God’s Mercy

God of Mercy

God’s mercy is the source of all the blessings in our life. The more we seek it, the more we will receive God’s blessings.

The word mercy means undeserved favour. The Greek word used is ‘Elos’ and the Hebrew word used is ‘Hesed’ which means steadfast love. In Deut 4:31, we read Moses saying; ‘Because the Lord your God is a merciful God, He will neither abandon you nor destroy you’. The nature of our loving Father is to be merciful. God’s mercy can be seen throughout scripture.

Sirach 18:5 says; “Who can measure His majestic power? And who can fully recount His mercies?” There is no measure of our Father’s love. It is endless, it has no boundaries and no limits. What a beautiful way to begin the day by reminding ourselves of Lament 3:22, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

How to receive God’s mercy?

Prayer is the first means to achieve God’s mercy in our life. The Word of God says; “Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge, until the destroying storms pass by” (Ps 57:1). Again the psalmist prays; “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions” (Ps 51:1).

In Luke 18:9-14, there is a beautiful parable about the Pharisee and the tax collector. The Pharisee when he prayed said about how many times he fasted and how much tithe he gave but the tax collector prayed ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner! Jesus ends the parable by saying, the tax collector went home justified rather than the Pharisee. However talented and gifted we are, without the good Lord’s mercy we are nothing.

What is God revealing through God’s mercy?

Zechariah 7:9 speaks thus; “Thus says the Lord of hosts: render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another.” Luke 6:32-36 – “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend from those whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much again. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”

It is here that the beatitude that Jesus taught echoes. Math 5:7 ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy’. Praying for God’s mercy is not enough, we must be merciful to one another.

Being merciful to others has a lot to do with compassion moving our hearts towards others. In the days we live, the love of many has grown cold, relationships have strained, no one wants to let go the others fault. We are called to shine as bright lights by being merciful. Let Gods mercy and love rain on us all. Amen.

Read poem: Come To The Table Of Mercy

Read article: The Fountain of Unfathomable Mercy and Love

A mercy prayer by St. Faustina:-

O Lord. I want to be completely transformed into your mercy and to be your living reflection.

May the greatest of all divine attributes, that of your unfathomable mercy, pass through my heart and soul to my neighbour.

Help me, O Lord that my eyes may be merciful, so that I may never suspect or judge from appearances, but look for what is beautiful in my neighbour’s souls and come to their rescue.

Help me, O Lord that my ears may be merciful, so that I may give heed to my neighbour’s needs and not be indifferent to their pains and moaning.

Help me, O Lord that my tongue may be merciful, so that I should never speak negatively of my neighbour, but have a word of comfort and forgiveness for all.

Help me, O Lord, that my hands may be merciful and filled with good deeds, so that I may do only good to my neighbours and take upon myself the more difficult and toilsome tasks.

Help me, O Lord, that my feet may be merciful, so that I may hurry to assist my neighbour, overcoming my own fatigue and weariness.

Help me, O Lord, that my heart may be merciful so that I myself may feel all the sufferings of my neighbour.

May your mercy, O Lord, rest upon me.

– – – article written by Patrick Horne

2 thoughts on “God’s Mercy”

  1. Hi,
    I am Rajan from chennai. am memeber of Legio Mariare in my parist church. so i wnat more pictures about ‘Legio Mary’

    Regards,
    N.Rajan

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