A Merciful God: Mercy Is Hope for Repairing
Louis Raphael Sako
Mercy is the hope for Repairing. This is what Jesus teaches us in the parable of the fig tree that does not bear fruit:
“A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it but found none. So he said to the gardener, ‘For three years now I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’
But he replied, ‘Sir, leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’” (Luke 13:6–9)
If the fig tree does not bear fruit, it is because it did not receive, at the proper time, the care that would allow it to grow. At the end of winter the tree must be fertilized so that it can produce fruit in the spring and we may eat it in the summer.
The responsibility for planting, caring for, and harvesting lies with the owner of the tree and his gardener. There is no justification for cursing a poor plant that is not responsible for its barrenness.
In these complex circumstances—symbolized traditionally by this tree—Jesus teaches us wisdom. A good leader draws inspiration from the rhythm of nature in order to plant wisdom and mercy in the minds of those under his care, and then waits patiently until they bear fruit.
This is what the clergy of the Church must do, as those before them did. They must teach the Word of God through their preaching, their instruction, the witness of their lives, and their visits to families, so that they may nourish their faith.
The Merciful God tells us: “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (Matthew 5:7).
In the Gospel we find several healings of the sick and many acts of forgiveness toward sinners, such as the prodigal son (Luke 15) and the sinful woman (John 8:1–11), as well as many expressions that point to God’s boundless mercy. Jesus himself strongly declares: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice” (Matthew 9:13; 12:7).
Mercy is one of God’s attributes (Luke 6:36). Human beings were created by God in His image and likeness (Genesis 1:26), not as predatory beasts.
The divine image exists in the heart of every person when God is present in their conscience. This image shines most brightly when a person lives in a communion of love and mercy with others, reflecting the love and communion that exist among the three divine Persons.
Jesus is the paternal care of mercy
In the Incarnation, Jesus becomes the paternal care of mercy. Is not the central message of his preaching that God is love and mercy? He calls us to benefit from this love and mercy in order to correct our mistakes, grow up and to practice mercy toward others:
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (Matthew 5:7).
Unfortunately, we generally do not seek deeply the meaning of the words spoken by Jesus. We read them superficially, and therefore our attitudes sometimes become harsh and completely foreign to the spirit of mercy that Jesus fully lived and demonstrated in his dealings with others, teaching us to embody it as well.
This mercy makes us aware of our faith and moral responsibility, and helps us correct certain beliefs and behaviours that contradict our faith.
What happens to us is sometimes the result of our own actions or flaws in our nature, but also of a lax conscience, moral negligence, and weak faith. We are witnessing a collapse of values and an increase in moral corruption. Those that fight for power show no mercy!
Let us not lose hope. Especially during this season of Lent, let us return to being the salt of the earth and the light (faith) that shines in the darkness, so that we may prepare ourselves to celebrate the Easter and Resurrection of Christ with joy and peace.
