I realized that, after writing yesterday's post, I have been thinking even more about mercy and the questions it raises. For example, how do we show mercy to a person who is unjust, who is harsh, who is just nasty, who is incredibly unforgiving? What about the horrendous act of abusing children or the vulnerable? Is there a requirement of mercy in these situations. My answer generally is yes - HOWEVER - Jesus does call us to be wise as serpents and as gentle as doves. Not easy to find that balance. This is terribly complicated.
Where does justice come into this? You can make a valid case that justice comes before love or charity, perhaps even before mercy. But where is the priority to be given? Mercy first or justice first? Or a different combination altogether.
I came across this quote from Pope Francis that is incredibly challenging: “To learn to show mercy is to learn from the Master how to become neighbors, unafraid of the outcast and those ‘tainted’ and marked by sin. To learn to hold out our hand to those who have fallen, without being afraid of what people will say. Any treatment lacking mercy, however just it may seem, ends up turning into mistreatment.”
Mercy is not shown in a such a way that we are stupid, but rather in such a way that we are people of compassion. How do we not fall into mistreatment of others when we lack mercy? I find this complicated. It seems at times to be splitting hairs. But quite possibly, the key to mercy is getting so incredibly basic: "do unto others as you would have them do unto you." I know that this is how I would like to be treated by God. I know that this is how I would like to be treated by others. I suspect that this is how Jesus wants me to treat other people - without exception. That is so hard at times. But I come back to my favorite definition of a saint: "a saint is a sinner who keeps trying." Sigh. God help me.
Is mercy and forgiveness really this complicated? Will keep thinking.
TODAY's GRATITUDE: For the people who have treated me with compassion.