Seek the LORD while he may be found, call him while he is near. Let the scoundrel forsake his way, and the wicked his thoughts; let him turn to the LORD for mercy; to our God, who is generous in forgiving. (Is 55:6-9)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/092423.cfm
Our God is near to us always. The Merciful, the Compassionate. In the liturgy, the hymn, Lord, Have Mercy is from the Greek (Kyrie eleison) but is not originally a penitential plea for mercy. Rather, it is an acclamation that means “Lord, you are the giver of mercy.” Today (September 24) is the feast of Our Lady of Mercy—so Happy Feast Day to all the Sisters of Mercy!
These reflections are a result of more than 40 years of ministry as a Roman Catholic priest. Most of these years I spent in the Diocese of Charlotte which covers Western North Carolina. Now I am retired, and live in Medellín, Colombia where I continue to serve as a priest in the Archdiocese of Medellín.