With the declaration, by Pope Francis, of this year as a special Jubilee Year of Mercy Catholics all over the world are being called to demonstrate what is meant to be that chief Christian virtue: Mercy.
And if you, like most of us, are up for adopting a soon-to-be-shamefully-abandoned New Year’s resolution then this is the perfect one for you: have mercy.
Have mercy.
To say that Christians should be known for their mercy goes, I guess, without saying. Mercy, Pope Francis says, is “the beating heart of the Gospel.” It’s everywhere in there. Likewise for the Epistles, the letters of the apostles, and it even shows up in some measure in the Old Testament, nestled between the outrageously vengeful bits, of course.
Following from that, to say that Christians are actually known for their mercy would be, put mildly, an extreme exaggeration.
It would be stretching it.
It would be rather like the punchline of some ill-conceived joke delivered with gusto.
Christians being known for showing mercy?
That’s like saying Russians are known for their national abstinence from alcohol!
See what I mean?
To imagine Christians like me as merciful people would require a very vivid imagination so it’s kind of remarkable to reflect, on this special Year of Mercy, on the fact that we are actually supposed to be merciful.
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