There is never a moment or situation in which we are not called to act out of mercy, rather than condemnation. This statement may catch some people off guard. Others may say, “But Father, how was Jesus merciful to the Pharisees when he said, ‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.’ ” Or others may be afraid that if we are always merciful, then we would become pushovers, never stand up for ourselves and be continuously allowing people to take advantage of us. But what if I were to tell you that the statements of Woe were indeed acts of mercy by our our Lord. And when He criticized Peter, “Get behind me Satan,” and the disciples for their cowardice and lack of faith in the storm, He was acting in Mercy.
On this Sunday of God’s Divine Mercy, we are not only recollecting the visions and devotion of St. Faustina, but are reminded of the fullness of God’s Mercy. Too often, I think, we think of mercy simply as forgiveness and, in a way, turning a blind eye to the wrongs that people have done. But we forget that the forgiveness of sins is only one of the Spiritual Acts of Mercy.
Mercy is not simply about the forgiveness of sins, (and in fact, the forgiveness of sins is not a recognized act of mercy, because we are supposed to do that always). It is much bigger than this, because God’s plan and desire for us is bigger than even the forgiveness of sins. While forgiveness is about the past, God’s plan for us also involves the present and the future. His Mercy is about your salvation and choosing to take the action that best helps you on the way to eternal life and union with Him.
Among the Spiritual Acts of Mercy are: Counsel the doubtful; Admonish the sinner; Instruct the ignorant; Comfort the sorrowful; Bear wrongs patiently; Forgive injuries; and to Pray for the living and the dead.
Jesus warns the Pharisees that if they continue their hypocrisy toward the poor, they will lead themselves to condemnation, and so is acting with mercy to show them their sins. He chastises Peter for trying to obstruct His journey to Jerusalem and accept His Passion, and so is acting to instruct his ignorance. It is later, that He patiently endures the false accusations in front of Pilate and injuries by the Roman guard; He comforted the women of Jerusalem on the way to the Cross and forgave the guards who crucified Him. With every action, our Lord was working for their salvation, this is Divine Mercy.
It does not matter what someone has done, the doors to salvation are never closed in this life. Our discernment is not about whether or not to be merciful, but in what way am I to act in Mercy in this moment and with this person.