THE IMPORTANCE OF MERCY

MARCH 29, 2008

Today, mercy does not seem to be very popular as a theme in culture, law, or politics.

In the world of entertainment, stories about vengeance and making the “bad guys” pay for their evil deeds have been quite popular in paperback novels and Hollywood movies. We are expected to relish those moments when terror or pain or death finally visits the wicked. How foreign it would seem, in the story, to arrive at the climactic moment of showdown between the hero and the villain, after the villain had methodically subjected the hero to great cruelty or sadistic torment, only to find the hero offering words of forgiveness and appealing to the villain to reclaim his lost humanity, repent of his wrongdoing, and turn to a life of good works!

In the criminal justice system, too many States still retain the death penalty. At times the news coverage of an execution exposes us to a vengeful crowd keeping vigil outside the prison and celebrating the moment of execution. In courtroom scenes, judges sometimes allow the victims of crime, or their families, to speak directly to those found guilty of the crime committed against them, before sentencing. These moments are, at times given over to passionate expressions of hatred and a fervent desire that the convicted burn in hell. Seldom do we hear words of forgiveness an appeal to the judge for clemency.

In politics, candidates often seek to win popular support by promising to be tough on crime. When in office they are inclined to hunt down criminals and make them pay. Many of our nation’s political leaders have voiced the opinion, since 9/11, that we should hunt down terrorists and destroy them. Some, in hopes of gaining information that would serve such ends, have justified methods of interrogation that for centuries have been widely considered to be torture. When it comes to a suicide bomber or those who trained or motivated him to kill innocent innocent people, when have we heard a public figure say, “May God have mercy on their soul?”

What moves us to thirst for vengeance is a vague intuition that if an injustice has been done, justice requires retribution. The reason we feel such intense anger when we witness an injustice and unmerited suffering in our world is the fact that we were created in God’s image and likeness, and justice is one of God’s principal attributes. Deep down, we know that we could not live in a world without justice. Indeed, Jesus himself recognized the importance of justice, and counted those blessed who dedicate themselves to the pursuit of justice: “Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall have their fill” (Matthew 5:6).

Pause and think! ,Does anyone want a perfectly just world, as we conceive it? If there were perfect justice, and justice alone, what punishments might we ourselves have to accept as the just reward for our misdeeds and immoral acts? Who among us is so free of sin that he or she can “cast the first stone” at others in punishment for their sins? Who among us does not need to plead to God, “forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Who among us is not in need of mercy?

This coming Sunday is Mercy Sunday, a day to remember that God is a God of mercy. He does not want us to flee from him in fear, due to our sinfulness or in dread of what punishment we might justly merit. Instead, he wants us to rush to him with bold confidence, in spite of our sins, however dark or numerous they may be. Jesus taught his followers to call upon God as “Abba” (cf. Mk.14:36), which is a term of tender endearment used by little children when speaking to their father, and is rendered “ Daddy ” or “Papa” in English. When our heavenly Father raises his hand, so to speak, it is to bless us, not to strike us. God’s justice is perfected by his mercy. God is all-merciful!

Some may find it hard to believe in an all-merciful God when they contemplate their own sins and the sometimes horrendous evils they have witnessed in the world. What God asks of us, however, is to trust both in both his justice and in his mercy. This Sunday offers us a special opportunity to beg for God’s mercy on us and on the whole world.

We have no right to expect, much less demand, that God be merciful toward us, but we can, and should, be completely confident in his mercy because our faith tells us that God is always true to his own infinite goodness. The greatest proof of God’s mercy is that, instead of condemning us and lashing out punishment against us for our sins, he sent his only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to suffer and die in order to atone for our many sins, so that our communion with God might be restored and the way might be opened for us to enter into eternal life with him.

As we celebrate Mercy Sunday, let us remember the words of the Lord, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” (Matt. 5:7), and let us learn to pray often the words Jesus uttered from the cross when speaking to his Father about his enemies: “Father, forgive them. They know not what they do” (Lk 23:34 ).

+Bishop Raymundo J. Peña

last updated 31-Mar-2008 8:17 sitemap