# The Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy Begins
*2015-12-07*

> Bill Young introduces the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (December 8 2015 – November 20 2016) and reflects on Pope Francis’ call to live out the corporal and spiritual works of mercy, especially through the Holy Doors in the Archdiocese of Miami.

## A Holy Year Starts Tomorrow

Good afternoon, I’m Bill Young. Tomorrow, December 8, marks the beginning of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, which will run until November 20, 2016. In a letter to his parishioners, Father Steve of St. David’s Catholic Church in Davie, Florida, reminds us that this solemnity of the Immaculate Conception also launches Pope Francis’ Holy Year. The Pope’s words, “Jesus Christ is the face of the Father’s mercy,” sum up the mystery of our faith and invite us to focus on God’s essential quality—mercy.

## Mercy as a Criterion for Discipleship

Pope Francis teaches that mercy is not merely an attribute of the Father but a criterion for recognizing true children of God. We are called to show mercy because mercy has been shown to us. He urges us to reflect on the corporal and spiritual works of mercy, reawakening a conscience that often grows dull in the face of poverty.

## The Corporal Works of Mercy

Taken from Matthew 25:31‑46, the corporal works are:
• Feed the hungry
• Give drink to the thirsty
• Clothe the naked
• Welcome the stranger
• Heal the sick
• Visit those in prison
• Bury the dead
These actions embody the Gospel’s call to bring God’s mercy to the poor and marginalized.

## The Spiritual Works of Mercy

The spiritual works, also drawn from Scripture, include:
• Counsel the doubtful
• Instruct the ignorant
• Comfort the sorrowful
• Forgive offenses
• Bear patiently with those who wrong us
• Pray for the living and the dead
Through these, we imitate Christ’s merciful heart (cf. Luke 6:36).

## Holy Doors in Miami

Pilgrimage to a Holy Door is a traditional way to enter more deeply into the Holy Year. While the most famous Holy Door is in St. Peter’s Basilica, the Archdiocese of Miami has opened its own: the Cathedral and five other churches—St. Mary Star of the Sea, La Ermita Jesús, St. Anthony, and Our Lady of Mercy. Crossing these thresholds reminds us of our own conversion and strengthens us to extend God’s mercy to others.

## Looking Ahead

May Pope Francis’ desire for a year of mercy be realized in each of us. Let us step into mercy so that we may bring goodness and tenderness to all, a sign that the Kingdom of God is already present among us.

*The Jubilee invites us to live the works of mercy, opening our hearts through the Holy Doors and becoming instruments of God’s boundless compassion.*