On Life 242 – Mercy – October, 19, 2018

He said, “You spoke about God’s justice and that He is not silent before the incidents humans face, but He rather offers a chance for all people to realize the right thing so they know how to correct their mistakes. But, do you agree with me that many people do not realize their mistakes at all and they keep walking in the same path?” I said, “Yes, there are people who do not realize God’s mercy offered to them thus man has to be aware of each good chance that he faces in the path of life and he should not waste it as God, glory be to His name, puts it before him in order to be a reason of his good and the good of others whom he helps”. He asked with doubt, “How is this? I can understand that he works for the good of the people he helps, but what is the good he will gain?” I answered, “My friend, the good man offers will come back to him before it goes for the one who received it. Let me clarify, you know well that God is beneficent and giver of graces to all creation. He works and plans all things for their good and to reveal the truth at the right time. God places the seeds of good in man. When man does a good thing, he helps these seeds and the good nature God created in him, grow, so that he preserves this good nature witnessing for God’s work in him. Thus, one has to learn the way to offer people good and mercy. In other words, when we speak about the manifestations of goodness in humanity, like giving, honesty and positivity and others, we discover that we can’t ignore one of life paths and principles that is the base of the ideal human life that we dreamt of turning it into reality, it is “mercy”. This virtue that religions preached of and considered it one of the critical attributes that man should have as it is one of  God’s attributes, Glory be to His name, Bible says, “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy ” and Quran says,  “And your Lord is the Free of need, the possessor of mercy”, “Allah is Forgiving and Merciful” God asks man to be merciful, thus Bible says, “Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful” and it is written in Quran that, “And not equal are the good deed and the bad. Repel [evil] by that [deed] which is better; and thereupon the one whom between you and him is enmity [will become] as though he was a devoted friend”

Mercy carries the meanings of tenderness, compassion and kindness that man has while dealing with his brethren whom he meets in the journey of life and even those whom he did not meet with, but were positively affected by his deeds and decisions: as the one who improved medicine, medications and the vaccines that helped to save the lives of many people and those who served and still serve for offering an honorable life to all people. Hence, life has always been a sign of people’s humanity.

Forms of mercy vary in life; there is merciful giving, merciful words, merciful forgiveness, merciful consideration of people’s circumstances and feelings, and merciful treatment of the weak.

General Bishop

Head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center