LEARNING GOD’S MERCY: SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION ACCORDING TO HOS 11:8

Abstract

A GROWING FOCUS ON GOD’S MERCY AND FORGIVENESS EMERGED IN THE WAKE OF THE RECENT PONTIFICATES OF JOHN PAUL II, BENEDICT XVI, AND FRANCIS. OUR TIME WITH ITS MULTIPLE CRISES CRIES FOR HEALING, FORGIVENESS, AND THE EXPERIENCE OF GOD’S MERCY. IN SOCIAL, POLITICAL, AND GLOBAL TERMS, HUMANITY CRAVES FOR “LASTING PEACE, BORN OF THE MARRIAGE OF JUSTICE AND MERCY” (JOHN PAUL II, 2001, NO. 15). THE EXPERIENCE OF GOD’S FORGIVENESS, MERCIFUL HEALING AND NEW LIFE HAS BEEN EXPRESSED MANY TIMES IN THE BIBLE. BUT, THEOLOGICALLY, IT HAS NEVER BEEN FORMULATED AS DIRECTLY AS IN HOSEA 11:8, WHEN GOD’S OWN HEART BECOMES “TURNED OVER”, “CONVERTED” FOLLOWING THE BLAZE OF HIS OWN OVERWHELMING COMPASSION, PAVING THE WAY FOR A FUNDAMENTAL SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION, ROOTED IN FORGIVENESS AND MERCY, THAT OPENS WELLSPRINGS OF DIGNITY, HEALING, AND NEW LIFE FOR ALL.