00:00Today, September 24, the church celebrates Our Lady of Mercy, also called Our Lady of Mercy,
00:10a celebration that originated in the 13th century in Spain.
00:14In 1218, in Barcelona, the Virgin Mary appeared simultaneously to three men,
00:20to Saint-Pierre-ne-Lasque, to King James I of Aragon and to Saint-Raymond de Peñafort.
00:26She asked them to found a religious order dedicated to a very specific mission,
00:33redeem the Christians enslaved by the dead and the Barbary pirates.
00:39At that time, in the Mediterranean, thousands of Christian captives lived in chains, humiliated and deprived of freedom.
00:48This is how the Order of Our Lady of Mercy was born, also called the Mercedarians.
00:53The word “thank you” here means mercy and deliverance.
01:00The spirituality of the order is based on four vows,
01:04poverty, chastity, obedience,
01:07and a special wish, one of a kind,
01:10to deliver oneself in exchange for the captives if necessary to give them freedom.
01:17In other words, the religious committed themselves to the point of giving their lives to save their imprisoned brothers.
01:23The Mercedarians quickly organized collections, expeditions and negotiations to buy back the slaves.
01:31It is said that in just a few decades, more than 70,000 captives were freed thanks to their actions.
01:37The image of the Virgin of Mercy then spread throughout Spain,
01:44then in Latin America with missionary expansion.
01:48Today she is the patron saint of Barcelona,
01:50but also many countries such as Peru, the Dominican Republic and Argentina.
01:55In iconography, Our Lady of Mercy is often depicted wearing a large white robe,
02:02open cloak, under which the faithful or freed captives take refuge.
02:07She embodies the spiritual motherhood of Mary who welcomes and protects.
02:12In some depictions, she holds broken chains, a symbol of regained freedom.
02:16Beyond the physical liberation of slaves,
02:20The feast of Our Lady of Mercy recalls a deeper reality.
02:25We are all called to inner freedom,
02:28to the liberation of our invisible chains,
02:30that of sin, of fear, of selfishness.
02:34Mary, Mother of Mercy, leads us to Christ,
02:38alone capable of breaking its bonds.
02:41Even today, the Mercedarian Order exists and continues its mission.
02:44These nuns are involved in educational work,
02:49of evangelization and liberation from new forms of modern slavery,
02:54drugs, prostitution, human trafficking.
02:58Their charisma remains current.
03:01To proclaim the freedom of God's children is to bear witness to the Lord's mercy.
03:06Entrusting one's life to Our Lady of Mercy asked to be freed
03:10of what keeps us far from God.
03:12And it is also praying for all those who, in the world,
03:14still suffer from oppression and captivity.
03:18Prayer to Our Lady of Mercy.
03:22O Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Mercy,
03:25you who inspired Saint Peter Nolasque to free the captives,
03:29open our hearts to mercy and compassion.
03:33Protect those still suffering from modern slavery,
03:36the prisoners, the oppressed, the forgotten.
03:40Help us to be artisans of peace and justice.
03:45Lead us to your Son, Jesus Christ.
03:48Only he can break our inner chains
03:50and offer us the true freedom of God's children.
03:53Our Lady of Mercy, pray for us,
03:57today and forever and ever.
04:00Amen.
04:00Subtitling Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
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