WOF 029: What God's Mercy Really Entails

Pope Francis recently invited Bishop Barron to speak to hundreds of English-speaking priests at a gathering in Rome for the Jubilee Year of Mercy. In today’s episode, Bishop Barron reflects on the talk he shared with his fellow clergymen about Jesus’ encounter with the woman at the well. From this account in John’s gospel, the bishop distills for us four major lessons on the divine mercy. The listener question comes from a practicing Catholic in London who seeks a response to the argument that pursuing a vigorous spiritual life is unnecessary if we are ultimately reconciled to God.

Topics Discussed

0:17 – Bishop Barron goes to Rome to talk about divine mercy
3:03 – How is God’s mercy relentless?
5:28 – How does the story of The Woman at the Well dismantle religious mythology?
8:01 – How is God’s mercy divinizing?
11:40 – Connections to Marriage and the Old Testament
13:14 – What does “God became man that man might become God” actually mean?
16:11 – How is God’s mercy demanding?
20:01 – The Vibrant Paradox of Extreme Demand and Extreme Mercy
22:34 – How is God’s mercy a summons to mission?
25:30 – The Highest Life is a summons to Mission
26:42 – Question from listener: Why bother engaging in the spiritual life?