From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Dec 14: Archbishop of Bangalore Most Rev Dr Bernard Moras opened the holy main door of St Francis Xavier’s Cathedral on Sunday in the presence of a large number of priests and devotees.

The entire ceremony divided into parts of opening the main doors of St. Mary’s Basilica and Infant Jesus’ shrines on January 1 and 4 respectively.

Apart from the band set and cross bearer, the Deacon carried a Bible in a raised position. The Archbishop followed by the priests went in a procession. 

During the initial service on the Cathedral grounds, Fr A S Anthony Swamy, the Parish Priest and Chancellor, welcomed the Archbishop, the Vicar Generals, all the priests and the lay faithful. He invited all to experience the mercy of God during the celebration and all through the Year of Mercy. 

The Archbishop and different priests spoke in three languages of Kannada, Tamil and English explaining the significance and importance of the jubilee year of mercy and the opening of the door of the cathedral. Sisters from Mount Carmel College led the through Song of Mercy in Latin and the choir joined in.

The Archbishop, priests and the lay faithful went in a procession to the front of the Cathedral and they lighted the traditional lamp to mark welcoming of Christ amidst us and the opening of the cathedral door. 

Archbishop Moras opened the decorated holy main Cathedral door ceremoniously and entered the church along with other priests. Archbishop Moras placed the Book of the Gospel on the altar and garlanded it after veneration of the Word of God. The Archbishop and other priests sprinkled holy water on the faithful prior to the concelebrated holy Mass after the baptismal promises under solemnity. 

Blessings from Pope Francis:

Archbishop Moras, who had recently gone to Rome and met Pope Francis, said the Holy Father has focused on several points to enable the celebration of the Holy Year to be for all believers a true moment of encounter with the mercy of God during the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy.

The Motto of the Holy Year of Mercy, “Merciful like the Father,” (Lk. 6:36) serves as an invitation to follow the example of the Compassionate Father who asks us not to judge or condemn but to forgive and give love and forgiveness without measure.

It is, indeed, the Pope’s wish that Jubilee be a living experience of the closeness of the Father so that the faith of every believer may be strengthened and thus testimony to it be ever more effective. Pope’s thoughts first of all go to the faithful who will experience the grace of the Jubilee, the Archbishop said.

“You may call God love or goodness, but the best name for Him is compassion. The story of Jesus is a story of mercy. The Good News of Jesus is that God is compassionate Father and there is no limit to his compassion,’’ he said quoting the Pope.

Pope Francis has been a prophet of hope from the first moments of his office and people-centred and particularly of the people who are rejected for various reasons by the large society. The refugees, the victims of war and hatred, those marginalized for their moral conditions, wars waged for religions and the young people, the humble folk of the society, following Jesus, he goes by the Spirit of the Lord who is upon Him, the Archbishop said. 

In his homily, the Archbishop said the Holy Father proposed a year of reflection on the merciful face of the Father through the Revelation of the Word of God, particularly the Gospel of Mercy, Gospel of Luke.

“Jesus Christ is the face of the Father’s mercy.’’ These words could sum up the mystery of Christian faith. Mercy has become living and visible in Jesus. The Father, ‘rich in mercy’ (Eph 2:4), after having revealed his name to Moses as “a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Ex. 34:6)”has never ceased to show, in various ways throughout history, his divine nature. In the “fullness of time” (Gal 4:4), when everything had been arranged according to his plan of salvation, he sent his only son into the world, to reveal his love for humanity in a definitive way. Whoever sees Jesus, sees the Father (Jn 14:9). Jesus of Nazareth, by his words, his actions and his entire person reveals the mercy of God, he explained.

The Archbishop said, ‘we need constantly to contemplate the mystery of mercy. It is a wellspring of joy, serenity and peace. Each person’s salvation depends on it. We are called to gaze even more attentively on mercy so that we may become a more effective sign of the Father’s action in our lives. For this reason, it was proclaimed and Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy as a special times for the Church; a time when the witness of believers might grow stronger and more effective.’ 

God’s mercy for all, endures forever:

Throughout the history of humanity, God will always be the One who is present, close, provident, holy and merciful. Patient and merciful. These words often go together in the Old Testament to describe God’s nature. “For his mercy endures forever,’’ he said.

Mercy renders God’s history with Israel, a history of salvation. Mercy is the very foundation of the Church’s life. The Church “has an endless desire to show mercy. We have long since forgotten how to show and live the way of mercy.

The Archbishop also said the Pope has a great desire to revive this aspect of mercy making Jubilee as a living experience. The Holy Father’s thoughts go to every individual and to reach each person. He strives for the good of every person, the Church and the entire world. Sickness and diseases leave a person if he or she enters through the Holy Door but only if one is prepared with spiritual exercises. Jubilee indulgence is to be celebrated with hope, faith and charity. This one year is to welcome new life. 

Special concern for Women:

The Holy Father has a special understanding and concern for women, especially those resort to abortion. Pope Francis said pressures led them to do it. To prepare them towards reconciliation with the Father, he has given permission for all priests all over the world to absolve sins of abortion during this year of mercy.

Fr C Francis, Vicar General, presenting a message on the occasion in Kannada, spoke of God’s mercy with illustration from practical life. He said mercy is preferred to justice. Fr S Jayanathan, Vicar General, also spoke on the occasion in Tamil, quoting from the Bible. He exhorted all to trust in God’s mercy and sins to be given up.

The Archbishop imparted Pope’s special blessings to all priests, nuns and lay faithful of the Archdiocese and the entire Karnataka and intoned the Jubilee prayer. 

The Archbishop also thanked all the priests, nuns and the faithful. He particularly thanked both Vicar Generals Frs Jayanathan, C Francis and Anthony Swamy (Parish Priest, PRO and Chancellor) for organizing such a grant celebration.

While Archbishop led the liturgy and mass in Kannada the commentary and Homily and Choir was in three languages.