observe your commandments! We have sinned, been wicked and done evil; we have rebelled and departed from your commandments and your laws. We have not obeyed your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, our fathers, and all the people of the land. Justice, O Lord, is on your side; we are shamefaced even to this day: we, the men of Judah, the residents of Jerusalem, and all Israel, near and far, in all the countries to which you have scattered them because of their treachery toward you. O Lord, we are shamefaced, like our kings, our princes, and our fathers, for having sinned against you. But yours, O Lord, our God, are compassion and forgiveness! Yet we rebelled against you and paid no heed to your command, O Lord, our God, to live by the law you gave us through your servants the prophets.”

Jesus said to his disciples: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. “Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.”