When John the Baptist began preaching his message of repentance, people were willing to travel a great distance to the Jordan River in order to be baptized. There was something special about John. His message was urgent. People needed to change and they needed to do it right away. John was of course urgent in his message because the Messiah was coming. The most special time in all of human history was about to begin, a time that had been prepared from the beginning of the world.

Like the people in the time of John the Baptist, we too should live our life with a certain urgency. The Messiah has come, but he’s coming back. It could be any day. Pope Francis has just inaugurated the Year of Mercy. In doing so, he has called us the recognize this as a special time for repenting and receiving God’s mercy, a call not unlike that of John the Baptist.

In symbolizing this special opening to mercy available this year, the Holy Father has opened the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica and other churches in Rome. He has also ordered that holy doors be opened at various churches in every diocese around the world. While God’s mercy is always available, this is a special time. The time if more urgent and the need mercy great. People crossed the Judean wilderness to get to the Jordan River as a sign of their repentance. I encourage you take advantage of this Year of Mercy to begin a new journey with God, maybe even going through one of the holy doors to mark your new beginning. There are so many graces that God is making available at this time. Don’t miss out. Go through the door!