A reminder that we are talking about God’s mercy, not a human standard:
Thus, the way which Christ showed to us in the Sermon on the Mount with the beatitude regarding those who are merciful is much richer than what we sometimes find in ordinary human opinions about mercy. These opinions see mercy as a unilateral act or process, presupposing and maintaining a certain distance between the one practicing mercy and the one benefitting from it, between the one who does good and the one who receives it. Hence the attempt to free interpersonal and social relationships from mercy and to base them solely on justice.
In this light, we might ask about how we function as a merciful person. Do we keep a distance from loved ones and friends during our granting of mercy? Do our parishes ad dioceses, especially the social service ministries, keep this distance through our “fair” and “just” procedures?
St John Paul reminds us to model our efforts on the Scriptures, and especially on the mission of Jesus:
However, such opinions about mercy fail to see the fundamental link between mercy and justice spoken of by the whole biblical tradition, and above all by the messianic mission of Jesus Christ. True mercy is, so to speak, the most profound source of justice. If justice is in itself suitable for “arbitration” between people concerning the reciprocal distribution of objective goods in an equitable manner, love and only love (including that kindly love that we call “mercy”) is capable of restoring (people)to Himself.
Thoughts or opinions?
Dives in Misericordia, the second encyclical of Pope John Paul II, is available online here, and is copyright © 1980 – Libreria Editrice Vaticana
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