In observance of the Holy Year of Mercy proclaimed by Pope Francis, Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M., issued a pastoral letter to the people of the Diocese of Trenton.
“When you look into someone’s face, you can often see many things,” the letter begins. “At times you see a peace and satisfaction that resides in a person’s soul. Other times, you see worry or distraction, confusion or anxiety, wonder or hesitation. Perhaps you see weariness or sadness, anger or frustration.
“There are times when a face betrays loneliness or a hunger to be loved, a faraway look or just a blank stare. A smile, a frown, a tear, a furrowed brow, a curiosity or special interest, a look of love: a face often reveals more than words…When we seek the Lord’s face, we will find it most often in the face of others. When we seek and find the face of the Lord, what is it that we really see there?”
The letter can be read in its entirety online at www.dioceseoftrenton.org/pastoral-letter2015. It is available for download as a PDF in English, Spanish, and Creole, and is also available to download as an audio podcast in three parts.