Divine mercy is–

Infinite.

Free.

Bold.

Powerful.

Trustworthy.

I am.

A pilgrim of mercy.

Hi, I'm Matthew Kelly, and welcome to the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption in Covington, Kentucky. We have this glorious space to begin our journey, 33 days to divine mercy. Mercy is love reaching out to misery. It is impossible to understand yourself or your life or any other person until you've discovered your own immense need for mercy. Until you have come to believe that the only thing greater than your need for mercy is God's desire to give it to you. These discoveries will convince you and confront you. They will deepen your conviction that God wants you and confront you with the ultimate question, do you want God? Let me begin with a story. The year was 1725. John Newton was born in London to a seafaring father and a devoutly Christian mother. His early years were a seesaw between spiritual instruction and premature worldly exposure. But his mother died when he was still young. That left him spiritually unmoored. His father took him to sea at the age of 11 and rebellion quickly took a hold of his life. When he was 19, John was pressed into service in the Royal Navy. But he was allergic to discipline. And the following year, he deserted the Navy, but was captured, flogged, demoted to a common seamen. Foul-mouthed, disobedient, and with an unrestrained penchant for debauchery, John was eventually discharged from the Navy and transferred to a merchant vessel, engaged in the African slave trade. He ended up in West Africa working for a slave trader named Amos Clo. John's behavior and personality clashed with the captain. And over time, he fell into disfavor with Clo and his African mistress who wielded significant power. This led John to become enslaved himself and subjected to horrendous abuse, deprivation, and forced labor. He was treated mercilessly, relied on scraps of food to survive, and out of spite, was made a servant to the slaves, which underscored the depth of his suffering and humiliation. It was around this time that news of John's plight reached his father in London, and he sent a ship to rescue his son. On his voyage home to London, John awoke one night to the ship being ravaged by a vicious and violent storm. Everyone aboard was certain they were about to sink off the coast of Ireland. Wave after wave crashed down upon the ship and John saw one of his crewmates swept overboard, never to be seen again. So tying himself to the ship's pump, he worked for hours to keep the vessel afloat. It was in a moment of desperation during this long night that he cried out to God, the God he had known as a child. "Lord, have mercy on us." This near-death experience became a pivotal moment in his life. This cry of desperation made John intensely aware of his great need for mercy. He would later credit this near-death experience with his spiritual awakening. But few lives can be drawn with straight lines and his conversion was still years away.

Two weeks later, the battered ship limped safely into an Irish port. John and the crew were starving but alive. In the days and weeks that followed, John began to read the Bible again and renew his relationship with Jesus. The seed of mercy had been planted in his soul. But he struggled with feelings of unworthiness, which became an obstacle to his spiritual transformation. Later in life, John would regret the fact that having been liberated from slavery himself and saved that night from the storm on the high seas, he did not turn back to God completely. What did he turn to instead? It may seem unbelievable at first, but John became the captain of a slave ship. He had experienced the brutal reality of slavery firsthand. He had personally been the victim of its dehumanization, and yet he spent the next five years having free men, women, and children from Africa in the most inhumane circumstances so they could be sold into slavery in the Americas. But all of that came to a halt at the age of 30, when John suffered a massive stroke. He would never sail again.

The year was 1754. What seemed like a tragedy at the time became the catalyst for one of the most famous spiritual conversions in the history of Christianity. John was now forced to take an honest, unflinching look at the darkness of his past. And every aspect of his life up until that moment haunted him. His conscience was awakened to the horror of slavery and all the evil that he had participated in. The faces of the men, women, and children he had forced into slavery tormented him night and day. This led him deep into dark bouts of self-loathing. He hated what he had done and who he had become. He became deeply introspective and a desire for God began to rise up in him. Each day, he emptied himself in hours of prayer, throwing himself at God's feet, begging for mercy. But he considered himself unforgivable and unworthy of God's love and mercy. And yet, by some extraordinary grace, he had the courage to keep showing up to prayer each day, searching for light, hoping for hope. He would eventually call this experience Amazing Grace. The year was 1772 these are the words the former slave trader penned to describe his quest for mercy and to honor his God after 27 years of prayer and reflection. He wrote them to encourage you and me to believe in second chances and new beginnings. Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now I see. It was grace that taught my heart to fear and grace my fears relieved. How precious did that grace appear? The hour I first believed. Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come. His grace hath brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home. The Lord has promised good to me. His word, my hope secures. He will my shield and portion be as long as life endures.

Yet when the flesh and heart shall fail and mortal life shall cease, I shall possess within the veil a life of joy and peace. The earth shall soon dissolve like snow. The sun forbear to shine, but God who called me here below will be forever mine. When we've been there 10,000 years, bright shining as the sun, with no less days to sing God's praise than when we'd first begun. This once notorious slave trader underwent a profound spiritual conversion. John Newton allowed God's mercy to completely transform him. He became a minister, a renowned preacher, a champion of the abolitionist movement, and devoted his life to spreading the message of God's grace and the possibility of redemption. Amazing Grace is the most popular hymn in the history of the world, and that's no small feat. There are lots of great ones. How Great Thou Art. Ave Maria. Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty. Hail Holy Queen. Panis Angelicus. On Eagle's Wings.

I have often heard Amazing Grace described as John Newton's greatest contribution, but I have to disagree. Let me explain. I love the hymn. I think it's extraordinary. I just don't think it was his greatest contribution. The year was 1807. A thunderous applause broke out in the courtroom. The British Parliament abolished the transatlantic slave trade by signing the Slave Trade Act of 1807. This victory for human rights was made possible by a small group of tireless men and women. John Newton was one of them. That was his greatest contribution. 12 generations have passed since 1807. That's 12 generations of Africans who were not sold into slavery. 12 generations of men, women, and children who wake up to their ancestral homeland each day. Twelve generations of people who live in freedom. That's millions of people spared the unimaginable cruelty of slavery. And not just 12 generations, but every generation their bloodline going forward. That's tens of millions of people, maybe hundreds of millions of people, maybe billions. That was John Newton's greatest contribution. A child is in her mother's arms tonight because of John Newton's efforts. Grandparents are playing with their children. Husbands and wives are sleeping side by side. Children are playing together outside their homes. Neighbors are laughing together. That's a tremendous amount of good and a tremendous amount of holy moments. Newton has been dead for 217 years. He died 271 days after the slave trade was outlawed. But for 217 years, the good he did has lived on. The good we do lives on forever. The good we do never dies. It lives on in other people, in other places, in other times.

John Newton's goodness lives on today, and that is his greatest contribution. The hymn, as magnificent as it is, and it is astounding. The hymn is just a dim reflection of his inner life, a dim reflection of his relationship with God. And when I reflect on that single idea, I'm in awe wondering what that relationship was like. And the hymn, as crisp and as clear as it is, as glorious and everlasting, the hymn is but a faint echo of John Newton's contribution. The hymn and the man and his contribution to ending slavery and his profound understanding of God's love and mercy, well, these are all just a dim reflection of the God He worshipped, Jesus Christ, the Lord of mercy, the man and the mercy we are going to explore and encounter over the next 33 days.

Are you sick and tired of hearing people say mass is boring? We want to eradicate those words from the Catholic vocabulary forever. Our Catholic Moments Initiative has already delivered groundbreaking programs for confirmation, first communion, first reconciliation, daily prayer, baptism, marriage preparation, and the fourth quarter of your life. And this year, we're excited to announce we're creating a game-changing program that will transform the way Catholics, young and old, experience the mass. Nobody who experiences this program will ever say mass is boring ever again. Everyone knows that mass is boring. Epidemic is a huge problem. The question is, who's willing to do something about it? If you are a dynamic Catholic ambassador, thank you. And this is what we are spending your money on this year. If you are not a Dynamic Catholic Ambassador, become one today and together let's eradicate mass is boring from the Catholic vernacular. Click the button below and choose your welcome gifts today. If you're already an Ambassador, increase your gift and we will send you these exciting new gifts also. Thank you for partnering with us to put an end to mass is boring. God bless you. And remember, Be Bold, Be Catholic.

Eternal God.

In whom mercy is endless.

And the treasury of compassion and inexhaustible.

Look kindly upon us.

And increase your mercy in us.

That in difficult moments.

We might not despair.

Nor become despondent.

But with great confidence.

Submit ourselves to your holy will.

Which is love and mercy itself.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

See you tomorrow.

Thank you, Ambassadors.

You are changing the world. Have a great day. Have a great day.

Have a great day!

Hey, Isabelle. One of the best ways for a pilgrim of mercy to collaborate with God is to create holy moments. So I figured, while we have a couple of minutes here, you could inspire our audience, teach them how to listen to the Holy Spirit, and take action. What is today's Holy Moment Challenge?

Today's Holy Moments Challenge. Astonish someone with your generosity.