Marie-Claire (left) talks to Lydie, who runs a savings and loans project in her community in DRC.
“Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.”
What does it mean to be merciful? Some of us will remember the Year of Mercy in 2015-16 when we reflected in depth on how “the name of God is mercy”.
To be in relationship with our neighbour, we are called to be merciful, just as God is merciful towards us. This does not imply setting ourselves up over others in judgement, for we will be judged as we judge.
Pope Francis helps us to understand this. “We must always start from this fixed point: God treated me with mercy... This is the key to becoming God’s collaborators. One experiences mercy and turns into [a] minister of mercy,” he said in an audience in 2018.
To be a good neighbour means to be merciful, as we read in the story of the Good Samaritan. Jesus asks the lawyer, “Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbour to the man who fell among the robbers?” He answers, “The one who showed him mercy.” (Lk 10:36)
Prayer
Lord, we know that your name is mercy. We ask for the courage to be open to others, not to judge them. As we experience your mercy, so too may we be merciful. Amen.
Act
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