​Reflection in Preparation for the Year of Mercy:

Only God can truly give us the power to forgive our enemies. It is undeniable the Spirit and power of God present in St. John Paul II when he visited the man who shot him in St. Peter’s Square to offer him forgiveness. The man told John Paul II, “ I know I was aiming right. I know that the bullet was a killer. So why aren’t you dead?” John Paul II carried these words with him, pondering them in thanksgiving to Our Lady for saving his life. He said “one hand shot, and another guided the bullet.” In his visit to his shooter, John Paul II showed the Spiritual works of mercy: Forgiving offenses and visiting the imprisoned. Let us ask St. John Paul II to give us the grace to forgive those who have offended us and to heal the wounds through works of mercy.