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As his executioners were nailing his hands to the crossbeam, Jesus said: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
For those with questions about forgiveness and mercy in the absence of repentance, the big answers are, of course, found in prayer. And yet part of the answer is to be found in the definition and nurture components of mercy, for it is more than the forbearance shown toward an offender, an enemy, or other person in one’s sphere of influence. It goes beyond the discretionary power of a civil magistrate to pardon someone or to mitigate punishment. Mercy can also be a simple act of compassion, or something that gives evidence of divine favor; merited or unmerited. It is truly a blessing and entirely consistent with Our Lord’s Gospel of loving-kindness.
As Jesus demonstrated on the cross, there is a higher quality of righteousness than justice. Jesus told us to minister to the sick, the fainthearted, and those bound by fear. As we share the Gospel, we help free those enslaved by evil. And we can do all of this unencumbered by any analysis paralysis or concern over judgment for excessive kindness because of the grace factor. Grace is, by definition, unmerited favor. Consider the words of Jesus: “Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto me.”
Consider also, the example Jesus gave about the man who steals your coat. By the Master’s admonition, in our time we would likely give the thief a set of matching gloves and perhaps even a scarf for a dash of color. Now would we do this simply to keep from getting shot or is there a larger principle involved? I believe our act of kindness in the face of such evil is the Peacemaker’s equivalent of shock and awe. It would serve to challenge the righteousness of the self-centered thief. And even though it may not spur in him an instant conversion to altruistic hero, it also won’t support his notion that everyone’s in it for themselves. He has, at least, one unsettling example of a fellow human being acting unselfishly. Until he grows to understand your motivation, the unusual experience will be hard to reconcile in his mind.
Jesus said: “Freely you have received, freely give.” There appears to be no record of any requirement that we play Mother May I to go about doing good. And yet we have all seen the cartoon of a boy scout trying to help an elderly woman across the street only to have her beat him with her umbrella. We’ve experienced disappointment in situations where our charitable acts have failed to produce lasting improvement in the lives of those we’ve sought to help. But we are not called to micromanage the attitudes or the lives of others, for we know that a world without the possibility of unwise judgment would be a world without free intelligence.
If someone we are trying to help seems impelled, by the accumulation of emotional conflicts, to seek relief in unhealthy forms of self-expression; or if they persist in the unwise pursuit of destructive pleasures, it would be inconsistent with our loving service mandate to be a pit-stop along such a suicidal course. We are not required to cater to every indulgence or to support professional alms takers. When Jesus told us to be as wise as serpents and as harmless as doves, He was teaching us the value of discretion in the context of patience, tolerance, and forgiveness.
While we are not called to sit in judgment on the heart and soul of others, we can certainly respond to their outward expression. Jesus said: “By their fruits you shall know them.” The Gospel is about the value we each add to the living, growing family within the Kingdom of Heaven.
The ministry of mercy is, in essence, the choreography of the Spirit. Jesus described the role of the Spirit as one of helper, leader and comforter. Implicit to the Spirit’s ability to lead us into all truth are the powers of discernment and discretion required by anyone actively engaged in mercy ministry. When God calls us to a ministry, He makes provision which means He insures that we are appropriately equipped.
Jesus said: “This is my commandment, That you love one another, as I have loved you.” His is a wise parental love. And He demonstrates, even today, that the key to such wisdom is prayerful submission to the Father’s will. Through prayer we enjoy a clarification of viewpoint, an enrichment of thought, a technique for the adjustment of difficulties, and the opportunity to express our gratitude. When prayer moves us beyond a recital of personal concerns to become a declaration of faith and a sincere expression of spiritual attitude; when it transcends the petitioner’s repetitions and embarks on the discovery of higher inclinations, it transforms the soul for a mighty mobilization.
Our part in mercy ministry is to go where great things are waiting to be done; to set the stage for healing, to bring about opportunities for salvation. We are as notes in merciful chords of divine compassion. We know that God will not suffer a single person who calls on His name in true faith, and with a pure heart, to fail. And our merciful ministrations help to reveal the Father’s heart of love and compassion. The spirit techniques of mercy ministry may well be beyond our comprehension, but we can understand, even today, that mercy is essential to growth.