Right from the beginning of his pontificate, Pope Francis has emphasised mercy. Not long into his papacy, Francis declared a ‘Year of Mercy’. In St. Matthew’s Gospel – which has influenced
Pope Francis – compassion and mercy are essential. Throughout the Gospel, we encounter Jesus, who is merciful. The fifth Beatitude is a blessing on the merciful.
Notice how the first four Beatitudes in St. Matthew’s Gospel are rooted in justice based on knowing God. The fifth to the eighth Beatitudes are rooted in non-exploitation, or rather, the doing of justice. This doing is, for St. Matthew, seen as being compassionate and
merciful.
The Greek word for mercy, used in the Gospel, means to be in an integrated or holistic state of mind, ultimately characterised by mercy, compassion and justice. Merciful people act out of their integrity but are open to and aware of the needs of others. In the Gospel, there is a stark contrast between Jesus and the Pharisees. The Pharisees sought to fulfil the law, a good thing. But they
did this without any mercy. Instead, they were quick to condemn and put obstacles in people’s way. Jesus, on the other hand, comes to fulfil the law and the Prophets (Matthew 5:17). He does this by seeing others through the lens of mercy. Jesus challenges people and invites them to more, and he never does this in a condemning way. He never puts obstacles between people and God.
For St. Matthew, we practice mercy when we
actively seek to be compassionate to others, when we put a good interpretation on what others do when we seek the path of reconciliation and share the resources we have – whether material, spiritual or relational – with others. In Matthew’s Gospel, those who are full of mercy will receive mercy.
Take time today to consider how compassionate and merciful you are towards others –especially those you find difficult to deal with!
Who might God be asking you to show compassion and mercy to at this time?
