Step Seven – Practice Superabundant Mercy

St. John Bosco and St. Therese of Lisieux are the two patron saints of Paradisus Dei. Both point out to us practical ways to practice superabundant mercy in our homes.

St. Therese’s confessor said that she never committed a grave sin her whole life. St. Therese said she would have fallen more than the worst sinner if God had not gone out before her clearing the obstacles from her path. This gives an idea of Superabundant Mercy. It is a mercy that preceeds the souls to prevent it from sinning in the first place.

Don Bosco also understood this idea well. He created his Festive Oratories with a spirit of loving kindness, a place where it was easy to be good and difficult to be bad. Instead of using punishment to correct the children when they did wrong, he wanted to go before them in love such that they would not want to do wrong in the first place.

Apply this to your own life and consider one or more of the following ideas:
– Make your home a place of celebration and joy: Intentionally bring joy into your home. Celebrate the feast days of the Saints. Let each member of your family choose a Saint as their own special celebration day.
– Declare a “Day of Jubilee”: Dr. Scott Hahn talks about allowing his kids a special day where they can admit to anything they have done wrong and receive forgiveness from him without suffering any punishment. Try it!
– Purchase a family book about the life of St. John Bosco and read it as a family. Plan a special celebration with your family on his feast day, January 31st.