mercy

Compassion or forgiveness that is offered instead of punishment. Mercy does not judge. It uplifts. Mercy has no conditions and no expectation of return. It is shared freely. God’s mercy is endless. Like a gentle rain, it falls on all of us.

The mercy of God is revealed at all times. Perhaps it is through a stranger’s kindness, the forgiveness of a debt, the turning of a cheek. Mercy comes to us when there is pain in our souls, when our hearts are tired, and when we feel alone and unworthy.

God understands and reaches out with tenderness and never with reproach. Mercy flows to us—and through us. In a word that heals, a call from an old friend, the embrace of someone you didn’t know. In a song, a memory, a prayer. 

We are called to center our lives in mercy by being slow to judge, considering other perspectives, listening with compassion to someone’s story, and loving as freely and as generously as God loves. 

Dear God,

In a world that seems less and less compassionate, let Your mercy shine through me. Open my eyes to see Your mercy in the eyes and lives of others. Let me be a beacon of hope, love, justice, and mercy. Let me stand up for what is right and accompany those who need it the most. Let me be merciful to others. And, when I want to give up and start to lose hope, shower me with Your gentle mercy. Amen.

 How would you describe mercy in your life? What can you do to be merciful to yourself and others?