Yesterday, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, marked the beginning of the new Year of Mercy. I think that, for many Catholics, we think about "mercy" as primarily involving the forgiveness of sins. In some ways, that's a natural conclusion since, at Mass, we ask "Lord, have mercy" immediately after our confession of sins. But while forgiveness is one important aspect of mercy, it does not encompass the entire meaning. Consider the Spiritual Works of Mercy and the Corporal Works of Mercy.
Spiritual Works of Mercy:
counsel the doubtful
instruct the ignorant
admonish sinners
comfort the afflicted
forgive offenses
bear wrongs patiently
pray for the living and the dead
Corporal Works of Mercy:
feed the hungry
give drink to the thirsty
clothe the naked
shelter the homeless
visit the sick
visit the imprisoned
bury the dead
St. Francis, writing about his conversion, makes a point to mention his work among the lepers: "The Lord led me among them, and I showed them mercy." He is obviously not speaking about the forgiveness of sins but of his compassionate service.
If I were to offer a working definition of "mercy," I would approach it from two viewpoints. From the viewpoint of the recipient of mercy, I would say that mercy is any undeserved, unearned blessing. It is a gift freely given by another that meets a need we cannot satisfy on our own. St. Paul experienced the mercy of God through his conversion and call. Or, as one familiar hymn says: "He looked beyond my fault and saw my need."
From the viewpoint of one who shows mercy, I would define mercy as "compassion in action." Look at the parable of the Good Samaritan. When the Samaritan sees the nearly-lifeless body lying by the roadside, he is moved with compassion. When he acts to assist the injured man, that compassion becomes mercy. When he acts with mercy over and over again, the Samaritan becomes an image of the mercy of God.
If we accept that mercy is an unearned blessing and compassion in action, we find more and more of the gospel passages are calls to experience or show mercy. When Jesus charges his listeners to go beyond the accepted societal and religious norms so that they love beyond the circle of their families and friends, invite those who cannot repay, and pray for their persecutors, these are all calls to mercy.
Pope Francis' call to live a Year of Mercy invites us to receive with gratitude the unearned blessings we receive from God and others and, at the same time, charges us to turn our compassion to action for the benefit of our sisters and brothers in need.
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