John Paul II tells the story of God's boundless mercy, beginning with the Old Testament and God's love shown in the history of the chosen people of God, through to the ultimate act of mercy: sending his son Jesus, our Redeemer. It is an excellent way to meditate on the meaning of mercy in the Year of Mercy. First published in 1980, this highly readable Encyclical Letter (Dives in Misericordia) is St John Paul's persuasive presentation of a God who throughout history has shown himself to be "rich in mercy".