As he commenced the Year of Mercy, the pope stressed that it is a gift of grace that allows Christians to experience the joy of encountering the transforming power of grace and rediscovering God’s infinite mercy toward sinners.

“The fullness of grace can transform the human heart and enable it to do something so great as to change the course of human history.”

“This is the love of God which precedes, anticipates and saves,” he said. “Were sin the only thing that mattered, we would be the most desperate of creatures. But the promised triumph of Christ’s love enfolds everything in the Father’s mercy.”

“We have to put mercy before judgment, and in any event God’s judgment will always be in the light of His mercy. In passing through the Holy Door, then, may we feel that we ourselves are part of this mystery of love.”

The pope continued to say that, like Mary, Christians are called to “become bearers of Christ” and to “let ourselves be embraced by the mercy of God who waits for us and forgives everything. Nothing is sweeter than His mercy. Let us allow ourselves to be caressed by God. The Lord is so good and He forgives everything.”

The Church is called to reach out to all people and to bring the joy of the Gospel.